Farmers are people who take part in agriculture, cultivating different food products for animal or human consumption. There are different types of farmers varying from those who grow crops to those who raise animals.
Their main objective is to cultivate good crops and raise healthy animals so as to play a role in feeding the population. They, therefore, produce all the crops and rear the livestock consumed by human beings for survival. Working hard on a daily basis enable them to produce plenty of animal products and crops, and supply the same to the market.
Farmers utilize primitive and advanced technologies, as they use natural resources responsibly, to produce food and fiber for the nourishment of the population. They have mastered how to cope with varying growing seasons, soil conditions, climatic conditions and even harsh disastrous events like floods, droughts, and interference by wildlife. Some choose to specialize in their crop production while others do not.
Importance of Farmers
Source of livelihood; they provide food for many people. Agriculture basically provides a wide range of foods products.
- Raw materials; leading industries using materials like sugar, and cotton all depend directly on agriculture. Without farmers, such industries may have to close down.
- Employment; they create jobs not only for the people tending to the crops but also for loaders and truck drivers who are responsible for transporting the produce to various destinations.
- Health nutrients; minerals and vitamins that fresh vegetables and fruits provide to our bodies exceed by far what we would otherwise get from supplements and multivitamins.
- Foreign exchange; tea, coffee, bananas, and spices, produced by the farmer, when exported bring a substantial amount of foreign exchange to the exporting nation.
- Source of saving; agriculture increase savings. By adopting modern technology, farmers can save some cash and use it to either invest further in agriculture or even diversify.
- Connection to nature; the nature of their work gives the farmer a deeper understanding and hence direct connection to the environment.
- Promote specialization in the economy; produce foods that are consumed by doctors, engineers and other specialized professions. Persons in such specialties, therefore, focus on what they do best.
- Good balance of payment; Agricultural products constitute export items. Improvement in the practice coupled with a reduction in imports reduces the country’s unfavorable balance of payment.
- Improve the local economy; the average farmer produces foods enough for hundreds of families. When consumers buy their foods they support their families as farmers support the buyers’ families.
- Market stability; as farmer invest more and supply a lot of farm products to the market, the price stability increase. Inflation then comes down benefiting surrounding communities.
- Promote consumption of healthy foods; without agriculture, people would be forced to eat processed foods that have been found to contribute to various health conditions.
- Environmental conservation; animal feeds like hay, grass, and forage provide ground cover and as such protect the ecosystem against landslide and soil erosion.
- Food security; vibrant agriculture results in food security. Food security, in turn, prevents malnutrition, one of the major issues plaguing developing countries.
Conclusion
Framer besides producing foods support many other industries using farm produce as raw materials. With mechanization and adoption of the green revolution, agriculture currently provides enough for the local economy and surplus for export. Consequently, the local community enjoys food security while the entire nation benefits from the foreign exchange. Farmers also create employment opportunities for many people.
By: Joni Kim
EdgeArticles 