The agriculture in Venezuela Until the 20th century it was the main source of wealth in the country. In fact, until the early 1920s it was among the main exporters of coffee and cocoa in the region..
Venezuela was characterized by being eminently agricultural before the appearance of oil, being the primary sector the one that developed the main generating activities of income sources and occupied the lands that remained idle to use them for the common good. Rural areas were highly populated due to the generation of employment that existed.
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In Venezuela, during the so-called rural times, the economy was based on subsistence agriculture, that is, agricultural products were produced that guaranteed the food of individuals, making the most of natural resources.
Agriculture throughout history has played a fundamental role in the development of trade and economic growth of countries. In the sense that, through it, food and raw materials are obtained for the textile area, together with the great benefit that this represents in people for their livelihood.
Since the end of the 19th century, the use of highly specialized agricultural systems was implemented in Venezuela, as well as an export agriculture that was favored by the rise in international prices of both coffee and cocoa, these products with great demand. both internally and externally.
Starting in 1960, a series of benefits have been raised in agriculture, guaranteeing its development, through the promulgation and execution of the Agrarian Reform Law..
The development of agriculture is somewhat behind if it is related to the real demands of the population, in view of this, it has been necessary to appeal to the importation of agricultural items.
Most could be harvested in the country, this undoubtedly has a negative impact on the standard of living of Venezuelans, having a development of agriculture benefits both the industrial sector and the population.
The process of appearance and development of the oil industry meant the death certificate of agriculture as one of the pillars of the economy.
Authors such as Arturo Uslar Pietri, harshly questioned the role that Gómez played in the lost substance of productive activity in the field. His thesis was "Sowing the oil." For Uslar, the resources from oil had to be invested to recover the productivity of the field and boost the industry..
The agricultural production zones are concentrated in the following states:
Among the Venezuelan agricultural products are: corn, rice, sorghum, sesame, peanut, sunflower and cotton crops. However, those most in demand are sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, corn and rice..
From the 18th century to the early 20th century, Venezuela became the world's largest coffee exporter. Its origin is African, it occurs mainly in tropical areas due to its requirement of continuous humidity and sun.
The ideal altitude for its cultivation ranges between 600 and 1800 meters high. The optimal soils for its cultivation are deep, loamy, granular in structure, moderately permeable and well aerated..
Historically it has been one of the pillars of the country's economy during the colonial era, when its quality was recognized throughout the world..
It is an imported plant from Mexico, it requires a very specific humidity and altitude greater than 450 meters in height for its cultivation..
It had its true importance at the beginning of the 20th century, its origin is from North Asia, for its cultivation, mainly flooded lands are needed. This is because it requires constant humidity and warm temperatures, which is why its cultivation is characteristic of tropical areas..
It is a tropical and subtropical crop. The cultivation is carried out from sea level to 2,500m of altitude, for this the soils vary from sandy to clayey texture.
It was made known around the world from the 16th century. For its cultivation, a lot of attention is required, a carelessness in the production of tobacco can affect the quality of the leaf, from where the tobacco, raw material of cigarettes and cigars is extracted..
Tobacco is very sensitive to the lack or excess of humidity, it prefers loamy lands that are loose, deep, that do not get flooded and that are fertile.
It comes from India and was introduced by the Spanish to Venezuela during the colonial era. Similarly, its crops are grown in the tropical areas of the country and the ideal height to grow it is approximately 2000 meters..
The geographical diversity of Venezuela makes possible the existence of different types of agriculture according to the production. Although it is true that more types of agriculture can be found, the main ones found in Venezuela are: extensive, intensive, subsistence and industrial.
It is carried out in large areas of land with low population and the technology applied is scarce. Yields per hectare are few.
It is developed in limited areas of land, where a large investment of capital and work is made, all because its purpose is to obtain high yields per hectare to be sold to third parties.
This production is carried out in small Venezuelan towns to meet the nutritional needs of the farmer and his family. It is used in the indigenous ethnic groups of Venezuela.
It is characterized by being a farming system where agricultural production shifts with each harvest. Farmers clear vegetation, burn trees so that the ashes add fertility to the soil. Once these soils are depleted, farmers migrate to other sectors of the jungle or forest.
In Venezuela agriculture is not uniform, there are different systems that coexist in the country and adapt to each of the climatic, edaphic and topographic conditions. The aforementioned characteristics determine the productive potential, which is defined by factors such as: climate, labor, capital.
The precarious tenure conditions that some producers have because they are in the State's uncultivated lands, persists the lack of incentives for them to develop their crops.
Venezuela has abundant surface and groundwater resources. However, there are marked differences in geographic distribution. These resources are relatively scarce in areas where there is a greater concentration of population and industrial activities..
The employment figures in the agricultural sector indicate that it has lost importance as a generator of employment. And the people who deal with agriculture in the country are generally over 44 years old..
All of the food consumed is handled by large wholesalers. These food outlets work with both fresh and processed foods.
The role of agriculture in the country can currently be classified as incipient. Although the agrarian reform took place recently, peasants have serious difficulties in accessing financing, fertilizers and seeds. This hinders the ability to increase production in the field..
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