AGRICULTURE

Agriculture, also known as farming, is the simplification of nature’s food webs and the rechanneling of energy for human planting and animal consumption.Huh? You may ask. To simplify, agriculture involves redirecting nature’s natural flow of the food web. The natural flow of the food web is-the sun provides light to plants. Plants convert sunlight into sugars which provide food for the plants(this process is called photosynthesis). Plants provide food for herbivores (plant-eating animals, i.e., sloths) and the herbivores provide food for carnivores (meat-eating animals, i.e., jaguars). Decomposers or bacteria, break down plants or animals that have died. Nutrients from the plants and animals go back into the soil and the whole process starts anew.

CHALLENGE OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Many developing countries and economies in transition, particularly those with large rural communities, suffer from inadequate access to food and lack of employment. The problem is compounded by the dependence on outdated and inefficient technologies leading to poor productivity and slow economic growth. Agriculture-based industrial products account for half of all exports from developing countries, yet only 30 per cent of those exports involve processed goods compared to a figure of 98 per cent in the developed world.
ASSISTANCE
UNIDO provides a variety of technical cooperation activities to assist developing countries in adding value to the output of their agricultural sector and generate increased employment opportunities for rural communities, thereby increasing food security and sustainably reducing poverty. UNIDO links resources and markets in the agribusiness value chains and strengthens forward and backward industrial linkages in order to leg up the economic transformation of countries, improve employment and income opportunities, and reinforce sustainable livelihoods.
NABARD is bank that helps in agriculture and rural development.
Plantation Agriculture: Location and Characteristics!
Plantation agriculture is an export-oriented specialised farming method where emphasis is given to raise a single crop – specially meant for export to the overseas countries.
Plantation agriculture is confined within tropical areas, i.e., both sides of the equator. Plantations exist on every continent possessing a tropical climate. The plantation system however is considerably older in tropical America than in Asia and Africa. The tropical areas of Latin America, Asia and Africa are the areas where plantation agriculture has been developed.
Some of the important plantation farming are coffee plantation in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, Tanzania, Kenya; sugarcane plantation in Cuba, Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico and Philippines; tea plantation in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia; cocoa farming in West Indies, Ecuador, Brazil, Nigeria, Ghana; rubber plantation in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indi?; banana plantation in Mexico, Jamaica, Columbia, Brazil, Panama and Costa Rico.

Tropical plants are the one that look great in garden.
The tropical plants for scale are:
1.COLORFUL TI PLANTS

Ti plants are a Cordyline and known for their lush colors and are among the most sought after tropical plants. They originate from Asia and tropical islands. Ti’s are one of the most colorful of the group of tropical rainforest plants. Significant cold weather and freezes are hard on this group of plants. Over the seasons, colors and availability of these change.
2.COLOCASIA

Colocasia is a group of plants very similar and often confused with Alocasia. These are known for their leaves not flowers. Many have difficulty with cold temperatures but they are strikingly beautiful.
3. HILODENDRONS

This is a group of tropical foliage plants that typically take on two forms: rosette (confined) or climbing. The first group form a smaller plant that doesn’t crawl along the ground. The second group put out growths that crawl the ground or can grow up palm trunks, fences or structures. Most Philodendron prefer filtered light or shade.
4.JACOBINIA CARNEA
Recently new to our nursery, this exotic filtered light dwarf plant puts out clusters of huge flowers. This variety
is pink but they also can come in red, apricot, orange, yellow and a whole assortment of other colors. They typically
get to a height of five feet or less and throw long lasting blossoms.
5. ICUS DAMMAROPSIS
This exotic tree is exceptional for many reasons. First, it has huge leaves that can be as long as three feet and
two feet wide. It also has pleated leaves as shown and has red veins. It surprisingly doesn’t get that big, perhaps fifteen feet
6. FERNS

Ferns are a group of plants that typically prefer filtered light. They make ideal companion plants, easily fit
between larger plant species like palms. There are many forms and varieties of ferns including some that
even make trees that are over 30 feet tall.
7. CROTON:

Crotons are colorful tropical plants with either thin leaves or broad leaves, but typically bright colors like
yellow, orange, red, etc. They like warm conditions and are susceptible to cold.
8. CLIVIA, THE NATAL OR BUSH LILY
These evergreen tropical plants are small in stature and native to South Africa.There are multiple species. A big difference
among the species is the time of flowering. In California, most plants flower in the early spring. Flower colors range
from yellow to orange and red. Hybrids do exist. Plants have strap like, thick leaves and overall height is usually under
two feet tall.

KEYWORDS:Agriculture information,Agriculture and rural development,plantation agriculture,tropical plants for scale.