PRT 2009

Agriculture and Life

Introduction & Scope of Modern

Agriculture
• WHAT IS AGRICULTURE ??
– AGRI : Latin, Ager = Field
– CULTURE : Latin, Cultura = cultivation/
tillage of the soil

• Utilization of natural resource systems to

produce commodities which maintain life,
including food, fiber, forest products,
horticultural crops, and their related
services.
 Agriculture involves farming: cultivating soil, production of crops
for food & rearing livestock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
http:// File:Farming-on-Indonesia.jpg
carthageagriculture.pbworks.com/w/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
page/15315791/Organic%20Farming File:India_Farming.jpg
%20Days%2024

http://www.worldofstock.com/stock-
http://www.photostaud.com/europe/iceland/icelandic- photos/aquaculture-fish-farming-at-the-
http://mgiannini.blogspot.com/2011/04/
farms/1389-sheep-farm-iceland.html university-of/BAG2322
new-ways-of-farming-why-not.html
Agriculture produce commodities including food, fiber, forest
products and horticultural crops

http://umaeenews.blogspot.com/2012/03/sources-and-
types-of-dietary-fiber.html

http://www.invest-ks.org/?cont=23

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_product http://www.agricultureinformation.com/mag/
2005/03/andhra-pradesh-horticulture/
Definition
Modern Agriculture is a business
• Not only production of raw material, also
food and non-food product.
– eg: oil palm plantation: oil into food,
pharmaceutical, soap, now biofuel etc

• Continual improvement in agricultural

methods, resources and involve
specialists in agriculture. (economists,
scientists, inventors, engineers etc)
 SOME OTHER FIELDS INVOLVE IN AGRICULTURE

Engineering Technology

MODERN AGRICULTURE

Biological Sciences Physical Sciences

Definition
Present Day:
- Soilless gardening (hydroponics) is
adopted.

- Packing, processing, marketing,

food preservation, quick freezing
and dehydration helped increase
the markets.
Importance of Agriculture
 Agriculture is food for
survival
(picture source:
http://graphics.stanford.edu/~edluong/olpc/history/devel
oping_contries.htm)
(a) (b)

Agriculture provides raw materials for industrialized nations;

a) rubber, b) cocoa
(picture source:
a) http://www.rawganique.com/Bed/natural-latex-rubber-mattresses.htm
b) http://santabarbarachocolate.blogspot.com/2011/01/guide-to-raw-cacao-and-cocoa-bean.html)
(c) (d)

Agriculture provides raw materials for industrialized nations;

c) Livestock, d) Oil palm
(picture source:
c) http://usagritech.com/product-livestock.html
d) http://m2mc.blogspot.com/2010/10/cooking-oil-palm-oil-based-as-engine.html)
 Agriculture provides income:
A worker seals bags of fertilizer
made from animal waste (top),
& a sign of fertilizer being sold
(bottom) in Nebraska USA
(picture source: http://scarlet.unl.edu/?p=8299)
 Composite
boards

Rice husks INTO

Groundnut husks

Agriculture provides income:

Agriculture waste were processed into new
products in Nigeria
Corn cobs (picture source:
http://www.holcimfoundation.org/T1319/A11AMacNG.htm)
 Agriculture is important in
maintaining socio-political
stability of a country
(picture source:
http://sarawakmonitor.blogspot.com/2012/01/sarawak-must-
preserve-socio-political.html)
BUT…
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Polluted waterways and wetlands
i. Nitrogen and phosphorus (from
inorganic fertilizers)
ii. Pesticides and other biocides

EFFECT: Biodiversity of plants and animals

 Water pollution in stream Eutrophication due to algal
due to agriculture activity in bloom resulted in loses of
New Zealand biodiversity
(picture source: (picture source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_a http://www.saawinternational.org/enviromentandhealth.htm
griculture) )
 Biodiversity: Oil Palm is Biodiversity: Rubber tree
native to Central and South initially grew only in the
America Amazon Rainforest
(picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_palm) (picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rubber)
 Agricultural
Practices/Systems

1. Subsistence Farming

2. Commercialised Farming
 1. Subsistence Farming
Character:
- Low input & low yield
– Inter-cropping (mix cropping)
– Slash and burn (nomadic)
– Low external input
– Enough food to feed family
– No surplus to sell or storage for long
term
 Subsistence farming
Example: Shifting Cultivation
• Most primitive form
• Improvement: works permanently on the
land – that has undergone slash & burn
Cultivation- still poor in nutrients, thus poor
yield
• Now raising domesticated livestock for
food- small enclosure or limited free range
 Subsistence farming in
Cameroon Africa
(picture source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsistence_agriculture)

Subsistence farming in
Mexico
(picture source:
http://www.globalexchange.org/resources/nafta/car
negie)
 Subsistence farming in Subsistence farming in Papua
Europe (Albania) New Guinea
(picture source: (picture source:
http://julian-hoffman.com/2010/12/28/glimpsed-in- http://epress.anu.edu.au/titles/food_agriculture_citation /)
passing/)
 Subsistence farming in
Malaysian Borneo
(picture source: http://ramblingspoon.com/blog/?
p=4183 )

Subsistence farming in
Siem Reap Cambodia
(picture source: http://ramblingspoon.com/blog/?
p=4183)
 2. Commercialised Farming
Character:
– Monoculture or combination of a few crops.
– Use of high yielding modern varieties
– Large chemicals input (Pesticides & fertilizers)
– High use of technology and machineries.
 Tropical
Plantation Vegetable
Agriculture Farming

COMMERCIALISED FARMING

Aquaculture New products and Poultry and Animal

future industries Farming
 Commercialised Farming
Example 1: Tropical Plantation Agriculture
- Monocropping
ie: Rubber, oil palm, cocoa , coffee, coconut.
- Suitable humid tropical climate
- Yield exported to industrialise nations
- Crop-animal integrated farming: Private & state
owned.
- Animal: free range, under shelters
Rubber tree plantation in Jelebu N. Sembilan
(picture source: http://momoc.sumasu.com/photography-education/rubber-plantation-hdr//)
Oil palm tree plantation in Broga Semenyih Selangor
(picture source: http://denslee.com/2009/09/06/broga-hill/)
Example of cocoa tree plantation in Malaysia
(picture source: http://www.featurepics.com/online/Cocoa-Trees-822659.aspx/)
Tea plantation with coffee trees in Cameron Highlands
(picture source: http://malaysiaandcambodia.blogspot.com/2011/04/102-sungei-palas-tea-plantation.html)
Coconut tree plantation near Sitiawan Perak
(picture source: http://www.ceskay.com/2009/01/trip-to-sitiawan-perak/)
 Crop-animal Integrated Farming:
Cattle integration with oil palm in Lundu Sarawak
(picture source: http://cattlegrow.blogspot.com/)
Commercialized Farming
Example 2: Vegetable Farming
- Production in block or row
- Open or enclosed
- Use machinery
- Efficient and high output
- Labour intensive
- Ripening technologies and refrigeration has
reduce the problem with getting fresh produce
to market.
 Block/row of cabbage in
Cameron Highlands
(picture source:
/http://www.travelfeeder.com/travel_guides/travel-
photos-guide-to-cameron-highland-malaysia)

Block/row of vegetable farm

in Malaysia
(picture source:
http://www.featurepics.com/online/Vegetable-Farming-
Asia-829646.aspx)
Farmer use machinery in efficient/high output vegetable farm
(picture source:
http://www.gaebler.com/How-to-Start-a-Vegetable-Farm.htm)
Commercialised Farming
(i) Organic Farming
– Involve crop rotation
• Avoid build up of pests and diseases
• Helps balance the fertility
– No chemicals are used
– Depends on natural enemies
– Organic fertilizers
 One of the organic
vegetables farms located in
New England, USA
(picture source:
http://www.extension.org/pages/18357/organic-vegetable-
farms-in-new-england:-three-case-studies/)

Another organic vegetables

farm located in Iowa State
USA
(picture source: http://ecowatch.org/2011/experiment-
shows-profitability-of-organic-farming/ )
Commercialised Farming
(ii) Soilless culture
– providing plants with support and a
reservoir for nutrients and water
– growing without soil
– controlled environment
– high production
– high quality
– no soil-borne diseases and weeds
– no tillage (no need to prepare the
land like plough)
 Type of soilless culture
• (A) LIQUID-MEDIUM SYSTEM
– (1) Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
– (2) Deep water culture
– (3) Aeroponics
• (B) SOLID-MEDIUM SYSTEM
 (1) Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
– grown in channel, nutrient pumped constantly
– kept moist by thin film
– most common

(picture source:
http://hydroponicsguide.co.uk/0511/hydroponics/
hydroponic-system-focus-%E2%80%93-nft-nutrient-
film-technique)
(picture source: http://growaeroponics.com/)
(2) Deep water culture

(picture source: http://www.hydroponicsnutrients.co/) (picture source:

http://www.hydroponics-
simplified.com/deep-water-culture.html)
- suspending the plant roots in a solution of nutrient-rich,
oxygenated water.
- raft/pond or float systems.
- suspend plant roots 8-12 inches deep.
- Cheaper than NFT
(3) Aeroponics
– Plant roots are suspended in a mist or
extreme fine fog of nutrient rich solution

(picture source: http://growaeroponics.com/)

Example 3: Aquaculture
Cultivation of aquatic organisms
(i) Mariculture (culture in ocean) eg: marine
fish, prawns, oyster and pearls
(ii) Algaculture (seaweed & other algae)
(iii) Freshwater fish & prawns farming
(catfish, tilapia) in ponds/tanks/cage
(iv) semi-aquatic animals: crocodile, frogs,
snails in tanks/ ponds
Mariculture: Marine fish cage culture in Scotland and
oyster farm in France
(picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture)
Algaculture: Seaweed farming in Semporna, Sabah
(picture source: http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Malaysia/East/Sabah/Semporna/
photo403873.htm)
Freshwater fish farming in Sabah
(pictures courtesy by Prof Rita)
Example 4: Livestock farming (domesticated
animals for agriculture
- animal husbandry (raising animals)
– In closure / shelters or rangeland- free roaming

Lifestock farming: Example

of chicken farm
(picture source:
http://www.myessentia.com/blog/blog/2011/02/
13/where-are-quebec-poultry-farmers-on-goal-
to-produce-antibiotic-free-chicken/)
 Lifestock farming:
A dairy farm in UK
(picture source:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/22/fa
rmers-cow-super-dairy)

Lifestock farming: An
example of cow farm
(picture source:
http://www.cuisinevegan.com/environmental-
concerns/cows-are-hurting-the-planet/)
 Lifestock farming:
Ostrich farm in Jelebu
Negeri Sembilan
(picture source:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/12f5e7/)

Lifestock farming:
Young ostriches at farm in San
Diego USA
(picture source:
http://www.sdrp.org/resources/dieguito/dieguito-
number1.htm)
Example 5: New products and future
industries.
• Development of biotechnology products :
– extraction of natural chemicals from biological
resources
– utilization of oil palm biomass
– Examples include recreational fishery,
agroforestry, herbal farming, mushroom
cultivation and agrotourism.
 New products and future
industries:
Anglers enjoy recreational fishing
activities in fish pond
(picture source:
http://bisnisukm.com/kiat-sukses-berbisnis-kolam-
pemancingan-ikan.html)

New products and future

industries: Agroforestry in
Bukina Faso
(picture source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agroforestry)
 New products and future
industries: Example of
medicinal herbs farm
(picture source:
http://5election.com/2011/04/03/medicinal-herbs-
will-disappear/)

New products and future industries:

A farmer checking on his
mushrooms growing from bottles in
Kota Baharu
(picture source:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/8/14/north/4
487999)
 New products and future
New products and future industries: Kids enjoy
industries: Agritourism activities agritourism activities in USA
in Switzerland (picture source:
http://www.grit.com/community/travel/agritourism.aspx)
(picture source: http://www.tourism-review.com/switzerland-in-need-of-
an-agritourism-organization-news2306)

New products and future industries:

Malaysian tourist picking a
strawberry in an agrotourism farm in
Cameron Highlands
(picture source: http://www.tourism.gov.my/activities/?xtvt_id=21)
 Downstream Processing
Food Processing (Food Industrial Processing (Non-
Products) food)
Thank you !