Changes in the horticulture sector
Change is inevitable, and progress is impossible without change. In other words, the world has been experiencing inevitable change across all its sectors. The economic growth experienced in 120 AD is not the experience in 2020. The climatic change in 1600 is not the same climate experienced last year (Canellas et al. 2015). Also, the number of people living in the nation has gradually been increasing over the years. The aspect indicates that the entire globe has been experiencing change that affects all sectors of the economy. Some changes have favoured some industries, while some have claimed the existence of others. Agriculture has not been left behind. Over the years, Agriculture has been affected by any form of change. Some of the changes that have been of economic importance include global change, digital change, and natural environment changes. The paper will thus involve a detailed discussion of how these changes have affected the business sector in horticulture.
Horticulture
Horticulture is defined as the farming of plants mainly for beauty and decoration, food, materials, and comfort. In other words, it is the art of growing flowers, vegetables, fruits as well as plants for fancy and ornaments. The definition indicates that this form of farming is embraced globally. In other words, all nutritionist will encourage their clients over the need to increase their fruit intake. Also, most celebrations require any form of decoration that demands flowers. Vegetables have also been linked with the art of bringing in some sense of healing owing to the fact that most of them contain essential nutrients such as vitamins and iron. Therefore, any change in farming these kinds of crops affects the entire economy (Parry, 2019). Although change is inevitable, farmers in these sectors have been trying to cope up with the change in a bid to maintain their importance in the marketplace. For instance, the advancement in technology has been critical in the sense that farmers have been utilizing technology to advance their farming mechanisms. The aspect has been crucial in the sense that it has increased the rate at which these crops are produced in the entire world. However, some changes, such as the outbreak of new pests and diseases, have negatively affected the rate at which these crops are produced.
Effects of Change
Global Change
Global change refers to planetary changes in the entire system of the earth. The earth`s network is made up of land, atmosphere, life, polar regions, and the planet`s natural cycles. It is worth noting that all these parts of the earth`s system constitute and influence one another. The atmosphere is the core centre of the earth`s system. In other words, any changes in the atmosphere tend to affect the entire earth’s system. Global warming has been increasing heat in the atmosphere. The aspect has been reflecting through excessive heat as well as increased desertification across semi-arid areas. Such changes have been detrimental to farming as the rate of precipitation has also increased gradually (Parry, 2019). Most agriculture depends on the natural environment to be effective. Adequate rainfall and moderate warmth increase the rate at which crops are produced. Thus, changes in the atmosphere alter the average production of crops hence affecting the businesses therein.
Global change can either be systematic operating through significant systems of the geosphere or cumulative that represents the global accumulation of localized changes. However, all these changes affect the epicenter of the earth, where increased desertification and precipitation is experienced. The aspect is detrimental in the sense that the changes in seasons affect the entire production of horticultural crops hence reducing the profits gained over such kind of farming.
Transportation of these crops is also affected by these changes. For instance, excessive rainfall has been associated with increased food that deters the active movement of these crops from one destination to another (Baglioni, 2018). The aspect has been detrimental in the sense that it reduces their shelf period hence lowering their cost at large. Although various governments have been channeling different ideas towards the art of curbing these changes, the efforts seem void owing to the fact that since the early 1900s, the effect of global change in terms of increased precipitation and over desertification has been affecting various parts of the world economy.
Digital Change
Advancement in technology has been the reason behind the digital change. In other words, over the years, the world has been experiencing a difference in terms of advancement in technology. In the recent past, communication was difficult and almost impossible. In was not possible to share ideas from one country to the other within a short period. However, change has been experienced in the entire world, and the globe has been turned into one small village where people can communicate, share ideas, and travel from one area to the other with ease (GH, 2016). Also, farmers have been sharing tips and learning from each other through the art of globalization. Thus, digital change has affected the shareholders of horticulture positively.
In the recent past, aspects such as online studying were unheard of. However, with digital change, farmers can as well as learn how to participate in horticultural farming in their home comfort effectively. Also, different farming tips are widely shared through the internet. Also, there are some farmers as well as marketers who have digitalized the art of selling crops as well as other horticultural products. In other words, one can farm in African and sell his or her products in Europe without travelling abroad. The aspect has eased such transactions hence increasing the profits earned from such farming. Also, some business owners in Europe look for such horticultural crops oversees (Rosegrant et al. 2001). Through an online search, one can locate farmers of intended products, and through digital communication, the transaction is easily achieved.
An outbreak of new pests and diseases, as well as the medication used to control such infestations, is easily identified via online platforms. Farmers have been getting daily updates on how to manage such pests. The aspect has reduced crop loss hence increasing profits earned per unit of crops produced (Ebel et al. 2020). Also, through digital change, farmers have identified new methods of farming, such as the use of greenhouses that reduces the rate at which pests and diseases destroy crops. In other words, farmers have been using various digital platforms to learn from each other hence increasing their daily output. All these aspects have been boosting the business transactions within horticultural farming.
Online schooling has been a significant aspect that has increased the art of sharing ideas. Such elements have introduced online writing, where individuals write articles with detailed information on farming and sell them. Others have been using platforms such as YouTube to educate farmers (Warra & Prasad, 2020). The art of having such channels have been another source of income where people are earning millions. In other words, digital changes have been a significant source of income not only to farmers but also to business people, let alone professors and writers.
Change in the Natural Environment
The changes in the natural environment have been the primary cause of the decline in large scale horticulture farming. Fruits, as well as vegetables that require a natural habitat for active growth, have been affected to a more significant extent. For instance, fruits such as avocadoes, bananas, and other citrus fruits don’t necessarily need a greenhouse to be productive. The growth of such fruits requires the natural environment. However, over the years, climactic conditions have been changing over-time. The aspect has affected the rate at which such fruits are produced.
The changes in the environment have increased the rate at which crops are affected by diseases and pests (Parry, 2019). Controlling such infestations calls for increased costs of production. In most cases, such costs are transferred to the final user of the products. However, the art of acquiring these products is relatively high and reduces the profits earned in the long run. In other words, the costs of obtaining a unit of fruits have increased gradually. The rate translates to the increased cost of production. Farmers, as well as businesspeople in horticultural farming, are forced to invest more funds, which doesn’t necessarily translate into profits earned. In other words, such changes have negatively affected horticultural agriculture to a greater extent.
Changes in the natural environment have led to the emergence of global pandemics such as Coronavirus and Cancers. Treatment of such diseases calls for a lot of investment hence increased losses. In other words, treating a patient with cancer or coronavirus calls for time and funds, let alone other government resources. Transportations hampered as individuals try to fight such diseases. The lost time and money translated into incurred losses via horticultural farming. For instance, with coronavirus, the movement of people from one nation has been affected. Many sectors of the global economy, such as farming and trade, have been affected to a more significant extent. The art of sharing ideas has been turned into tips for fighting diseases. The farmers have thus been affected to a more considerable extent. Business people involved in such farming are no longer transporting such goods as the market is relatively shut. Therefore, the natural environment’s changes have been detrimental to farmers as well as business people involved in horticultural farming.
Conclusion
In the very end, various changes in the environment have been affecting at most all sectors of the economy. Farming has been one of the industries that have been affected by these changes. Horticultural agriculture largely depends on the natural environment to be effective. Therefore, gradual changes in the environment tend to affect the output per unit of horticultural agriculture. Other changes that have been affecting horticultural farming include digital changes that have been a significant source of advancement in terms of agriculture. Farmers have been using such platforms via the digital world to share ideas and increase their production. Also, changes in the earth`s atmosphere marked by increased precipitation and over-desertification have greatly affected horticultural farming as well as business transactions therein. However, with digital transformation and proper utilization of technology, farmers and business people, have been able to invent new methods of farming, such as the use of greenhouses that have dramatically increased profits earned via horticultural farming.