AGRICULTURE.

1. INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE.

Agriculture originated from two latin words "ager"which means land or soil and "cultura" which means cultivation,care or management of land .

Therefore agriculture is the cultivation of land to grow crops and rearing of livestock.

Human beings must eat in order to survive, crops and livestock products form the basic food for human beings which must be taken in adequate quantities and types to provide a balance diet.

2. METHODS OF FARMING

1)MIXED FARMING

It  is farming methods in which crops are grown and livestock are kept on the same piece of land .

Advantages;

a) Livestock are used to provide farm power .

b) it enable good distribution of labour  and use if land throughout the year.

c)There is security of income when one fails .

c)Crops are feeds to the livestock.

d) Livestock supplies manure for crops .

DISADVANTAGES

a) labour for both enterprise is difficult to manage .

b) Farmer's interest is divided .

c) Technical advice for both crops and livestock is difficult or expensive to obtain .

2) NOMADIC PASTORALISM .

Rearing of livestock by nomads .

3)SHIFTING CULTIVATION /FALLOW CROPPING.

It is where the land is left fallow after a certain period under cultivation.it helps to replenish lost nutrients and restore soil structures.

4)ORGANIC FARMING

It is farming methods whereby no farm chemicals are used and encourage use of organic manure .

5) AGROFORESTRY

It is a method of farming whereby crops are grown along side trees .

2.1. EFFECTS OF EXTREME TEMPERATURE IN CROP PRODUCTION

Temperature that is too high will increase evapotranspiration,thereby reducing the amount of water in plants .

On other hand temperature that is too low will slow the rate of growth as a result of reduced physiological processes and this may encourage plant diseases .

HOW TO OVERCOME EXTREME TEMPERATURE IN CROPS AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

_Adopting suitable planting time by planting the crops when the soil has acquired the desired temperature.

_Planting different varieties that can adapt to extreme temperatures .

_Planting an early maturing crop .

_Keeping animals which are adaptable to either high or low temperatures .

2.2. FACTORS INFLUENCING AGRICULTURE.

Agriculture is influenced by the following factors;

a) HUMAN FACTORS

I) Health;well being of a farmer is important in agricultural production because strength is used in farm production.

2) level of technology and education;it is advice the farmers receives from the extension officers and technical advisors .

3)Level of economic development.

4) Cultural and religious beliefs.

5) Availability of market .

6) Government policy.

7) Communication systems.

8) Labour supply.

B) climatic factors; it is environmental factors determining the suitability of crop and livestock production.they includes;

a)Rainfall 

b) Rainfall reliability and distribution.

c) Rainfall intensity 

d) Amount of rainfall.

C)BIOTIC FACTORS

Pests and parasites 

Decomposers 

Pathogens

Pollinators 

Nitrogen fixing bacteria.

3. BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE.

Agriculture comprises several branches of study namely;

1)Crop production.

2) Livestock production.

3) Agricultural economics .

4) Agricultural engineering.

1)CROP PRODUCTION

It is growing of field crops such as tea , coffee,maize, sorghum,millet and rice .

Horticulture a branch of crop production which includes;a) Floriculture: growing of flowers aimed at export and local market.

b)Olericulture : growing of vegetables either for the kitchen garden,local market or export.

c) Pomology:it is growing of fruits mainly for sale or domestic use.

2) LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

This is rearing of animals for their products such as milk,meat , eggs,wool and honey.it is subdivided into the following areas:

_settled livestock rearing; rearing livestock such as dairy cattle,beef cattle,sheep ,goats and pigs .

_pastoralism ;this is the rearing of livestock as practiced by the nomads .

_fish farming;it is rearing of fish in a specifically constructed ponds and dams.

_apiculture;it involves housing and rearing of bees for honey and wax production.

_poultry farming;it is rearing of domestic chicken,turkeys,ducks and ostriches.it is done under various systems like free range small scale and intensive large scale .

3) AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING.

This is development,use and maintenance of machinery and machinery accessories in farming .

4) AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS .

It involves planning for the use of limited farm resources for production purposes.it includes;

Production economics 

Farm management

Farmers organizations 

Agricultural marketing.

4. WEATHERING.

WEATHERING;is the process of soil formation involves the break down of rocks into small particles or fragments.

There are three forms of weathering;

1) Mechanical or physical weathering.

2) Chemical weathering.

3) Biological weathering.

1) MECHANICAL OR PHYSICAL WEATHERING.

This is integration of rocks into small particles due to mechanical or physical forces exerted on the rocks by various agents . examples of this agents are ; temperature,wind and rainfall.

2) CHEMICAL WEATHERING

It changes the chemical structure of the rock making it unstable and making it to disintegrate .The forms of weathering they cause are hydration , solution, oxidation and carbonation.

3) BIOLOGICAL WEATHERING.

This is caused by animals, plants,man through his numerous activities such as cultivation, mining causes rocks to disintegrate.

4.1. SYSTEMS OF FARMING.

Systems of farming is determined by the following factors;

a)Land .

b) Human resources.

c) Economic and social factors.

CLASSIFICATION OF FARMING SYSTEMS

1)SMALL SCALE FARMING;it is characterized by:

_Use limited inputs.

_Use labour intensive methods.

_Give more consideration to food crops .

_Diversification in production.

_Less receptiveness to technological changes.

ADVANTAGES 

_Farmers grow several crops and keep various types of livestock.

_It is source of food to majority people.

_It provides income to the farmers.

DISADVANTAGES

_High operational costs.

_Provision of technical advice by extension workers is not easy because of large number of farmers.

_lack of organized market for the produce .

4.2. ROLES OF AGRICULTURE.

1)it supplies food.

2)It provides employment.

3)It is a source of foreign exchange earnings.

4)It is a source of raw materials to industries.

5)It is a source of capital.

6)It provides market for industrial goods.