Farmers must learn to negotiate many uncertainties that can have potentially disastrous effects on their crops.- pests
- weather: excessive heat or cold, drought or floods can all have devastating effects on crops.
- disease: plant diseases have long been a major threat to farmers.
- competing plants, such as weeds
- prices/markets
- supply/demand
Most of the research in farming and agriculture has been aimed at helping farmers overcome these uncertainties and maximize resources and production.
