Why agriculture in multifunctional ???

Agriculture is multifunctional. It provides food, feed, fiber, fuel and other goods. It also has a major influence on other essential ecosystem services such as water supply and  carbon sequestration or release. Agriculture plays an important social role, providing employment and a way of life. Both agriculture and its products are a medium of cultural transmission and cultural practices worldwide. Agriculturally based communities provide a foundation for local economies and are an important means for countries to secure their territories. Agriculture accounts for a major part of the  livelihood of 40% of the world’s population and occupies 40% of total land area; 90% of farms worldwide have a size of less than 2 hectares. Agriculture includes crop, animal, forestry, and fishery based systems or mixed farming, including new emerging systems such as organic, precision and  peri-urban agriculture.  Although  agricultural  inputs and outputs constitute the bulk of world trade, most food is consumed domestically, i.e., where it is produced.

Pic Credit : www.wur.nl