Role of Agriculture in Canada - Research Paper Example

? Role of Agriculture in Canada Agriculture involves both farming and livestock keeping and plays a very significant role in improving individuals’ lives since it provides quality lives characterized by sufficient basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. Agricultural activities are very important as they facilitate the production of food in abundance, fibers for clothing, and necessary materials for building houses. Therefore, agriculture enables individuals to enjoy a high quality lifestyle and helps in meeting people’s needs; furthermore, agriculture provides job opportunities for many Canadians. The field of agriculture accommodates many workers as compared with most other industries. In addition, agriculture helps in boosting international trade through imports and exports. Therefore, without productive agriculture, people and society as a whole would not be privileged to enjoy the same quality of life. This paper presents a discussion on the role of agriculture in Canada and its possible environmental implications, and it covers food, food production and loss of biodiversity. Agriculture plays a very significant role in society by improving life quality and in the production of marketable commodities for food, fuel, fiber among others (Holland, 2012). Agricultural activities facilitate the production of individuals’ basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing thereby improving the living standards and quality of life. Primarily, agriculture provides people with food from either crops or animals and agricultural food are full of nutrients and nourishes individuals’ bodies. Agriculture provides the basis of subsistence by ensuring adequate production of food and safety (Holland, 2012). Food is very essential for individuals to survive; therefore, agricultural intervention is necessary to ensure that there is adequate food supply. Agriculture assures food security to the people and individuals work hard to increase agricultural productivity and secure enough food. Animal products such as milk, meat, or even eggs serve as a food source and are consumed by people. Similarly, plant products such as cabbages and other vegetable are also other food sources produced though agriculture. All food produced in Canada guaranteed high quality of production, environment as well as welfare standards. Secondly, agriculture provides us with fiber, cotton, flax among others and all these are necessary materials needed to manufacture natural cloth. Additionally, agriculture offers different job opportunities for many Canadians considering that some people prefer working on the farms while others engage in agricultural based activities. According to studies, agriculture has been stated to be the main source of income to many people in Canada especially in the rural areas. More so, agricultural industries are one of the industries that employ many people; hence, agriculture is a major contributor of Canadian’s wealth (Britton, 1996). Mostly in rural areas, the main activity that people engage in is agriculture and they depend on various agricultural activities in order to earn a living. The increasing farm size and productivity have led to larger labor productivity gains in agriculture. Approximately 340,000 Canadians work on agricultural production sites (IICA-Canada, 2005); thus, agriculture is their occupation and so they dedicate their time to it and focus on how to increase agricultural products. In addition, one of the objectives of agriculture is to eradicate poverty in the society and this is possible through job creations especially working on the farms. However, working on the farms can sometimes be very demanding because it requires energy in that, those working on agricultural farms should be physically energetic and this leaves those who are physically weak disadvantaged. Moreover, agriculture plays a leading role in promoting both regional and international trade thereby boosting the country’s economy since agricultural products can be exported in exchange for other either products or money. Similarly, agriculturalists can import some of the farm inputs such as fertilizers, high-tech machines, seeds among others to increase their productivity. Technological advancement has led to increased production of grains, oilseeds among others (IICA-Canada, 2005). Canada is one of the major world exporters of cereals, oilseeds, and other agricultural products (OECD, 2008). Moreover, some farms prefer purchasing some of these inputs from their colleagues, which enhances both international and regional trade thereby stabilizing the country’s economy as well as the development of rural communities (Holland, 2012). Accordingly, rural agriculture draws visitors across the world due to the presence of maintained farms and even livestock and this is likely to boost the country’s economy. In addition, Canadian agricultural industry has not only helped in shaping the nation’s development but it also forms part of rural heritage and culture (Holland, 2012). Moreover, agriculture is one of the key pillars of the rural economy in Canada (IICA-Canada, 2005). Furthermore, agriculture is very important and have positive impacts on people’s lives, for instance, it helps in the production of the required building materials necessary in constructing homes hence providing shelter for diverse people. This is possible through proper management of forests that helps in the production of lumber required for building houses. More so, agriculture helps in preventing deforestation and preserving forests for ecological soundness, and through agriculture, we are capable of protecting land, for instance, maintaining soil fertility with all the nutrients and organic matter returned to it. Agriculture in Canada has significantly contributed in rural development and shaping rural landscapes (Holland, 2012). However, Canada lags behind when it comes to food policy and regulations (Abergel and MacRae, 2012) because changes in Canadian agri-food policies are based on the changing norms and patterns in the governing sector (Skogstad, 2008). Agricultural products such as fruits and nuts, grain, vegetables, milk, meat, oilseeds, sugar among others are used as a source of food in Cananda (Britton, 1996). Grain crops grown throughout Canada are usually used for bread, rice, cereal and many other food products. Accordingly, most fruit crops grown in Canada are available as fresh fruits and fruits can be processed to produce some juices. Moreover, vegetables like lettuce and broccoli are grown in different parts of Canada to serve as food. Milk production is also inevitable in Canada because most farmers keep livestock. Furthermore, agricultural practice such as poultry, cattle keeping and other animals, and preservation of aquatic plants and animals help in producing enough meat. Agricultural activities thrive in areas where there are suitable natural resources such as land, water and biodiversity. Arguably, natural resource endowments majorly influence human activity in agriculture. Agricultural activities aim at reducing poverty, secure food, and sustaining the environment. Agriculture is very important to raise living standards of people and individuals’ lives depend on agriculture. However, agricultural activities undoubtedly contribute to environmental pollution and waste disposal. Again, agricultural activities on the environment grounds can be counter-productive, that is, agriculture can help in maintaining the environment. For instance, agricultural land plays a leading role in utilizing waste materials into fertilizers. Additionally, composted green wastes as well as sewage sludge are redirected back to the farmland as fertilizers. This will in turn increase agricultural productivity and ensure that the environment is tidy. Climate changes interfere with agricultural productivity leading to poor harvest leading to widespread famine strikes causing starvation and even death. Biodiversity increases the production of products that are essential for life. In conclusion, agriculture involves both livestock keeping and farming, and it plays a very significant role in people’s lives and the society. Agriculture provides us with adequate food such as meat, dairy products, and cereals; create job opportunities and many rely on it as an occupation, promote both regional and international trade, boost the economy of the country, and produces building materials hence creation of shelters. Moreover, agriculture promotes forest preservation and prevents deforestation thereby giving the ecology suitable look. Accordingly, through agriculture, we are able to protect land. Overall, it improves the living standards and provides quality life to many people. However, agriculture largely contributes waste disposal and environmental pollution that can be very harmful to individuals’ health. References Abergel, E. & MacRae, R. J. (2012). Health and sustainability in the Canadian food system: Advocacy and opportunity for civil society. Columbia: UBC Press. Britton, J. N. H. (1996). Canada and the global economy: The geography of structural and technological change. Montreal: McGill-Queen's Univ. Press. Holland, K. (2012). Transitioning to a New Approach for Sustainability: The Case of Manitoba Agriculture. Retrieved from http://www.cpsa-acsp.ca/papers-2012/Holland.pdf IICA-Canada. (2005).The Contribution of IICA-Canada to the Development of Agriculture and Rural Communities of the Americas. Bib. Orton IICA / CATIE. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development- OECD. (2008). Environmental performance of agriculture in OECD countries since 1990. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/sustainable-agriculture/44254899.pdf . Skogstad, G. (2008). Internationalization and Canadian Agriculture: Policy and Governing Paradigms. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. . Read More