(a)(i) Define agriculture [2 marks] (ii) List six branches of agriculture [3 marks]
(b) State five differences between commercial agriculture and subsistence agriculture [5 marks]
(c) State three merits and three demerits of using animal power on the farm. [6 marks]
Explanation
(a)(i) Definition of Agriculture: Agriculture is the art and science (management) that deals with the useful working life cultivation of crops and the rearing of animals for man’s use.
(ii) Branches of Agriculture (i) Agricultural Economics (ii) Agricultural Extension (iii) Animal Science (iv) Crop Science (v) Soil Science (vi) Agricultural Engineering (vii) Agricultural Education (viii) Fisheries (ix) Forestry (x) Apiculture (xi) Heliculture (xii) Non-traditional animal production (e.g. honey bees, grasscutter, snail etc)
(b) Differences between commercial agriculture and subsistence agriculture –
(i) High capital investment Low capital investment
(ii) Use of machinery Use of simple farm tools
(iii) Export based For family consumption
(iv) Use of skilled labour Uses unskilled family labour
(v) Use of large expanse Uses small and fragmented farm land
(vi) Farm records are kept Farm records are rarely kept
(vii) High output Low output
(viii) Needs well organized market Does not usually involve organised market for sale of produce
(ix) Operations may result in high environmental degradation Operations usually result in in low environmental degradation.
(x) Monocropping system is usually practised Mixed cropping is usually practised
(xi) Farmers usually specialize in crops or animal production. There is usually no specialization
[c) Merits of using animal power on the farm
– Animals provide good traction even under difficult
– Animals can pull loads that are many times heavier
– Animals have higher output as compared to humans
– Maintenance costs are comparatively lower than those of machines
-Animals provide a source of meat after exceeding their useful working life
-Animals wastes return to the soil as fertilizers
-Animals are ecologically friendly
-Animals can work for longer period than man
-Reduces drudgery/makes work easy
Demerits of using animal power on the farm
-Animals are prone to diseases
-Animals may be difficult to control/aggressive
-Animals are slow in operations as compared to machines
-Animals cannot cover large area of land unlike machine
-they require continuous attention whether working or not
-they suffer fatigue as humans
-They can destroy/eat up the crops
-Their work efficiency is low
– Zoonotic diseases of animals may affect humans
– Requires some levels of training to handle the animals
-Not adapted to all environments
-Limited to certain types of operation