Agriculture has progressed from being an art to a scientific practice. Gone are the days when it used to be all about sweat and toil. Modern agricultural practices use the application of the latest technologies in addition to the essential physical inputs.
Farmers today heavily rely on weather forecasts, information about pests, diseases, and new cropping techniques. There are many organizations and communities dedicated to furthering the knowledge about problems faced by the farming community and to providing solutions.
The stress on the limited resources has made man to utilize them more intelligently. Water - the essential yet limited resource, has seen immense advancements in its efficient and effective usage. From drip irrigation to rain water harvesting, from utilizing traditional knowledge of soil moisture conservation to applying laws of physics to conserve water, the innovations continue to excite and evolve.
The pressure on agricultural land has made it imperative for farmers to grow more using lesser time, land and money. Innovative ideas such as agro forestry have made it possible for man to nurture the environment he lives in apart from using nature’s bounty to embellish himself.
Opportunities exist today to interact and communicate with fellow farmers, scientists, meteorologists, and businesses. Online communities dedicated to providing agricultural consultancy, weather forecasts, new cropping patterns and commodity prices exist. Leveraging the power of the communication revolution to be better informed about agricultural issues has become essential and the key to sustain and grow in this competitive world.
New legislations and agreements impact farming practices and commodity prices. Information is the key to survive in an increasingly global market. Opportunities exist in such a global village and so do threats. As the information resources swell there is a need to pick the best that is available and use it to our advantage.
In the Agriculture section, we present an assortment of web resources to provide information that is critical and handy to the farming community.