Agriculture: branches of agriculture. Branches of agriculture in Russia. The main types of agriculture in Russia All about agriculture

In the development of agricultural production, the same general economic laws apply as in other branches of the national economy. But they are due to some specific features. The main distinguishing feature of the development of agriculture land is the main means of production. Compared to other means of production, the earth does not wear out, and with proper use improves its quality parameters.

• Agricultural growth

• The development of agriculture in the ussr

Development of agriculture in Russia

Let's look at the dynamics of the development of agriculture in Russia . Let's trace the growth of agriculture and the volume of agricultural production in the framework of agrarian reforms. From 1991 to 1995 we had a reduction in agricultural production at the level of 7-8%. In 1996-2000 this negative trend continued, although the rate of decline was in the range of 1-1.5%, and only from 2000 to the present we have a positive trend in agricultural production, with the exception of 2010, when due to climatic conditions - this dynamic is broken.

Russia has 9% of the world's agricultural land. It is the main means of production in the industry. Currently, the use of land and resource potential in Russia, especially arable land, is in a crisis state: the process of withdrawing arable land from circulation is underway. Currently, 30 to 40 million hectares of arable land have been taken out of circulation and are not used.

Ways of development of agriculture

Previously, it was believed that the path of development of agriculture this is a reduction in the means of production used in this industry and their redistribution in favor of industry and the military-industrial complex, and then in the service sector. It is now becoming clear that for the development of agriculture in Russia, it is necessary to improve agriculture, taking into account the following factors:

1. Firstly, the importance of agriculture in solving global problems is growing: food (due to population growth), energy (due to the growing shortage of fossil fuels and the possibility of replacing them with biofuels), environmental (due to the transition from intensive to nature-saving technologies) .
2. Secondly, the demand of the growing urban population for rural recreational services, including agritourism, is increasing.
3. Thirdly, the development of agriculture within the framework of family production units becomes a condition for preserving the cultural diversity of mankind. All this gives the agricultural sector a priority, especially in countries with great agricultural potential.

Prospects for the development of agriculture

Russia, due to the vast areas suitable for agriculture, has all the prospects for the development of agriculture. To date, the goal of work on the development of agricultural industry, this is an increase in competitiveness in the world markets of the agri-food sector.

In recent years, the current government of the Russian Federation has tried to take into account and rethink the mistakes made in the first years of the transition period. Now agriculture in our country is developing within the framework of the National Project "Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex".

The priority areas for the development of this project are:

• · accelerated development of animal husbandry;
• · stimulating the development of small forms of management;
• · provision of affordable housing for young families and young professionals in the countryside.

The main goal of the project is the accelerated development of animal husbandry and an increase in the production of meat and milk to gradually replace imported meat and dairy products. The implementation of the first direction of the National Project will increase the profitability of animal husbandry, carry out technical re-equipment of existing livestock complexes (farms) and put new capacities into operation. The second direction of the National Project is aimed at increasing the volume of sales of products produced by peasant (farmer) households and citizens who maintain personal subsidiary plots. The implementation of the third direction will provide affordable housing for young professionals (or their families) in the countryside, will create conditions for the formation of an effective human resources potential of the agro-industrial complex.

Problems of agricultural development

By the beginning of the 21st century, the following problems of agricultural development emerged

• · About 30 million hectares of land were taken out of agricultural circulation;
• removal of nutrients from the soil significantly exceeded their application with fertilizers;
• · fall into decay of reclamation systems;
• · expansion of the area of ​​acidified soils;
• · technical degradation of the agricultural sector;

At present, the government has realized the importance of developing agriculture and is doing a lot of work aimed at solving problems in agriculture.

History of agricultural development

In the pre-revolutionary history of Russia, grain farming was the predominant branch of agriculture. . Grain crops accounted for 88.6% of all crops. Gross production for 1910-1912 reached an average of about 4 billion rubles, with all field crop production amounting to 5 billion rubles. Grain was the main export item of Russia. Thus, in 1913 the share of grain products was 47% of all exports and 57% of agricultural exports. More than half of all marketable grain was exported (1876-1888 - 42.8%, 1911-1913 - 51%). In 1909-1913, grain exports reached their maximum size - 11.9 million tons of all grains, of which 4.2 million tons of wheat and 3.7 million tons of barley. 25% of exports were provided by the Kuban. On the world market, grain exports from Russia accounted for up to 28.1% of all world exports. With a total cultivated area of ​​approximately 80 million hectares (105 million hectares in 1913), grain yields, however, were among the lowest in the world. The main commodity producers of grain (over 70%) were landowners and wealthy peasants, the share of the bulk of the peasantry (15-16 million individual peasant farms) in marketable output was about 28%, with a marketability level of about 15% (47% for landowners and 34% for wealthy peasants). The energy capacity of agriculture amounted to 23.9 million liters. With. (1 hp \u003d 0.736 kW), of which only 0.2 million hp are mechanical. With. (less than 1%). The power supply of peasant farms did not exceed 0.5 liters. With. (per 1 employee), energy supply - 20 liters. With. (per 100 hectares of crops). Almost all agricultural work was done manually or by live traction. In 1910, peasant farms had at their disposal 7.8 million plows and roe deer, 2.2 million wooden and 4.2 million iron plows, and 17.7 million wooden harrows. Mineral fertilizers (mostly imported) accounted for no more than 1.5 kg per hectare of crops (on landlord and kulak farms). Agriculture was conducted by extensive methods; the productivity of agriculture and animal husbandry was low (cf. the grain harvest in 1909-13 was about 7.4 centners per hectare, the average annual milk yield per cow was about 1,000 kg). The backwardness of agriculture, its complete dependence on natural conditions, caused frequent crop failures and the mass death of livestock; in lean years, famine engulfed millions of peasant farms.

The country's agriculture was undermined by the First World War and the Civil War. According to the All-Russian Agricultural Census of 1917, the able-bodied male population in the countryside decreased by 47.4% compared to 1914; the number of horses - the main draft force - from 17.9 million to 12.8 million. The number of livestock and sown areas have decreased, and crop yields have decreased. A food crisis has begun in the country.

The development of agriculture in the USSR

Consider how agriculture developed in the USSR . In 1923, grain crops amounted to 63.9 million hectares. In 1927, the total sown area was 112.4 million hectares. The average yield of grain crops for 1924-1928 was 7.5 q/ha.

In December 1927, at the XV Congress of the CPSU (b), a course towards the collectivization of agriculture was proclaimed. By 1938, 93% of peasant farms and 99.1% of the sown area were collectivized. The energy capacity of agriculture increased during 1928-40 from 21.3 million liters. With. up to 47.5 million; per 1 employee - from 0.4 to 1.5 liters. s., per 100 hectares of crops - from 19 to 32 liters. With. The introduction of agricultural machinery, an increase in the number of qualified personnel ensured a significant increase in the production of basic agricultural products. In 1940, gross agricultural output increased by 41% compared with 1913; the productivity of agricultural crops and the productivity of farm animals have increased. Collective farms and state farms became the main producing units of agriculture.

Features of the development of agriculture

In agriculture, living organisms, such as animals and plants, act as means of production. The latter develop on the basis of biological laws. Consequently, the economic process of reproduction is closely intertwined with the natural process of development of living organisms. Agricultural production is carried out over vast areas and is dispersed over various climatic zones. The final results sometimes largely depend not on the quantity and quality of the resources used, but on the specific conditions in which production is carried out. The territorial location of agricultural production is associated with a large volume of transportation of both manufactured products (grain, potatoes, sugar beets, milk, meat, etc.) and equipment and material resources (fuel, fuels and lubricants, mineral fertilizers).

One of the important features of the development of agriculture is the fact that the products created here take part in the further production process. In agriculture, seeds and planting material (grain, potatoes, etc.), feed, as well as a significant part of the livestock for the restoration and expansion of the herd of animals are used as means of production. All this requires additional material resources for the construction of premises and industrial facilities (animal farms, feed warehouses, storage facilities for seeds and planting material, etc.).

Each of us daily eats a large number of products of plant or animal origin. Natural products are really extremely useful in the diet of every person, they help our body to function properly and support our health and well-being. Having a rough idea of ​​their production, we do not think about what industries form agriculture?

Branches of agriculture

A lot has been written and said about how important it is to use natural products. Nutrition is indeed an important part of the life of every living being, but not every one of us has the opportunity to start and take care of our own garden and livestock. All this would require the possession of a considerable amount of personal territory and considerable time and money. This fact leads to the fact that most of us simply buy the products he needs in local stores or markets. But in order for them to get there, someone must produce them, pack them and deliver them to the shelves, and this is what such a branch of the economy as agriculture does. In turn, it can be divided into two main groups - animal husbandry and crop production. The latter, in my opinion, is more relevant, and now I will note which crops are most relevant to grow.

• Of the grain crops, these are buckwheat, wheat, rice, rye, barley, corn and others.
• From fruit crops, I note cucumber, pumpkin, tomato, pepper, zucchini and eggplant.
• Legumes include beans, soybeans, lentils and peas.
• For leafy - dill, lettuce, spinach, parsley and cabbage.
• Root crops include celery, turnips, radishes, carrots, radishes, beets and parsnips.

All these types of plants are undoubtedly important for this industry. These are the crops that the average citizen of Russia most often eats. Below I will give a few more arguments in favor of the importance of animal husbandry.

Importance of animal husbandry in agriculture

I have already told you about the cultivation of which main types of plants this industry is engaged in, now it is worth noting the animals, without which it would be difficult to do. These include cows, goats, pigs, horses, birds, bees and many others. Some of them give milk, from which many different products are then made. Others are used for slaughter and obtaining meat, skin and wool from them. We also regularly eat eggs of some of them. Bees give people their favorite honey.

Agriculture is a way of life for most of the population. Its main function is food production. Since not a single person can live without food, this industry is developing very successfully, thanks to which it is the basis of the agricultural region.

A significant part of agricultural production passes to consumers after being subjected to industrial processing. Agriculture is a source of raw materials, both for food and for. The agrarian region is also developing due to the fact that new areas of consumption of agricultural products are emerging. This is especially true for those products that are rich in carbohydrates. With its help, ethanol is produced, which is associated with an increase in the octane number of gasoline.

Modern agriculture is widely interconnected with other industrial sectors, so it can be said with confidence that the agrarian area is based on successful farming.

Features of the development of agriculture

The success of the development of agriculture largely depends on scientific and technological progress. The process of industrialization of agriculture includes several stages, each of which is based on new technologies that not only facilitate the work of people, but also increase production.

The natural factor, which includes land resources, soil fertility and agro-climatic resources, has a great impact on the entire agricultural region, as well as on agriculture. Natural conditions form not only agricultural areas, but also the main trade flows of goods.

Types of agricultural production

There are two main types of agricultural production that determine the prosperity of the agricultural region. The first type is typical for developing countries. It has a variety of economic structures. Both subsistence and semi-subsistence farming, which is focused on meeting the needs of the population, has become widespread in such countries. However, a highly specialized market economy is also developing, the goods of which enter the world markets.

The second type is typical for economically developed countries. It is based on a high level of intensification of production, its chemicalization and mechanization, as well as on the use of modern technologies of cattle breeding and agriculture. Thus, it can be concluded that the agrarian region provides a decent standard of living for the population in all countries in various ways, which are based on the successful management of agriculture.

Agricultural production is the central link in the country's agro-industrial complex. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the economy of any state. It provides products vital to man: basic foodstuffs and raw materials for the production of consumer goods. The main forms of management in this sector of the economy are agricultural production cooperatives (SPK), joint-stock companies (JSC), limited liability companies (LLC), and farms.

Agriculture is a special area of ​​the economy, radically different from all other areas, since the main means of production in agriculture is land. With rational use in agriculture, the land not only does not lose its main and most valuable quality - fertility, but can even increase it, while all other means of production gradually become obsolete morally and physically, are replaced by others. Land is both a means of production and an object of labor. Plants and animals also act as means of production. Another important feature of agricultural production is seasonality, which causes uneven production, use of labor, consumption and use of material and financial resources throughout the year.

Agriculture, unlike other areas, is very dependent on natural factors. They affect the location of agricultural production, its sectoral structure, cause territorial differences and instability of production volumes over the years. Agricultural crops have significant differences in the duration of the growing season, in the required amount of heat, light, moisture, present their own requirements for soil quality. This also determines the peculiarities of their distribution not only by region, but also within individual farms. Natural factors through the forage base also affect the location of livestock. The development of science and technology makes it possible to weaken the influence of natural conditions, but up to certain limits.

The most important natural factors in the location and specialization of agriculture are the quality of soils, the duration of the frost-free period, the sum of active temperatures (heat supply), total solar radiation (light supply), moisture conditions, precipitation, the probability of recurrence of adverse meteorological conditions (drought, frost, wind and water erosion), availability of water resources, topographical conditions of the area, etc. To a greater extent, natural factors influence the location of crop growing industries, and to a different extent, determining the areas of their cultivation. For a number of crops (mainly thermophilic), these areas are extremely limited, for example, for grapes, tea, citrus fruits, etc. For others, they are much wider (barley, spring wheat, potatoes, etc.). Natural factors have a less significant impact on the location of animal husbandry, manifesting themselves through the forage base. The most dependent on natural and climatic conditions is pastoral animal husbandry (some areas of sheep breeding, cattle breeding; reindeer breeding, horse breeding, etc.). Here we can distinguish such factors as the presence of pastures, their size, composition of vegetation and the duration of the period of their use.

For the location of agriculture is also extremely important socio-demographic factors . The population is the main consumer of agricultural products; there are regional peculiarities in the structure of consumption of these products. The specialization of agriculture is influenced by the ratio between the urban and rural population. In addition, the population ensures the reproduction of labor resources for the industry. Depending on the availability of labor resources (taking into account the labor skills of the population), one or another agricultural production is developing, characterized by unequal labor intensity. The most labor-intensive are the production of vegetables, potatoes, sugar beet and other industrial crops, and some branches of animal husbandry. The use of specialized qualified personnel contributes to the growth of labor productivity, reducing labor costs for the production of these products. Increased population migration in a number of regions currently limits the production of labor-intensive products. An important factor in accommodation and specialization are also the interests of the local population, which in the past were not sufficiently taken into account. In a number of cases, socio-demographic factors significantly limit the possibility of production, affect the export of many types of products, which was previously determined by the planned volumes of deliveries to the all-Union fund.

to the most significant economic factors location and specialization of agriculture can be attributed to the location of farms in relation to the consumer, the availability of production and transport infrastructure, the existing production potential, the achieved level of economic efficiency, the availability of means of production, the transportability of products, the development of interregional relations, the level of scientific and technological progress.

Agriculture in Russia is characterized by a large scale of production. The volume of agricultural production in 2009 amounted to 2515.2 billion rubles. Most of the households produce households - 47.1%, agricultural enterprises - 45.4% and 7.5% are provided by farms. Russia ranks second in the production of sugar beet, third in the world in the production of potatoes, fourth in the production of grain and leguminous crops, fifth in the production of milk, sixth in the production of livestock and poultry for slaughter, seventh in animal oil.

In 2009, the gross grain harvest amounted to 97.1 million tons (in 2008 - 108.2 million tons), sugar beet - 24.9 million tons, sunflower - 6.5 million tons, potatoes - 31.1 million tons , vegetables - 13.4 million tons. Sown area - 77805 thousand hectares, including under grain - 47553 thousand hectares, under industrial crops - 8962 thousand hectares. The production of livestock and poultry for slaughter (in carcass weight) amounted to 6.7 million, milk - 32.6 million tons, eggs - 39.4 billion pieces. In animal husbandry, 99.2 million tons of feed were consumed, including 42.7 million tons of concentrated feed.

Households of the population produce 81% of potatoes, 72% of vegetables, more than half of meat and milk. Agricultural organizations produce 78% of grain, 89% of sugar beet, 55% of sunflower seeds, 76% of eggs.

In Russia, the level of crop yields is very low: grain yield in 2009 - 22.7 (2002 - 19.6) centners per hectare, sugar beet - 323, sunflower - 11.5, potatoes - 143, vegetables - 199 qs ha. Milk yield per cow - 4592 liters per year. This is 2-2.5 times lower than in developed countries, even in areas with similar natural and climatic conditions. In terms of labor productivity in agriculture, our country is 3-4 times behind the economically developed countries.

The social problems of the countryside are very acute: in all respects, the standard of living in the countryside is significantly inferior to that in the city. The provision with institutions of culture, health care, public education, and specialists in these areas is low; the diet is more lean and less balanced; wages are much lower and prices are higher, and so on. All this leads to the migration of the population from the village to the city, and the population of young ages is leaving, the process of population aging and the extinction of the Russian village is underway.

The natural resource potential of Russia makes it possible to produce almost all the main types of agricultural products here, only some of them are limited by natural conditions (heat-loving fruits and vegetables, etc.). Nevertheless, our country is one of the main food importing countries. The main reasons are inefficient production, high losses and poor product quality.

Russia is relatively well provided with agricultural land, but their size is constantly decreasing, due to the withdrawal of land for industrial, transport, housing and communal construction, and in recent years, the unprofitability of agricultural production. Gradually, the size of the area of ​​agricultural land and arable land per capita is also decreasing.

The main branches of agriculture are plant growing and animal husbandry, in which sub-sectors are distinguished: grain farming, fodder production, production of industrial crops (flax growing, beet growing, etc.), horticulture, vegetable growing, cattle breeding, pig breeding, sheep breeding, poultry farming, rabbit breeding, pond fish farming, fur farming, beekeeping, etc.

crop production produces 49.2% of all agricultural products in Russia. This industry can be considered the basis of agriculture, since the level of animal husbandry largely depends on its development.

Grain farming occupies a leading place in crop production: more than half of the arable land is occupied by cereals, it accounts for more than a third of the value of gross crop production and almost a third of all animal feed. The industry also has a huge social significance, since bakery products form 40% of the daily requirement of the human diet for food. Grain is the main source of income for the vast majority of rural producers. The industry forms a significant part of the country's budget.

In recent years, there has been a decrease in yields and gross harvests of grain. This is due to the reduction in sown areas and, above all, the decrease in the intensification of agriculture. The annual removal of nutrients from the soil is five times greater than its return with mineral fertilizers.

In 2009, the gross grain harvest amounted to 97.1 million tons, the yield was 22.7 centners per 1 ha of harvested area. The profitability of grain production is 37%.

The main grain crop in Russia is wheat , winter and spring. Winter wheat is a more productive crop compared to spring wheat, but it is more demanding on soils, it is a heat-loving crop. The main areas of its production are the North Caucasus and the Central Black Earth Region. Spring wheat crops are concentrated in the Volga region, in the Southern Urals, in Siberia, the Non-Black Earth region.

Less whimsical culture - rye , therefore, its crops are located mainly in the regions of the Non-Chernozem zone of Russia. The sown areas of rye are constantly decreasing.

Barley can be grown almost everywhere, it withstands temperature extremes during the growing season, drought-resistant. Main regions of production: North Caucasus, Central Chernozem and Volga regions; barley is also grown in the Urals and Siberia.

Oats - moisture-loving, but not demanding on soil culture, grown in the forest zone: in the Volga-Vyatka region, in the Urals, in Western and Eastern Siberia. Barley and oats are used for feed purposes and in the food industry.

Corn - a heat-loving plant, for grain it is grown in the southern regions of the country: in the North Caucasus, in the Central Chernozem region, the Lower Volga region.

The main cereal crops: millet, buckwheat, rice. Millet is grown mainly in the steppe zone: in the Central Chernozem region, the Volga region, in the North Caucasus, in the Urals. Buckwheat makes high demands on the conditions of moisture, does not tolerate high air temperatures. Main production areas: Central Chernozem region, Volga region, Ural.

Rice grown in Russia in the North Caucasus, in the lower reaches of the Volga and in the Primorsky Territory (Far East) on irrigated lands.

Legumes (peas, beans, lentils, soybeans, etc.) are of great importance both as food crops and for fodder purposes, providing the needs of animals for protein.

Oilseeds in Russia are the main source of edible and technical vegetable oils. The main oilseed crop is sunflower. It is cultivated for grain in the North Caucasus, the Volga region, and the Central Black Earth region.

Of the other oilseeds, soybean, flax-curly, mustard, and castor beans are of the greatest importance. Hemp is an important spinning and oilseed crop at the same time. The main part of hemp is produced in the North Caucasus and the Non-Black Earth region.

The leading industrial crop in Russia is fiber flax. It is cultivated in the central, northern and northwestern regions of the European part of Russia.

Sugar beet used in Russia for the production of sugar, tops and waste from its processing - a valuable feed for livestock. The main beet-growing regions are the Central Black Earth Region and the North Caucasus.

Potato it is grown almost everywhere in the country, but potato growing is a commodity industry in the Center and Western Siberia.

Major crops vegetables are located in the North Caucasus, in the Volga region, in the Central Black Earth region and some other regions. Fruits and berries are grown in the southern regions.

animal husbandry is one of the main branches of agricultural production: it provides 50.8% of gross output, accumulates 75% of fixed production assets and 70% of labor resources in agriculture. The importance of animal husbandry is also determined by the fact that it produces the most necessary and biologically valuable products in the human diet.

Efficient livestock production is impossible without the creation of a solid forage base. Feed base is the production, storage and consumption of feed for all kinds of animals and birds. The fodder base of animal husbandry depends on natural conditions and, as a result, affects the specialization of animal husbandry (raising one or another type of livestock), and the location of its individual branches. For example, the breeding of beef cattle and sheep breeding are developing and located where there are significant hay and pasture lands, while pig breeding and poultry farming are oriented towards the agricultural fodder base. The duration and possibility of grazing and stall keeping of animals, the choice of a rational structure of the herd, its livestock, the technology of growing and fattening livestock also depend on natural conditions and on the forage base, which ultimately affects the efficiency of production and its expediency. The importance of the feed base is also determined by the fact that the share of feed in the cost of livestock products in Russia is 60-80%, depending on the type and area of ​​production.

The problem of feed in Russian agriculture is one of the most acute. The low productivity of animal husbandry is directly related to the low level of animal feeding (for example, in terms of calories per year, it is only 57-61% of its level in the United States). Most of the feed comes from field forage production. 38% of arable land is occupied by forage crops, and 3/4 of the forage collection from all forage areas is provided by this source. Also, 2/3 of the gross grain harvest is used for fodder purposes. Hayfields and pastures are an important source of fodder, the areas under fodder crops are constantly growing, however, their structure needs to be improved, since the share of grain and leguminous crops is insufficient. The productivity of natural hayfields and pastures, which provide cheap and necessary rough and green fodder, is very low in Russia, which is associated with the unsatisfactory cultural and technical state of natural lands, the extensive system of meadow and pasture management in the country. Large areas are in need of land reclamation.

The situation with fodder is complicated by the fact that up to 30% of harvested fodder lose their nutritional value due to violations in the technology of harvesting and storage, not to mention physical losses. Due to the insufficient amount and improper feeding technology, a significant part of the feed is spent not on obtaining products, but on maintaining the life of animals, which negatively affects production efficiency and increases the feed intensity of products. According to this indicator, Russia has no analogues among developed countries, although farms are constantly experiencing a large shortage of feed.

The main direction in solving the problem of feed is the intensification of feed production. It includes measures to improve the structure of fodder areas, increase the yield of fodder crops, the productivity of hayfields and pastures, melioration and chemicalization of the fodder base, improve seed production of fodder crops, strengthen the material and technical base of fodder production, introduce new forms of labor organization, etc.

The leading branch of animal husbandry is cattle breeding. In 2009, the number of cattle in Russia amounted to 20.7 million heads, including 9 million cows. 42.6% of the livestock falls on household farms. The Urals, the Volga region, Western Siberia and the North Caucasus have a large livestock. The profitability of milk production is 25%, cattle meat - minus 22%.

Dairy and dairy and meat cattle breeding is located mainly in suburban areas, taking into account the proximity to the consumer and the availability of labor resources, since this industry is very labor intensive. For the development of dairy cattle breeding, a large amount of succulent fodder is needed, the main part of which is provided by field fodder production, as well as pastures normally moistened in summer, which contributes to the growth of milk productivity. Traditionally, dairy cattle breeding gravitates towards areas of intensive agriculture. The main areas of dairy and dairy-meat cattle breeding: forest (Non-Black Earth), forest-steppe and steppe regions (Middle Volga, Middle Urals, Siberia).

Meat and meat and dairy cattle breeding of a predominantly extensive type is developed in arid steppe, semi-desert regions: in the Lower Volga region, in the North Caucasus, the Southern Urals, and in southern Siberia. Here, on natural fodder lands, with minimal labor costs, you can get the cheapest beef. The development of intensive beef cattle breeding is typical for areas of developed agriculture and suburban economy. Animal fattening is carried out on the products of field fodder production, waste processing of industrial crops using industrial technologies at large livestock complexes. Beef cattle breeding of this type is common in the North Caucasus and Siberia.

Sheep breeding and goat breeding provide valuable types of products, and also contribute to an increase in the use of farmland, because they use pastures that are not suitable for other types of livestock, keeping sheep is cheaper than other animals. The number of sheep and goats in Russia totals 22 million heads, with households accounting for 58.8%. The main part of the livestock is concentrated in the North Caucasus, the Volga region, Eastern Siberia and the Urals. Directions of sheep breeding, depending on the forage base: fine-fleeced (steppes of the North Caucasus, Lower Volga region, Siberia), semi-fine-fleeced (Centre, Middle Volga region), fur coat (north and north-west of the Non-Black Earth Region). Goat breeding is of commercial importance in the southeast of the European part of the country and in the mountainous steppe regions of Siberia.

The most productive branch of animal husbandry is pig breeding. The number of pigs in Russia is 17.2 million heads. Pig breeding is practiced in all economic regions of the country, but it has received the greatest development in the areas of grain farming and potato growing: in the North Caucasus, in the Volga region, in the Center.

Pig farming is intensively developed in suburban areas, it makes extensive use of waste from the food industry and catering.

poultry farming - one of the fastest maturing branches in animal husbandry, has 436 million heads. The industry is located everywhere, but is mainly concentrated in the southern regions of a large grain farm.

Livestock breeding also includes the following sectors: horse breeding, maral breeding, reindeer breeding, rabbit breeding, sericulture, beekeeping, etc. In the future, it is necessary to increase the production of livestock products by deepening specialization, transferring its branches to an intensive path of development.

In the modern territorial structure of agricultural production, the Volga, Southern, Central and Siberian federal districts are especially distinguished. The interregional division of labor in Russian agriculture and in the agro-industrial complex as a whole is less developed than in industry. However, three main agricultural zones of Russia can be distinguished, which supply a wide range of products of this industry to the Russian market - the North Caucasus, the Central Black Earth Region and the Volga Region. Other regions also have an all-Russian specialization in the production of the most important types of agricultural products. The Urals supply grain, wool, milk to the market, Western Siberia - grain, potatoes, meat, milk, wool, and at the same time, to a large extent, satisfy their internal needs. The primary task of the remaining regions is economically justified self-sufficiency in agricultural products; they receive a significant part of food and raw materials for the processing industry from other regions. As a rule, one or three sub-sectors in the region are of interdistrict importance. These are flax and potato farming, dairy and milk and meat cattle breeding in the Center, flax farming in the North-West, beef cattle breeding, meat and wool sheep breeding and cage fur farming in Siberia, soybean and rice cultivation, cage fur farming, deer antler breeding in the Far East.

It should be noted that specialization in the country's agriculture is not sufficiently developed, it is not always scientifically substantiated, there is no real market for agricultural products yet, so market factors do not affect the formation and deepening of regional specialization. In addition, the desire of the regions for complete self-sufficiency in food leads to the development of industries that do not have sufficient natural and economic conditions. The spontaneous formation of market specialization is a very long process, so the state should speed it up with the help of economic methods (credits, subsidies, etc.).

Agriculture is the second leading branch of material production. It consists of two main sub-sectors: agriculture and animal husbandry. Agriculture, in turn, is subdivided into field cultivation, horticulture and viticulture. Livestock farming includes many sub-sectors, but the main ones are cattle breeding, pig breeding, sheep breeding, and poultry farming.

Agriculture is the most ancient type of human economic activity, and the sectoral composition of agriculture has become decisive for the development of various types of human civilizations. There are agricultural peoples and agricultural culture (for example, Egypt, Central America, etc.), coastal peoples and coastal culture (contact coastal zones), and nomadic peoples and nomadic culture (Central Asia, etc.).

There is not a single country in the world whose inhabitants would not be engaged in agriculture and related industries - forestry, hunting, fishing.

Around the world, they employ about 1.1 billion people. Due to the diversity of natural conditions and socio-economic conditions, there are many types of agriculture (about 50).

Types of agriculture

In economically developed countries, the following type of agriculture predominates. Transformation of agriculture based on the achievements of the scientific and technological revolution and the creation of an agribusiness system, which includes not only the production of agricultural products, but also its processing, storage, transportation, marketing, production of equipment and fertilizers. All this gives the agriculture of developed countries an industrial character. A new type of production has appeared - highly mechanized large farms and factories that work intensively, but cause enormous harm to nature.

In developing countries, traditional consumer agriculture prevails, mainly crop production, with little or no combination with animal husbandry. Consumer agriculture is represented by hundreds of millions of small and tiny farms, which usually provide food for the family.

Therefore, developing countries lag far behind developed countries in terms of agricultural intensification. Along with this, it should be noted that in developing countries there are also large farms and plantations related to the commercial economy. They are usually located in the most favorable places for growing a particular crop, their production is often focused more on the external than on the domestic market.

Environmental problems

For thousands of years, people have had a great impact on the environment.

During the period of extensive development of agriculture, the main type of impact on nature was the plowing of land and deforestation. A strong negative impact on the environment was already in China in the II-III millennium BC. The state of Russia's forests already at the end of the 17th century was so alarming that Peter I issued a special law regulating logging. But these and many other negative impacts cannot be compared with the consequences of the intensification of agriculture in the second half of the 20th century.

The active use of intensive technologies has led to environmental degradation, loss of land and water shortages.

Soil erosion is a new phenomenon, as many fertile lands began to turn into a desert with great speed. World arable land loses about 26 billion square meters annually. m of land, which is associated with excessive plowing, the use of heavy equipment, chemicals, etc.

The most effective erosion control measures have been taken since 1985 in the United States, when the US Congress passed a law on leasing from farmers and conserving unsuitable lands in order to turn them into forests and grasslands.

Deforestation brings irreparable harm to nature, which is also associated with the expansion of plowed areas due to pastures. Forests in the tropics contribute to rainfall and help conserve water and land, and when they are cut down, the content of carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere, which, along with intense emissions from transport and industry, leads to global warming.

crop production

Most (70%) of the food consumed by the modern world comes from crop production. The leading branch of agriculture, the basis of all agricultural world production and international trade is the cultivation of grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats and rye. Their crops occupy 1/2 of the world's arable land, and in some countries - even more (for example, in Japan 96%).

Grain is the main food product, the most important part of feed, and is also a raw material for a number of industries. Modern grain production in the world reaches 1.9 billion tons/year, and 4/5 is wheat, rice, corn.

Wheat is the world leader in grain production. This culture, known six thousand years ago, comes from the Arabian steppes. Now the area of ​​​​its cultivation is very large - it covers all countries of the world with a variety of conditions, thanks to the creation of new varieties. The main wheat belt stretches in the northern hemisphere, the smaller one in the southern. The main areas of wheat cultivation in the world are the central plains of the United States, which merge in the north with the steppe provinces of Canada, the steppe plains of Argentina, the plains of southwestern and southeastern Australia, the steppes of Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and China. The largest collections are in the USA, Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine. The largest exporting countries are Australia, Canada, Argentina, USA.

Rice is the second crop of the world after wheat in terms of crops and collections, the staple food of most of the world's population (especially the densely populated countries of Asia). Flour, starch are obtained from rice, it is processed into alcohol, waste from the rice processing industry is used to feed livestock.

It is assumed that rice began to be sown in central and southern China at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. Rice culture has a clear ecological and geographical dependence. It needs a hot and humid climate to grow. However, despite the spread of rice on all continents, the zones of intensive rice cultivation do not cover all areas suitable for cultivation, but are concentrated mainly in the countries of South and Southeast Asia, which provide up to 90% of the world's rice crop. China stands out especially sharply, more than 2 times larger than India, which follows it in terms of collection. The largest producers of rice are also Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Brazil.

Rice occupies a special place in world trade: developed countries import rice in small quantities, rice trade is predominantly between developing countries (from developed countries, rice is mainly traded by the United States, Japan, Italy and Australia).

Corn is a major livestock feed crop, especially in the United States and Western Europe. In Asia, Africa, Latin America, Southern Europe, corn is mainly a food crop. It is also important as a technical culture. Corn comes from Mexico, from where it was brought to other parts of the world. The main crops are currently concentrated in areas with a warm, temperate or subtropical climate. The world's premier corn-growing region is the US Corn Belt, south of the Great Lakes. The main exporters of corn are the USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina.

Oilseeds. Vegetable oils are extracted from the fruits and seeds of oil crops, as well as from the seeds of some cereals (corn) or spinning (hemp). Soybeans, peanuts, sunflowers, rapeseed, sesame seeds, mustard, etc. are grown from oilseeds. Now about 2/3 of the fats consumed are of vegetable origin. The rapid growth in the production and consumption of oilseeds over the past decades has been associated in developed countries with the replacement of animal fats with vegetable ones, and in developing countries with the cheapness of these products.

The largest producers are the United States (1/2 soybeans), India (I place in the collection of peanuts), China (I place in the collection of cotton and rapeseed).

Developing countries, which produce most of the industry's products, have significantly reduced the export of oilseeds in connection with the creation of their own oil and fat industry. Many of them are themselves importers of vegetable oils.

Tuber crops. The most common crop is the potato, which originated in South America, but is now mostly a temperate crop in the northern hemisphere. World potato producers are Russia, Poland, China, USA, India, Germany.

A huge role in the diet of people is played by sugar-bearing crops - sugar beets and sugar cane, which now account for 60% and 40% of world sugar production (12 million tons, respectively). Sugarcane is cultivated in the countries of the tropical and subtropical zone, that is, in developing countries, in Cuba and in China. For some countries, this is the basis of their specialization in the MGRT (Dominican Republic). Developed countries provide only about 10% of the world harvest of sugar cane.

In the geography of sugar beet cultivation, the picture is reversed. The region of its distribution is the temperate climate, especially the middle zone of Europe (EU countries, Ukraine, as well as the USA and Canada). In Asia, these are mainly Turkey, Iran, China and Japan.

As tonic cultures, tea, coffee and cocoa are usually consumed most often. They are cultivated in the tropics (tea is also in the subtropics) and occupy rather limited regions.

Fruit and vegetable crops occupy a prominent place in the economy of many countries; their lands, along with arable land, are one of the main lands. As the role of vegetables and fruits in nutrition grows (especially in developed countries), their production and imports are growing.

In general, it can be noted that a significant part of oilseeds, sugar-bearing, fruit and especially tonic crops enter the world market. Developing countries are their main exporters, while economically developed countries are their importers.

Of the non-food crops, fibrous crops and rubber are the most important in the world.

Cotton is the main fiber crop, with Asia leading the way, followed by the Americas and then Africa.2

Other fibrous crops - flax and jute grow in a less extensive area. Almost 3/4 of the world production of flax falls on Russia and Belarus, jute - on Bangladesh. The production of natural rubber is characterized by a particularly high concentration, 85% of which is produced by the countries of Southeast Asia (the main producers are Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia).

A characteristic feature of agriculture in many countries has become the cultivation of narcotic substances, such as tobacco, opium poppy and Indian hemp. These crops are grown primarily in the developing countries of Asia.

animal husbandry

Like grain crops, livestock farming is widespread almost everywhere, with meadows and pastures occupying three times more land than arable land in the land structure. The main part of livestock production is provided by the countries of the temperate zone.

The geography of world animal husbandry is primarily determined by the distribution of livestock. At the same time, three sectors play a leading role: cattle breeding, pig breeding, and sheep breeding.

The contrasts in the development of animal husbandry in developing and developed countries are even greater than in agriculture.

In most developing countries, animal husbandry is a secondary industry. In developed countries, however, animal husbandry prevails over agriculture and is characterized by an intensive type of farming. Industrialization, improvement of the fodder base and successes in breeding work have allowed developed countries to achieve tremendous success in increasing the productivity of animal husbandry. Due to the fact that animal husbandry in them faces the same problems as agriculture - overproduction, a policy of curbing and reducing production is being pursued.

Three branches of animal husbandry

The importance of cattle breeding (1.3 billion heads) is that this sub-sector provides almost all milk and more than 1/3 of meat.

In general, it can be said that the dairy direction is most characteristic of densely populated areas of Europe and North America (in the forest and forest-steppe zones of the temperate zone).

Meat and dairy cattle breeding is widespread both in areas of the temperate zone with intensive agriculture, and in more arid areas, poorly provided with labor resources. Beef cattle are bred mainly in the more arid regions of the temperate and subtropical zones.

Pig breeding is one of the most dynamic branches of animal husbandry (more than 0.8 billion heads). The advances in pig production have been so tangible that pork is now cheaper than beef. Pig farming is possible everywhere. In Muslim countries, pig breeding is practically absent for religious reasons. Typically, this industry is located near densely populated areas, as well as areas of intensive potato and beet growing. Almost half of the world's pig population is in Asia, primarily in China.

Sheep breeding (1.2 billion heads) prevails in countries and regions with extensive pastures. At the same time, fine-wool sheep breeding is most often found in areas with a more arid climate and is carried out in steppe and semi-desert pastures. Semi-fine-fleece, meat-and-wool sheep breeding prevails in areas that are better provided with moisture and have a milder climate. The largest sheep breeding area in the world is the steppe regions of Australia.

Trade and production

Economically developed countries are significantly ahead of developing countries in terms of the absolute indicator of livestock production. This is due to lower livestock productivity in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Suffice it to say that they account for only 25% of world beef production and 14% of milk production.

Per capita production of livestock products in economically developed countries, as a rule, is many times higher. Particularly stand out are small countries with highly intensive animal husbandry (New Zealand, the Netherlands). But high per capita rates can also be found in countries with more extensive livestock production and smaller populations (for example, Australia).

Below is a table that characterizes the international trade in livestock products. It shows that the leading positions in trade are occupied by economically developed countries, they act as the main exporters of meat products and wool.