The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to agriculture:

Agriculture – cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life.

What type of thing is agriculture?

Agriculture can be described as all of the following: A type of work An academic discipline A science An applied science An industry

Agricultural activities Agricultural cycle – annual cycle of activities related to the growth and harvest of a crop. Land use – management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements.

Agricultural production Cash crop – agricultural crop which is grown for sale for profit. Agricultural products Food – any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. Natural fibers – class of hair-like materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to pieces of thread. They can be spun into filaments, thread, or rope. Natural fibers are made from plant, animal and mineral sources. Lumber – wood in any of its stages from felling to readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production. Paper – sheet material used for writing on or printing on (or as a non-waterproof container), usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water. Medicine great quantity of herbal and animal parts are used for medicinal purposes worldwide, especially in traditional and naturopathic medicines. Biofuels wide range of plants and plant products are used for converting to fuels, such as firewood, biodiesel, methane gas etc.

Agricultural resources Agricultural land – denotes the land suitable for agricultural production, both crops and livestock. It is one of the main resources in agriculture. Labor (economics) – measure of the work done by human beings. Water – chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. Agricultural machinery – machinery used in the operation of an agricultural area or farm. Fertilizers – any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming materials) that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants.

Branches of agriculture

By type of life form produced or harvested Agronomy – science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Organic gardening – science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and conservation, pest management, and heirloom variety preservation. Animal husbandry – agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.

By industry

Aquafarming Aquaculture – farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Mariculture – specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater.

Farming

Types of farming Alligator farming – establishment for breeding and raising of crocodilians in order to produce meat, leather, and other goods. Aquaculture – farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Contract farming – agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmers Dairy farming – class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale. Integrated farming – more integrated approach to farming as compared to existing monoculture approaches. It refers to agricultural systems that integrate livestock and crop production and may sometimes be known as Integrated Biosystems. Orchardry – managing orchards, intentional planting of trees or shrubs that are maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Organic farming – form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. Pig farming – Poultry farming Sericulture – silk farming, the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk. Sheep husbandry – specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Viticulture – the cultivation and harvesting of grapes.

Farming facilities

Crops – non-animal species or variety that is grown to be harvested as food, livestock fodder, fuel or for any other economic purpose. Orchard – intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Farm – an area of land, together with the buildings on it, that is used for growing crops or raising animals, usually in order to sell them. Greenhouse – building in which plants are grown.

Farming equipment Farm equipment – any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with farming. Baler – piece of farm machinery used to compress a cut and raked crop (such as hay, cotton, straw, or silage) into compact bales that are easy to handle, transport and store. Combine harvester – or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. Farm tractor – vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction. Manure spreader used to distribute manure over a field as a fertilizer. Mower – machine for cutting grass or other plants that grow on the ground. Usually mowing is distinguished from reaping, which uses similar implements, but is the traditional term for harvesting grain crops, e.g. with reapers and combines. Pickup truck – is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area (bed). Plough – is a tool (or machine) used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture.

Farming products Livestock – domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning of "livestock" is common. Cattle – most common type of large domesticated ungulates. Pigs – any of the animals in the genus Sus. Poultry – category of domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of collecting their eggs, or killing for their meat and/or feathers. Sheep – are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Produce – farm-produced goods, not limited to fruits and vegetables (i.e. meats, grains, oats, etc.). Grains – grasses (members of the monocot family Poaceae, also known as Gramineae) cultivated for the edible components of their grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Fruits – part of a flowering plant that derives from specific tissues of the flower, mainly one or more ovaries. Legumes – plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or a fruit of these specific plants. A legume fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces (opens along a seam) on two sides. Nut (fruit)s – hard-shelled indehiscent fruit of some plants. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts. Vegetables – edible plant or part of a plant, but usually excludes seeds and most sweet fruit. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant.

Farming methods and practices Aeroponics – the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium. Aquaponics – combines aquaculture with hydroponics in a symbiotic environment. Artificial selection – describes intentional breeding for certain traits, or combination of traits. Field day (agriculture) – related to a show is the "field day", with elements of a trade show for machinery, equipment and skills required for broadacre farming. Grazing – a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses. Hydroponics – a method of growing plants without soil. Intercropping – practice of growing two or more crops in proximity. Irrigation – artificial application of water to the land or soil. Permaculture – theory of ecological design which attempts to develop sustainable human settlements and agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems. Pollination management – horticultural practices that accomplish or enhance pollination of a crop, to improve yield or quality, by understanding of the particular crop's pollination needs, and by knowledgeable management of pollenizers, pollinators, and pollination conditions. Sustainable agriculture – practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment.

Apiculture (Beekeeping) Apiary – place where beehives of honey bees are kept. Apiology – scientific study of honey bees Bee – flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Beehive – enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus Apis live and raise their young. Beekeeper – person who keeps honey bees. Honey – sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers.

Fishery Fishing – activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping.

Fishery – facility engaged in raising or harvesting fish

Forestry

Forestry – interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Agroforestry – integrated approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock. Analog forestry – system of planned, managed forests, primarily employed in tropical or subtropical areas. Forest gardening – low-maintenance organic plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans. Forest farming – agroforestry practice characterized by the four "I's"- Intentional, Integrated, Intensive and Interactive management of an existing forested ecosystem wherein forest health is of paramount concern. Moreover, agriculture means cultivation of crops and rearing of animals, processing of farm produce and selling.

Ranching Ranching – practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool.

Climate-based agriculture Arid-zone agriculture – agriculture practiced in desert areas of any sort. Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture Tropical agriculture – agriculture practiced in the tropics.

Agricultural Disciplines

Agricultural chemistry Agricultural chemistry – study of both chemistry and biochemistry which are important in agricultural production, the processing of raw products into foods and beverages, and in environmental monitoring and remediation.

Agricultural communication Agricultural communication – field of study and work that focuses on communication about agricultural related information among agricultural stakeholders and between agricultural and non-agricultural stakeholders.

Agricultural economics