1. The role of agriculture in modern society
Agriculture provides the basis of subsistence for the population
by production of food and raw materials. Traditionally, the
inhabitants of each country or region depended on the bread-basket
filled by the farmers, i.e., everybody depended on agriculture
and was interested in its fate. In recent times, regional
and international trade have reduced the dependence on home
agriculture, and the quantity of available food is less a
function of the harvest than of the political decision on
the amount of food imports.
To meet the requirements of the ever increasing population
with its higher purchasing power, and this despite less and
less manpower because of the high outmigration from rural
areas, agriculture increased its outputs and productivity,
a process which had consequences for the price of agricultural
products. The more people live in the cities and have to buy
food at the market, the more agricultural prices became a
political issue. The interest of urban society in agriculture
is an interest in low prices, and the request of the primary
sector for price increases is a regular nuisance for the urban
population.
The increase in output and productivity of agriculture could
only be achieved by division of work and specialization. Today
only part of the production process takes place on the farm,
while, in addition, agriculture uses industrial products like
fertilizer, pesticides, machinery and equipment, the services
of the tertiary sector like banking, insurance etc. and hands
its products over to other sectors for packing, processing,
or distribution. Today, agriculture is deeply interwoven with
other sectors of the economy. It cannot produce anymore without
their inputs and services, and acts itself as a customer to
these other sectors, thus providing work and income outside
of agriculture.
These changes in agriculture had consequences for the agricultural
population. Many people from rural areas migrated to the cities
and filled the ranks of workers in the secondary and tertiary
sectors. For the remaining rural population, agriculture changed
from a way of life to a profession in which technical know-how
plays an ever increasing role. Frequently, the structure and
organization of the farm changed. New forms like part-time
farming arose. In areas with very tiny holdings and poor soil,
rural-urban migration reached the stage, where only the aged
live in the village. Particularly under such conditions, the
responsibility of agriculture for the preservation of nature
adds to the roles it plays today.
The changes in agriculture — briefly outlined here
— bring with them new tasks in training and research
for colleges of agriculture. The process of agricultural production
has become increasingly complex and requires therefore scientific
help in research and extension. The need for optimizing the
allocation of inputs has given agricultural economics importance,
especially in the field of farm management. Necessary changes
in the agrarian structure require special studies. The application
of inputs in agriculture have created new tasks in fields
like agricultural chemistry and engineering, and the processing
of food has become a new area of specialization. Such a highly
differentiated organization of agriculture requires professional
associations. Finally, the provision of food for the population
with so many contributors and interest-groups can be achievied
only with a functioning marketing and distribution system
as well as a sound agricultural policy.
For all these tasks, persons have to be trained, and research
has to provide the necessary scientific basis. The changes
in agriculture have broadened the role the colleges of agriculture
have to play as training and research institutions.
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