What are the components of crop production?

Agriculture is traditionally, colloquially known as growing crops and raising livestock for food, otherwise known as farming and ranching. However, there is far more to agriculture than that. Agriculture is very diverse, with farming and ranching only the root of it all. It is highly research-intensive with genetic, engineering financial and economical, mechanical, computer-scientific, international commodity and many other related fields that surround and make up agriculture. Computing science and other computer-related technologies such as GPS and high-performance, fuel-efficient engines and robotics are also involved in agriculture. Agribusiness involving finances, economics, consulting, and networking are also heavily associated with agriculture. Agribusiness doesn't simply mean "big business," it's also political and socio-economical, from sales to supply, from farm to farm-related businesses.

Because so much is involved in agriculture, it is very difficult to highlight the steps involved. One could easily apply the steps involved for growing a year's yield of corn or wheat, but that is only seeing part of the forest. As such, the last part of this question cannot be accurately answered. However, part of the original answer is kept for an example of the steps involved with raising crops.

To get a good crop, farmers have to follow a number steps like ploughing, sowing, watering, harvesting and storing the crop.

• Ploughing is the digging up of soil to prepare it for growing crops. It is done with the help of a plough which is pulled either by animals or by tractors.
• Then the weeds are removed with the help of a rake. The soil is broken down into lumps and smoothened with the help of a harrow.
• Once the soil is ready, different crops are grown. Healthy and ripe seeds of the best variety are selected and sown.
• Crops grow well if they get the right amount of water at the right time. Watering can be done by several ways.
• The soil is made more fertile by adding manure or fertilizer into it. Manure is obtained from animal and plant wastes.
• Protecting the growing crops from diseases and harmful insects is done by spraying insecticides and pesticides.
• It is very important to store the harvested crops properly.