Agriculture has an important place among primary economic activities. It is the most prevalent occupation. Agriculture, which is the primary source of food in the world, supplies 71 per cent of food needs. According to the varying physical, social and economic conditions, 

there are different types of agriculture in the world.

1. Shifting Agriculture: It is a ancient form of agriculture. It is a form of agriculture used especially in tropical Africa, in which an area of land is cleared of vegetation and cultivated for a few years and then abandoned for a new area until its fertility is naturally restored. 

2. Primitive Permanent Agriculture: Gradually, shifting agriculture took the form of permanent cultivation and became primitive permanent agriculture. 

3. Subsistence Agriculture: This types of agriculture is a base of employment. By this type of agriculture many forms of human needs are fulfilled. So, this type of agriculture is called subsidence agriculture. 

This agriculture is divided into two parts:

(a) Rice Dominent Subsistence Agriculture: Rice is the main crop grown in this type of agriculture. In this agriculture, per unit production is more, but per farmer production is low. Fields are small due to family size.

(b) Without Rice Subsistence Agriculture: This type of agriculture is done in Monsoon Asia. Wheat, barley and millet are major crops grown, instead of rice.

4. Commercial Foodgrain Agriculture: In fact, when subsistence agriculture took on the form of extensive livelihood, agricultural production began to be done with commercial view – point. This kind of agriculture is done extensively in developed countries, where land is ample and population is less.

Wheat is the major crop of this type of farming. In this type of farming, size of the field is very large and all activities right from ploughing the field to crop harvesting are done by machines. Per acre production is less in this type of agriculture, but per person yield is more.

5. Plantation Agriculture: Plantation agriculture is a form of commercial farming under which, crops like tea, coffee, fruits, rubber, etc. are grown. It was developed by the Europeans in colonial era in tropical regions. Its primary purpose was to make available those essential crops to European countries which could be grown only in tropical climate. The Britishers developed tea plantations in India and Sri Lanka, rubber plantations in Malaysia and Sugarcane and banana plantations in the western islands groups.

6. Mixed Agriculture: Under mixed agriculture, animal husbandry is also done along with crop cultivation. This kind of agriculture is done in very advanced countries. These types of agriculture areas are in North – west Europe, Eastern part of North America, some parts of Euresia and Southern Islands. Size of fields is medium. Wheat, barley, millet and maize are the major crops.

7. Dairy Agriculture: Under this type of agriculture special attention is paid to reproduction, grazing and genetic improvement of animals. With conventional farming, animals are cared for scientifically. Milking and milk processing is done with the help of machines. Dairy agriculture requires a lot of capital, modern machinery, intensive farming, and modern cattle care.

8. Truck Farming: Under this type of agriculture, seasonal and non – seasonal vegetables are grown in nearby urban areas and sold in the nearest cities. Distance between farms and markets is measured by the distance covered by truck in one night, hence its name is ‘truck – agriculture’.

9. Horticulture: The other name of horticulture is the farming of fruits and flowers. It is another type of commercial agriculture. The demand of fruits and flowers in the cities motivates it. India cultivates different types of fruits and flowers in different regions. Banana, mango, coconut are grown in tropical regions, apple, pear are grown in temperate regions and lemon, orange, mandarin are grown in mediterranean regions.