Argumentative Essay N Farming

Agricultural economics is a field which focuses on the application of economic principles to optimize agricultural practices. However, the subject is quite vast and finding a topic that is just right for the classification essay tasked to you can be a challenge. If you are having trouble coming up with a topic, be it because there are so many or because you chose to do this assignment at the very last minute, do not worry.

You can simply choose from the following 20 general topics or narrow one of these down to do it justice in your assignment:

  1. The Efficiency of Crop Diversification Strategies
  2. Eco-Labeled Seafood Available at a Premium: A Consumer-Centric Study
  3. Staple Foods of the Developing World
  4. Cash Crops and the Effects of Climate Change
  5. Precision Agriculture Strategies for Field-Level Management
  6. Significant Theories of Crop Science and their Practical Implementation
  7. Agricultural Input Factors which Optimize Crop Yield
  8. Enhancing the Nutritional Quality of Staple Foods: Success and Failure Scenarios
  9. Global Agricultural Trade Structure
  10. The Major Types of Food Safety Regulations Applicable to Global Trade
  11. Techniques in Organic Farming
  12. Statistical Techniques Used for Modeling and Predicting Price Volatility in Agricultural Markets
  13. Efforts to Modernize Farming in Mountainous Regions
  14. Economic Development and Market Institutions in Developing Countries
  15. Vegetable and Fruit Planting Restrictions
  16. Major Risks Faced by Agribusiness Firms
  17. Major Livestock Disease Outbreaks and Their Impact on Consumer Demand
  18. Deforestation and its Disastrous Effects
  19. Solving Agricultural Problems with Experimental Economics
  20. Food Labeling Laws in Different Countries

Most of these topics do not need any tweaking if your assignment is a classification essay. However, you are welcome to further delve in these if you would like. A simple trick to find a classification technique is to focus on different regions, different policies, kinds of crops, the level of sophistication of farming techniques, or even a specific country. Any of these classification principles will work with the majority of the topics listed above. You can also refer to the list of 10 facts on agricultural economics for a classification essay for further ideas.

With the topic in hand, it is time to put pen to paper. If you need help with this aspect, here is a sample classification essay that will clarify the writing process. The sample does not contain detailed guidelines, but you can use it as a rough template. For more detailed instructions, refer to our guide on how to write a classification essay on agricultural economics.

Sample Classification Essay: The African Crops Most Vulnerable to Climate Changes

In the wake of major changes in global climate trends, the world is in need of more climate-resilient food systems. This is especially true for developing nations in Asia and the Sub-Saharan Africa. Agricultural activity is set to decline in these regions even if the targeted two-degree change occurs. Trends forecast a rate of 1-5% decline per decade due to climate change.

In Africa specifically, tropical cereal crops such as maize, common beans, finger millet, and the cash crop Arabica coffee will face decline in production levels. It is necessary to analyze the vulnerability levels of food staples and cash crops in order to develop better food security programs.

Research and forecasts show that the common bean, maize and coffee production will suffer as climate change renders vast areas of land unsuitable. All these crops will either need to be replaced or will require major adaptation plans.

Coffee production is at risk due to climate change. The Robusta coffee will be less severely affected, but Arabica coffee production levels will face major decline. Forecasts show that producers located in East Africa will have to look to other regions to find land more conducive to coffee production.

The land suitability will decline by the largest amount (50% or greater) in Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda. The countries facing a less dire situation (20-50%) are Rwanda and Burundi. The situation will be relatively less severe (15% or fewer decline) in Ethiopia and Kenya.

Regardless, the results will most likely be the migration of Arabica coffee areas to higher altitudes and the replacement of Arabica coffee areas with the more heat-resistant Robusta variety.

Maize is one of the major sources of calories in the African region. It is cultivated in areas of Africa projected to be severely impacted by climatic changes. Studies show that almost the entire (around 90%) maize area will be negatively affected.

The resultant decline in production will range from 12-40%. By the 2050s, countries in West Africa will face production losses between 20-40%. Other African countries, namely Botswana, Kenya and Mozambique, will face similar, but less severe losses. Adequate adaptation measures for maize production must be planned and implemented to minimize future food security concerns.

Many African countries also rely on the common bean as it is a major source of nutrition. Though essential, the crop is highly vulnerable to climate change. Projections for the coming decades show significant decline in production and losses of suitable areas. There are, however, some positive outcomes of new breeding experiments. The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture has managed to grow a common bean variety which tolerates an increase of 3+ degrees Centigrade without any damage to the yield. This resilient version has been tested in greenhouse environments. If the benefits in the lab translate to the real world, the common bean will survive the 21st century without major issues.

It is necessary to study the various impacts of climate change on crop yields. It is the first step towards spreading awareness and development of targeted adaptation measures. The populations in developing countries must be prepared for the eventual food production decrease which is set to occur in the coming decades. The policy-makers also need to address the challenges of food security with appropriate programs and planning.
You can definitely come up with a better essay, so why are you still here? Use the details from all our guides on agricultural economics and come up with a great essay that your instructor will be happy to grade highly.

Crops under a changing climate: what are the impacts in Africa?. (2015). Retrieved 29 March 2016, from
Benor, Daniel, James A. Harrison, and Michael Baxter. “Agricultural Extension: The Training and Visit System.” World Bank, Washington, D.C., 1989.
Dixon, John, and Aidan Gulliver with David Gibbon. Farming systems and poverty: improving farmers’ livelihoods In a changing world. Rome and Washington, D.C.: FAO and the World Bank, 2001
Flores, Rafael, and Stuart Gillespie, Health and Nutrition: Emerging and Reemerging Issues in Developing Countries, IFPRI 2020 Vision, Focus 5, February 2001
Foster, Phillips, and Howard D. Leathers, The World Food Problem (Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Reinner Publishers, 1999)
Berry, Albert, and William Cline. Agrarian Structure and Productivity in Developing Countries. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979.
Dimitri, Carolyn, Anne Effland, and Neilson Conklin. The 20th Century Transformation of U.S. Agriculture and Farm Policy. Washington, D.C.: Economic Research Service, USDA, 2005.

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Tags: classification essay ideas, classification essay topics

This should make the situation with writing your agricultural essay easier. Here you have to write a simple essay using the general structure and general rules of essay writing.

First of all, in your introductory paragraph write your thesis statement. For example, say why agriculture is an important branch of national economy.

In your body paragraphs look at the problem from several perspectives. The first paragraph could be about the general problem of most developing countries – lack of agricultural products, starvation etc.

The second one can be about the reasons why agriculture is not a priority to the respective governments and why such policies lead towards starvation in many countries of the world.

The third one can suggest methods on how to solve the problem of the lack of agricultural development.

In your conclusions summarize your essay.

Health has always been one of the substantial concerns of humanity. What we eat and what we drink just happens to be one of the primary sources and factors which determine our well-being. To stay healthy and avoid falling to countless diseases constantly lurking around we always have to choose the food we consume carefully. Therefore, the usage of pesticides in food and water is a serious matter that concerns many people in the society. Over the years, it has caused continuous dispute regarding its advantages and disadvantages.

Pesticides have been around since the nineteenth century. Nowadays, in agriculture and food production pesticides are commonly used to control pests such as insects, rodents, weeds, bacteria, mold, and fungus. Ideally, pesticides are supposed to harm the pests which might reside in food, without causing harm to the human. Unfortunately, as many studies show, the situation is highly controversial. On the one hand, many studies claim that the usage of pesticides in more beneficial to humans than it is harmful, and that opposed to the danger that is created by pests it is the lesser of evils. At the same time, many people argue that the risk of pesticides in our food is difficult to overlook, as it may not only harm the pests but the people who consume the products as well.

According to M. J. Levine, many studies have shown that the danger of pesticide exposure is real. He states that all people, especially young children, pregnant women, farmers and farm workers, as well as the elderly, are susceptible to adverse health effects caused by exposure to pesticides (Levine, Marvin J). Acute poisoning, cancer, congenital disabilities and damage to the brain are among the most alarming effects which may be caused by pesticides. That said, it is interesting to note that, according to Levine, insects can quickly develop resistance to pesticides. As for the sources of pesticide exposure, pesticide traces can be found almost everywhere: in the office and home, in food and water, as well as in the air (Levine, Marvin J). Taking into account these two facts, the benefit of pesticides for humans can be questioned.

On the other hand, the beneficial nature of pesticides can also be attested by diverse reasoning. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is necessary to use pesticides to control pests, as the danger they present is far greater than the possible risks from pesticide exposure. They argue that pests, if not taken care of properly, are the common sources of various deadly and debilitating diseases. As an example, indoor household pests such as cockroaches can be the cause of asthma and allergies. Another point made by EPA is that “the presence of a detectable pesticide residue does not mean the residue is at an unsafe level” (“Pesticides | US EPA”). They also claim that “the amount of a substance a person is exposed to is as important as how toxic the pesticide might be” (“Pesticides | US EPA”).

That brings us to the question of how pesticides should be used in agriculture and food production. Despite the fact that the increased use of pesticides is the reason for increased crop production, lower maintenance costs, and control of public health hazards, it is also proved to have a serious impact on the health of people working in agriculture (Levine, Marvin J). In this sphere, the direct risk of pesticide exposure is faced mainly by farmers and farm workers. Farm workers are exposed to pesticides when cultivating and harvesting the crops in fields, nurseries, and greenhouses, as well as transporting agricultural commodities (Levine, Marvin J). Moreover, children living in farming areas, states Levine, are likely to have the highest exposure to pesticides of any group of people in the country. That being said, according to recent studies, there is generally low level of awareness as to the dangers of pesticide exposure and prevention (Rao, Pamela et al.). This fact proves that the use of pesticides in the agricultural setting is the matter which should be considered with much seriousness.

Taking into account everything that has been said, I think that the matter of pesticide use is one that requires more public attention. It is a fact that people working in agriculture, as well as people living in farming areas, are more exposed to pesticides than those who live in cities. Therefore, I firmly believe that there should be some steps to be taken to minimise the danger of pesticide exposure to the people. First and foremost, farmers and farm workers should be properly informed about the pesticide use in agriculture and the different existing pros and cons. Raising awareness of the issue will make certain risks avoidable. While the controversy of the usage of pesticides in the agricultural sector remains unsolved, the government and the media should make sure that the society is well-informed about both benefits and risks of pesticides. That way, a single-valued decision on the matter of pesticide usage is likely to be devised sooner.

Works Cited

Levine, Marvin J. Pesticides: A Toxic Time Bomb In Our Midst. Praeger, 2007.
Liu, Yongbo et al. “Protecting The Environment And Public Health From Pesticides.” Environmental Science & Technology, vol 46, no. 11, 2012, pp. 5658-5659. American Chemical Society (ACS), doi:10.1021/es301652v.
“Pesticides | US EPA.” US EPA, 2017,
Rao, Pamela et al. “Pesticides In The Homes Of Farmworkers.” Health Education & Behavior, vol 34, no. 2, 2006, pp. 335-353. SAGE Publications, doi:10.1177/1090198106288045.

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