10 Facts About Agriculture

Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to live in cities.

Agriculture is both a cause of and sensitive to environmental degradation, such as biodiversity loss, desertification, soil degradation, and global warming, all of which can cause decreases in crop yield.

Agriculture is defined with varying scopes, in its broadest sense using natural resources to "produce commodities which maintain life, including food, fiber, forest products, horticultural crops, and their related services".

Agriculture began independently in different parts of the globe, and included a diverse range of taxa, in at least 11 separate centers of origin.

Agriculture is both a cause of and sensitive to environmental degradation, such as biodiversity loss, desertification, soil degradation and global warming, which cause decrease in crop yield.

Agriculture is one of the most important drivers of environmental pressures, particularly habitat change, climate change, water use and toxic emissions.

Agriculture is the main source of toxins released into the environment, including insecticides, especially those used on cotton.

Agriculture imposes multiple external costs upon society through effects such as pesticide damage to nature, nutrient runoff, excessive water usage, and loss of natural environment.

Agriculture is a major draw on water from aquifers, and currently draws from those underground water sources at an unsustainable rate.

Agriculture contributes to climate change by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, and by the conversion of non-agricultural land such as forest for agricultural use.