Farming and Agriculture Vocabulary Words with Meanings A to Z

Farming is a part of agriculture. Agriculture comparatively covers a vast subject area including production, research and development, and farming is the process of the implementation of agricultural activities.

Agriculture is the science and art of growing crops and livestock. Agriculture was a major development in human civilization, with subsistence farming creating an abundance of food that enabled people to live in cities.

For decades agriculture has been linked to the production of essential food crops. Currently, more and more agriculture includes agriculture, dairy, fruit farming, poultry, beekeeping, mushrooms, lemons, etc.

We have compiled a list of terms commonly used in Farming activities like paddy, chaff, grain, combine etc. for beginners to build agriculture vocabulary .

Farming and Agriculture Terms Vocabulary

Following is a list of 20+ words associated with farming and agriculture along with their meanings:

Word Meaning
Agriculture deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals to obtain sustenance or economic gain
Crop any plant cultivated by people
Kjon wild onions
subsistence agriculture production of food primarily for consumption by the farmer’s family
commercial agriculture production of food primarily for sale off the farm
prime agricultural land most productive farmland
Agribusiness commercial farming
shifting cultivation slash and burn farming
Swidden area cleared by slash and burn tactics
pastoral nomadism herding of domesticated animals
Transhumance seasonal migration of livestock between mountains and lowland pastures
pasture grass or other plants grown for feeding animals
intensive subsistence agriculture most of the work is done by hand or with animals
sawah flooded field
paddy Malay wet rice
chaff husks
winnowed blown away by the wind
Hull outer covering of rice
double cropping obtaining two harvests per year from one field
crop rotation rotating the use of different fields from crop to crop each year
plantation large farm that specializes in one or two crops
cereal grain oats, wheat, rye, and barley
milkshed ring surrounding a city from which milk can be supplied without spoiling
grain seed from various grasses
winter-wheat planted in autumn, harvested at start of summer
spring-wheat planted in spring, harvested in late summer
reaper machine that cuts grain standing in the field
combine machine that reaps, threshes, and cleans
ranching commercial grazing of livestock over an extensive area
horticulture growing of fruits, vegetables, and flowers
truck farming commercial growing of fruits and vegetables
sustainable agriculture preserves and enhances environmental quality
ridge tillage planting crops on ridge tops
desertification human actions causing land quality to deteriorate
green revolution invention and rapid diffusion of more productive agricultural techniques

Let’s have a quick recap of some of the terms using the following image.

Importance of Agriculture

  1. Source of Livelihood: The main source livelihood of many people is agriculture.
  2. Contribution to National revenue: Agriculture is the main source of national income for most developing countries.
  3. Supply of Food as well as Fodder: The agricultural sector provides fodder for livestock. Cows give people milk as a protective food. In addition, livestock also meet human food needs.
  4. Significance to the International Trade: Agricultural products such as sugar, tea, rice, spices, tobacco, coffee etc. make up large exports to agricultural countries.
  5. Marketable Surplus: The growth of agricultural sector contributes to marketable surplus.
  6. Source of Raw Material: The main source of raw material is for large industries such as cotton and jute fabric, sugar, tobacco, edible oils and non-edible agricultural products.
  7. Significance in Transport: Most agricultural products are transported by rail and road from farm to industry.
  8. Foreign Exchange Resources: The nation’s export trade depends largely on agricultural sector
  9. Great Employment Opportunities: The construction of irrigation schemes, water supply systems and other such activities in the agricultural sector is important as it provides great job opportunities.
  10. Economic Development: With more employment, agriculture is contributing to economic development. As a result, the national income and living standards of the people are being improved.
  11. Source of Saving: Development in agriculture may also increase savings.
  12. Food Security: A stable agricultural sector ensures a nation of food security. 

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