cultivate
verb [ T ]
uk/ˈkʌltɪveɪt/ us PRODUCTION
to prepare land and grow crops on it, or to grow a particular crop:
Corn, or maize, is indigenous to Mexico and has been cultivated there for some 6,000 years.
to try to develop and improve something:
She has cultivated an image as a shrewd investor.
if you cultivate a relationship, you make a special effort to develop it, because you think it might be useful to you:
He cultivated business contacts in ten major cities.
cultivation
noun [ U ]
the cultivation of crops/the land
This course will help with the cultivation of key marketing skills.
If you wish to retain customers, you must work at the cultivation of the customer relationship.