What is the primary sector?

The concept of the primary sector, also known as the agricultural sector, is the economic sector whose set of economic activities are intended to transform natural resources to give rise to raw materials that are subsequently consumed by people, with prior manipulation or not.

The primary sector has a great responsibility for all citizens as a whole, since it is the main provider of resources for our survival, since it is in charge of providing us with the food we need to survive.

Characteristics of the primary sector

One of the main characteristics of the primary sector is that its activity is always based on the exploitation of natural resources, whether from the subsoil or from the sea. In addition, we also find other peculiarities of the primary activities that help us understand what their objective is and what this economic sector is really like:

  • The products resulting from primary activities are subsequently used by other sectors such as secondary, through industries. This is for example the case of processed food.
  • The primary sector takes place in both developed and underdeveloped countries, although it is true that it is more rooted in the latter.

What are the activities of the primary sector?

The activities of the primary sector are agriculture, livestock, fishing, mining, hunting, forestry, beekeeping and aquaculture.

  • Agriculture is one of the primary sector activities par excellence. This economic activity consists of the application of certain techniques and knowledge aimed mainly at cultivating the land. It is one of the economic activities along with the oldest hunting and livestock.
  • Livestock for its part works and exploits the animals to extract their products or resources, such as milk, wool or honey, always depending on each type of livestock activity. The particularity of this activity today is that we will find livestock species both extensively or intensively as well as transhumant.
  • Fishing is that activity that is based on the exploitation of fish, both in sea and river waters as well as in continental ones.
  • Mining, as its name suggests, is responsible for exploiting the minerals provided by the soil and subsoil.
  • Hunting is an activity that is dedicated to the pursuit of a wild animal that is in the middle of nature or in a free state. Normally this activity uses other animals to facilitate this activity.
  • Silviculture is an activity whose purpose is to conserve and exploit mountains, hills and forests.
  • Beekeeping is the activity that is responsible for raising bees to extract honey, pollen, royal jelly, propolis or wax.
  • Aquaculture consists of the care and exploitation of species of fish, mollusk or algae. Both freshwater and saltwater species that will always be plants or animals.

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