Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops and raising livestock. Agriculture is considered an art since it involves the application of skills that are learned in order to perform manual activities like land tillage construction of structures and machine operation. It is also a science because it involves researching, experimentation and the application of scientific knowledge in areas like animal pathology and soil analysis.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to;
- Explain the meaning of agriculture
- Describe the branches of agriculture
- Explain the systems of farming
- Describe methods of farming
- Explain the role of agriculture in the economy
BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE
There are several branches of agriculture. They include livestock farming, crop farming, agricultural engineering, and agricultural economics.
Livestock farming
It is the keeping of domesticated animals. It is divided into the following major groups:
- Dairy farming: This is the intensive rearing of livestock for milk production, usually from dairy goats and cows. The milk can either be processed on-site or it can be transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual sale.
- Beef farming: This is the intensive rearing of beef cattle for beef production.
- Pig farming: This is the intensive rearing of pigs for pork production.
- Fish farming: This involves the rearing of fish. The farming of fish is also known as pisciculture or fish culture.
- Poultry farming: This involves rearing of farmyard birds like turkeys and chickens for the production of meat and eggs.
- Apiculture (beekeeping): This is the keeping of bees for honey and wax production.
Crop farming
Crop farming involves crop cultivation. It can also be referred to as arable farming. There are two major forms of crop farming, namely:
- Production of field crops: It involves the cultivation of both annual and perennial crops for different uses.
- Horticulture: This involves intensive cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Horticulture can be divided further into pomiculture (cultivation of fruits), floriculture (cultivation of flowers) and olericulture (cultivation of vegetables).
Agricultural economics
It is a branch of agriculture that studies how limited resources of land, labor, capital, and management are used to produce goods and services for consumption. It enables farmers to get maximum profits while minimizing the cost of production.
Agricultural engineering
It is a branch of agriculture dealing with the planning, construction and repair of farm machinery, structures, tools, and equipment. It also involves the construction of water and soil conservation works, drainage works, water supply, and irrigation systems.
SYSTEMS OF FARMING
A farming system refers to the manner in which resources are organized and utilized on the farm.
Farming systems can either be intensive or extensive.
Intensive farming
Intensive farming involves the use of higher inputs and advanced agricultural techniques to increase the overall yield. It is characterized by the intensive use of pesticides, fertilizer and other production inputs for crops and medication as well as concentrated feeding for the animal stock. The practice concentrates more on getting the most output per area by using high input strategies.
Advantages of intensive farming
- Output per unit area is high
- There is maximum use of labor and capital
- Supervision of farm processes is easy
- Productivity can be greatly increased
- Intensive farming can be practiced in densely populated areas
Disadvantages of intensive farming
- Mechanization is uneconomical where land sizes are small
- Intensive farming without allowing for a fallow period can cause land degradation
- Intensive use of pesticides and fertilizers pollutes the environment
Extensive farming
Extensive farming is a farming technique, in which large farms are being cultivated, with relatively lower inputs, i.e. capital and labor. In this method, traditional methods of farming are given preference. Further, the productivity is based on the natural fertility of the soil, climate, and terrain of the area and so it is practiced in large farms to achieve higher yields and to achieve profitability. The total crop production is high, due to large land holding, but the low in terms of per-unit production.
Advantages of extensive farming
- It enjoys economies of scale because farm inputs are purchased in bulk
- It is economical to employ machines considering the large farm sizes
- Farming processes are often entirely mechanized
- It can be practiced in areas that receive low rainfall
Disadvantages of extensive farming
- Farmers may incur heavy losses in the event of crop failure or lack of market
- Output per unit area is comparatively low
- The potential of the land may be underutilized
- It cannot be practiced in densely populated areas
METHODS OF FARMING
A farming method refers to the enterprises on a farm which determine how the farm is run and managed on a day-to-day basis. These methods include:
- Mixed farming. This refers to the growing of crops and the rearing of animals concurrently on the same farm. A mutual benefit may exist between the two enterprises. This type of farming is mainly carried out in high-potential zones.
- Nomadic pastoralism. It involves keeping livestock with occasional and random movement from an area to another in search of water and pasture. It is mainly practiced in arid and semi-arid areas.
- Shifting cultivation. This is a system of farming in which a farmer cultivates a piece of land continuously for a number of seasons, and then abandons it for the new fertile land.
- Organic farming. This is a method of farming where only organic substances, and no chemicals, are used in crop and livestock production. It involves, for example, the use of manure to improve soil fertility instead of using factory-made fertilizers.
- Agroforestry. This is the growing of trees, pastures, and crops on the same piece of land for the purpose of increasing or improving the output of the land.
Methods of farming can either be subsistence or commercial.
Subsistence farming occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families. In subsistence agriculture, farm output is targeted to survival and is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus.
Commercial farming involves the establishment and management of farm enterprises for making a profit. Almost all the products are sold.
Roles of agriculture in the economy
- Agriculture is a source of food for the population.
- It is a source of employment.
- It is a source of foreign exchange from the exports of agricultural products.
- It is a source of raw materials for industries like hides and skins for the leather industry and coffee for the coffee industry.
- It provides a market for industrial goods like agrochemicals, farm machinery, and animal feeds.
- It is a source of capital for farmers from the sale of agricultural products.
- The government levies taxes on agricultural products to earn revenue which is used to finance development projects.
