The artificial environment covers the entire range of political, economical, social and technical processes entailed in the production, marketing and utilization of food and agricultural commodities. Therefore, solutions to the food and agricultural problems should be sought in the context of the complicated milieu of which agriculture is part. Experience has shown that income, as determined by yields, is the most important factor determining the amount of time and effort devoted to farming. The following categorization of farmers is, therefore, based on income as the main determinant. Food gardens Home gardeners are part-time producers working on plots of varying size.
Production is mainly for home consumption.
Surplus production is sold. Group gardens Consist of individual or collective plots in an enclosed area. Production is for consumption and sale. Group gardens play a crucial role in poverty alleviation. School gardens Some schools, very few, established gardens for the production of vegetables for sale or consumption at school.