Agriculture is the oldest and most widespread branch of material production. Since ancient times, its purpose has been to provide people with food. It replaced the hunting and gathering. In addition, in our time, agriculture in the world serves as a solid raw material base for the food and light industries. Agriculture has its own characteristics, which are associated with the seasonality of production and the decisive influence of natural conditions on the structure of industries and their distribution. Also, agriculture in the world largely depends on the quality of soils and the size of areas, because land is the main means of production and the main subject of labor.
In different countries and regions of the world, agricultural production is very diverse. Moreover, all these types can be distinguished into two main types: commodity production and consumer production. In developed countries, world agriculture is characterized by a sharp predominance of commodity production. For its development mechanization and chemicalization are used there, the latest selection methods and advanced biotechnologies. In almost all natural areas of the world, crop production is developed. It is not only where natural conditions do not allow it: highlands, arctic deserts and tundra. Half of all cultivated land is occupied by crops. The largest grain producers, which account for more than half of the world's grain harvest, are countries such as China and the USA, India and Russia. Other major manufacturers include Canada, France, Ukraine, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Among the crops, the world's agriculture produces the most wheat, rice and corn, accounting for 80% of the total gross harvest of crops. Almost everywhere in the world livestock is widespread. But the bulk of production is concentrated in countries located in the temperate zone, since the location of all livestock industries depends directly on the food supply. World livestock farming is divided into three main sectors: cattle breeding, pig breeding and sheep breeding. The largest volume of livestock products comes from cattle breeding, while the largest cattle stock is located in Asia and Latin America.
The main directions in cattle breeding are related to the characteristics of the feed base. Milk production is more characteristic in densely populated areas of North America and Europe. In the temperate natural zone of the forest and forest-steppe zones, meat and dairy cattle breeding is widespread. A purely beef cattle breeding is more characteristic in the arid regions of the subtropical and temperate zones. Among the countries that have the largest number of cattle are India and Brazil, the United States and China, Russia and Argentina. Pig production is less dependent on natural conditions, therefore it is distributed almost everywhere. The only areas of the world where there is practically no pig farming are Muslim countries, where this area of agriculture is banned for religious reasons.
Pig production is most concentrated near large cities and densely populated areas, as well as in areas where potatoes and beets are grown. Therefore, it occupies a very important role in suburban agriculture. Almost half of the world's pig population is in China. Other important countries in this industry are the USA, Russia, Germany, and Brazil. Farming in the world also plays an important role in sheep farming. It prevails in those countries where vast pastures are located. The undisputed leader in global sheep breeding is Australia.