Farmer
A farmer is a worker profession involved in the agriculture industry, growing organic matter for consumption as food. They can be found on almost every planet and habitat in the galaxy, used by every kind of biological species. As they do not consume biological matter as sustenance, lithoids and machines generally do not utilise farmers. Depending on species preference, farmers grow crops or raise livestock in fields, or cultivate hydroponic farms.
The development of agriculture thousands of years in the past allowed for the specialisation of labour and the creation of food surpluses. With the exception of the Maweer, this led to mass urbanisation and eventually planetary unification. Historically, farming was a labour-intensive profession, but also dominated economic systems. Improved technology and automation, such as the plow, tractors, and agricultural robotics have drastically reduced the labour requirements of farming throughout history. Modern famers with access to capital can be mistaken for an office worker, as they manage fields of automated drones conducting the farming for them. However, in societies where slavery is commonplace, slaves are often cheaper to purchase and maintain than robots, and are used for agricultural work.
Crops represent the majority of agricultural output in the galaxy, followed by livestock and hydroponics. Farms are typically large-scale open fields that utilise economies of scale to grow large amounts of food at a low cost. Computer simulations and weather modelling are used to optimise farming, giving farmers reliable information on the best ways to grow food. On agri-worlds, climate manipulation is used to "flatten" weather patterns and give farmers further control over their yield. Modern crops and livestock are genetically modified to maximise taste and nutrition, as well as making them resilient to weather and disease. On some worlds, nanomachines are introduced into crops, allowing for incredibly precise control over their particular chemical structures. This allows for even further resilience and taste adjustment.
While farming on a planet only requires fertile soil and a large patch of land, providing self-sustainment capabilities to starbases and habitats is much more difficult. With space ironically at a premium in deep space, traditional fields are not viable. Instead, hydroponic farming is used to grow plants without the need for soil. This creates the most dense concentration of nutrition per square metre of farming, albeit at the cost of food variety. Hydroponic farming can also be used on planets in order to supplement other food sources.
On some worlds, the environment renders traditional field-based crop farming difficult. Instead, farmers on these worlds grow different food through alternate means. On wet worlds, fish can be grown and harvested from oceans, using massive trawling vessels. Fungus and lichen can be harvested from fields and caves; and on some worlds, giant fungi grow to the size of trees. Orchards can replace fields, where plants are picked for fruit rather than harvested wholesale.
The development of agriculture thousands of years in the past allowed for the specialisation of labour and the creation of food surpluses. With the exception of the Maweer, this led to mass urbanisation and eventually planetary unification. Historically, farming was a labour-intensive profession, but also dominated economic systems. Improved technology and automation, such as the plow, tractors, and agricultural robotics have drastically reduced the labour requirements of farming throughout history. Modern famers with access to capital can be mistaken for an office worker, as they manage fields of automated drones conducting the farming for them. However, in societies where slavery is commonplace, slaves are often cheaper to purchase and maintain than robots, and are used for agricultural work.
Crops represent the majority of agricultural output in the galaxy, followed by livestock and hydroponics. Farms are typically large-scale open fields that utilise economies of scale to grow large amounts of food at a low cost. Computer simulations and weather modelling are used to optimise farming, giving farmers reliable information on the best ways to grow food. On agri-worlds, climate manipulation is used to "flatten" weather patterns and give farmers further control over their yield. Modern crops and livestock are genetically modified to maximise taste and nutrition, as well as making them resilient to weather and disease. On some worlds, nanomachines are introduced into crops, allowing for incredibly precise control over their particular chemical structures. This allows for even further resilience and taste adjustment.
While farming on a planet only requires fertile soil and a large patch of land, providing self-sustainment capabilities to starbases and habitats is much more difficult. With space ironically at a premium in deep space, traditional fields are not viable. Instead, hydroponic farming is used to grow plants without the need for soil. This creates the most dense concentration of nutrition per square metre of farming, albeit at the cost of food variety. Hydroponic farming can also be used on planets in order to supplement other food sources.
On some worlds, the environment renders traditional field-based crop farming difficult. Instead, farmers on these worlds grow different food through alternate means. On wet worlds, fish can be grown and harvested from oceans, using massive trawling vessels. Fungus and lichen can be harvested from fields and caves; and on some worlds, giant fungi grow to the size of trees. Orchards can replace fields, where plants are picked for fruit rather than harvested wholesale.
Type
Agricultural / Fishing / Forestry
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