Primary sector

What is the primary sector?

The primary sector is economic sector that is responsible for the extraction and acquisition of raw materials. That is, it extracts natural resources to be used for consumption or industry.

The main activities of the primary sector are the following:

• Farming.
• Fishing.
• Cattle raising.
• Forestry.
• Mining.

Characteristics of the primary sector

The main characteristics of the primary sector are the following:

• It uses natural resources to obtain raw materials.
• Attend the primary needs of the human being to subsist.
• It is responsible for providing food for human and animal consumption.
• Generally, its raw material goes to the secondary sector, so that it is in charge of manufacture products of consumption.
• It is one of the more activities ancient that exist.

Importance of the primary sector

The functions performed by the primary sector are necessary to guarantee the conservation of the population. For example, agriculture and livestock are activities that guarantee the production of most of the raw materials used, almost always, by the secondary sector, to make products for human consumption.

In this way, the products made by the primary sector are essential for the other sectors, within the production chain, to carry out their work.

Examples of primary sector

To better understand this definition, some examples of the primary sector are proposed below:

• Cattle breeding and reproduction, such as cows for the commercialization of beef.
• Fish farming as raw material for food.
• Planting and felling trees for the manufacture of furniture.
• Planting and harvesting soy.
• Sheep farming for the manufacture of wool and fabrics.
• Mining for jewelry making.