"SEC | S20W4: "ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE ECONOMY"

Hello Agro friends, It is another new week in the engagement Challenge for season 20. We started week 1 with an interesting topic theme, the Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Productivity", followed by "How to Cultivate a Paddy" and "Identification and elimination of crop pests" for week 2 and 3. All were positioned to teach and get us practically engrossed with the realities of agriculture. For this week, we will be discussing "the role of agriculture in the economy".

designed in canva

Course Outline

• Introduction
• Roles of Agriculture
• Contribution of Agriculture to GDP
• Linkages of Agriculture & other Sectors of the economy
• Challenges

Introduction

Agriculture is a multifaceted sector that plays a very important role in the economy. This does not only stop at its role in the agricultural sector (the food production we know) but also in other sectors like the economy, social, and the environment. Due to its multifacet role in all sectors, this underscores the importance of solving most of the key indices like poverty reduction, economic opportunity, standard of living, and environmental sustainability.

However, we must understand agriculture better especially for the policymakers, farmers, and other sector stakeholders for key decision-making that promotes sustainability and development. It remains the mainstay of many countries and as well developing countries given their massive investment, favorable climate conditions, and indulgence.

Roles of Agriculture

As I told us in the intro, agriculture comes with a multifaceted role or function. In some cases, this can be classified based on their categories namely, primary, secondary, and tertiary roles. However, let us deal with its role collectively.

Food Security:

Agriculture is the sole provider of food to the world. It has continued to play this primary role of providing to the teaming population of the world. This entails that there is food stability and nutritional supply at all times, that meets both individual and communal demands. The availability of crops of diverse types and livestock is the mainstay of guaranteed food security.

Economic Growth:

agriculture is one key contributor to the economies with the potential to provide high-yield incomes and job opportunities. its role does not only stop at food production but as well provide raw materials for industrial use. This role entails economic activities being stimulated, jobs being created, and the cycle continues. Agriculture is seen to contribute between 10 to 50% of the world's GDP. This variation could be observed in different country's strengths.

Other roles we could see include;

• Social Development
• Industrial Development
• Environment al Services

Homework1:

a. Explain the social and industrial roles of agriculture in your country, sighting one of the main grown crop.
b. How has this main grown agriproduct helped in reducing poverty and as well promote rural development in your country?

Contribution of Agriculture to GDP

In many developing economies, agriculture is seen to play a very vital role in GDP contribution. In some of these countries, it is the mainstay of their economies. Statistics have it that a range of 10 to 50% could be seen as contributions traced to agricultural activities. This could be directly in the form of crop production, livestock production, aquatic, forestry, and other agricultural activities.

Before the discovery of crude and oil exploration in Nigeria, agriculture was known to be its mainstay and major contributor to GDP. A situation where all regions harnessed this sector based on their favorable advantage. A developed economy like the US have agriculture contribution a $1 trillion to the country's GDP.

In calculating agriculture's contribution to GDP, we have to look at this holistically where the different components are captured. These components include contributions from crops, livestock, forestry, aquatic foods, and other agricultural activities. These are the direct contributory components of agriculture to GDP. However, we still have other indirect components that also add to this which include; food processing companies, and manufacturers/industries harnessing agro-related raw materials for production.

Lastly, from the primary role of agriculture where food security is promoted, aid in poverty reduction, and promotes job creation, therefore contributions from this sector to nations GDP still remains important for all time development.

Homework2:

c. What are the main challenges facing your country's top crops (e.g., cocoa, palm, maize, wheat, rice, etc.) in terms of economic impact?

Linkages of Agriculture & other Sectors of the economy

Agriculture does not stand alone or independently but also seen to have linkages with other sectors of economy as a handshake that promotes growth and prosperity. These linkages may be seen as the secondary role of agriculture, however, still vital to the overall indices that collectively uphold agriculture positively.

Direct linkages (Agro-products to Other sectors)

• Food processing companies (Supplies of Agro raw material)
• Agritourism (provision of attractive/sight seeing vegetation and rural tourism centers)
• Manufacturing/Industries (Provision of inputs used for pharmaceutical, textiles, etc)
• General Construction (through the use of woods and bamboos)

Indirect/Backward linkages (Other sectors to Agriculture)

These are some of the services agriculture also receives to help boost its over all yield. and they include;

• Supplies of fertilizers, pesticides and machinery to agriculture which help in improving its general performance
• Credit Finance. Agriculture requires funding for expansion, improve its activities and as well have a cover (insurance)
• Transportation/ Energy. Agriculture require the services of transportation and energy for sales and marketing, and as well power its machinery (irrigation and processing equipment).

We can not also forget that agriculture also interact with the "environment" for wildlife and conservation management, "Essential services" like storage, packaging and logistics, and "Technology" for improve use of all seedlings and precision agriculture.

Challenges

We will be stating some of the challenges facing agriculture in performing its role in the economy as required. There are internal and external challenges militating against the role of agriculture which include;

Internal Challenges

1. Climate change/Variations
2. Poor financing
3. Lack of technological know-how or use of outdated methodologies
4. Poor irrigation provision and water scarcity
5. Soil degradation

External Challenges

1. Inflation and market fluctuations
2. Policy inconsistencies and poor regulatory framework
3. Poor and ineffective use of Pest and Diseases management
4. Poor Infrastructure to support sector

Notwithstanding, there are other challenges from social, technological, economic, and environment sectors affecting agriculture from attaining the required growth.

Homework3:

d. What current or past government initiatives are boosting agricultural productivity in your country?"
e. What solutions can enhance agricultural productivity and growth in your country?

Note: Students are expected to attempt all questions.

Thank you.

Summary of Homework Tasks

a. Explain the social and industrial roles of agriculture in your country, sighting one of the main grown crop.

b. How has this main grown agriproduct helped in reducing poverty and as well promote rural development in your country?

c. What are the main challenges facing your country's top crops (e.g., cocoa, palm, maize, wheat, rice, etc.) in terms of economic impact?

d. What current or past government initiatives are boosting agricultural productivity in your country?"

e. What solutions can enhance agricultural productivity and growth in your country?

Guidelines and Rules

• The title will be: "SEC | S20W4: "ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE ECONOMY"

• The post must contain a minimum of 350 words, be free from plagiarism, and not use Artificial Intelligence (AI).

• In your first three tags, use #agro-s20w4, #country (eg. #nigeria or #bangladesh), and #steemesclusive.

• If using the hashtag #burnsteem25 make sure you give 25% of the reward to @null

• Invite at least 3 friends to participate.

• Use copyright-free images with proper sourcing.

• "All entries should be made in the steem-agro community or on your personal blog"

• Paste your post link in the comment section, and don't forget to Vote and Resteem this post.

• This contest starts Monday, 30th September, 2024 at 00:00 UTC and ends on Sunday, 6th October, 2024, at 23:59 UTC.

• Remember to always Share your post on twitter using the 3 main tags #steem #steemit $steem

Rewards/Prizes

Note that students with outstanding and quality publications would be selected for each week while considering adherence to all stipulated guidelines and post-presentation. However, five (5) students would be presented for support as required by the steemit team for their prizes.

Kind regards
@xkool24
For:Team-Agro

Cc: @mainuna