Agriculture Unit 5 Vocabulary

Agribusiness

The system of commercial farming that includes all the steps in producing food, integrating various aspects of the food-production industry.

Agricultural revolution

Significant changes in agriculture, including the First, Second, and Third Agricultural Revolutions involving domestication, mechanization, and scientific advancements.

Agriculture

The deliberate effort to modify a portion of Earth's surface through the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock.

Aquaculture/aquafarming

The cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions.

Commercial agriculture

Agriculture undertaken primarily to generate products for sale off the farm.

Crop rotation

The practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year to avoid exhausting the soil.

Dairy Farm

A farm that produces milk or milk products, usually located near urban centers.

Desertification

Degradation of land primarily due to human actions such as excessive crop planting and animal grazing.

Food security

Physical, social, and economic access to safe and nutritious food sufficient to meet dietary needs.

Genetically modified organism (GMO)

A living organism with a novel combination of genetic material obtained through modern biotechnology.

Green revolution

Rapid diffusion of new agricultural technology, especially new high-yield seeds and fertilizers.

Intensive subsistence agriculture

A form of subsistence agriculture requiring large efforts to maximize yield from a parcel of land.

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

Commercial farming characterized by integration of crops and livestock, mostly feeding crops to animals.

No tillage

A farming practice that leaves the soil undisturbed, keeping the entire residue of the previous harvest.

Overfishing

Capturing fish at a faster rate than they can reproduce.

Plantation

A large farm that specializes in producing one or two crops for sale, usually to developed countries.

Ranching

A form of commercial agriculture where livestock graze over an extensive area.

Shifting cultivation

A form of subsistence agriculture where fields are used for crops for a few years and left fallow for a long period.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farming methods that preserve long-term productivity of land and minimize pollution.

Urban subsistence farming

Growing food within cities for personal or local consumption, addressing food insecurity.

Vertical integration

Single-company control of multiple stages in food production, from farming to distribution.