The success or failure of agriculture is dependent on several factors. These factors can be categorized into climatic, human, biotic and edaphic factors.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to,
- Understand the factors that influence agriculture
- Explain how each factor affects agriculture
Climatic factors
These are factors based on the climate that affect agricultural production. They include:
Rainfall. Rainfall provides water, therefore, influencing the distribution of crops as well as livestock. The aspects of rainfall that affect agriculture are the amount of rainfall, distribution, intensity, and reliability. These aspects affect agriculture in the following ways:
- High rainfall intensity can lead to crop damage, property destruction, and soil erosion. Low rainfall intensity may not be adequate for crop growth.
- Rainfall reliability determines the time for planting.
- Distribution of rainfall affects the choice of crop varieties to be grown in a certain area.
- The amount of rainfall determines the type of crop to be grown and the type of livestock to be reared in a particular area.
Temperature. The temperature has the following effects on agriculture:
- It affects the germination rate of seeds.
- It affects the quality of plant produce such as the level of sugars in sugarcane.
- It affects the distribution and performance of both crops and livestock.
- It affects the rate of photosynthesis which in turn influences the rate of growth of plants.
- It influences the incidences of pests and disease attacks on crops and livestock.
- It determines the rate of evapotranspiration in crops.
Light. Light influences agricultural production in the following ways:
- It provides energy used in photosynthesis.
- It controls flowering time.
- Light affects evapotranspiration in plants.
- It affects the etiolation of crops.
- Light duration influences the breeding of livestock by affecting the oestrus cycles.
- It influences the occurrence of pests and diseases.
Wind. The wind has the following effects on agriculture:
- It increases the rate of evapotranspiration in crops.
- It causes soil erosion.
- Strong wind can cause destruction and lodging of crops.
- It increases the spread of weeds, pests, and diseases.
- Wind influences the formation of rainfall.
- Strong wind can cause the destruction of farm structures.
- Wind influences wind pollination.
- Wind regulates environmental temperatures.
Human factors
These factors refer to those that human beings have control of and influence their performance in agriculture. They include:
Health. Good health is crucial to good performance in agriculture. Poor health affects agriculture in the following ways:
- It leads to a shortage of labor
- It leads to a loss of interest to develop and invest in the farm.
- It leads to increased costs of living, hence low income, poverty and low investment in agriculture.
- A lot of time is spent in seeking medical treatment at the expense of agricultural production.
Level of education and technology. It affects agriculture in the following ways:
- It helps in accurate measurement and application of agricultural inputs.
- Education helps in the interpretation of the technical language used in agriculture.
- Education helps in proper decision making.
- Low levels of education can lead to poor record-keeping, inefficiency, poor marketing and poor adoption of farming technologies.
- Education leads to the adoption of modern technologies which increase the quality and quantity of production.
Level of economic development. The level of economic development of a country influences agriculture in the following ways:
- A sound economy enhances the availability of capital for agricultural investment.
- Liberalization of the economy can lead to the importation of cheap goods which can force the prices of agricultural produce to go down. It can also lead to the closure of agro-based industries.
- A sound economy enhances the availability of capital for agricultural investment.
- A growing economy sustains the agricultural-based industries and factories.
Cultural and religious beliefs. Some cultural beliefs hinder the development of agriculture. The prohibition of consumption of some agricultural and animal produce and the over-reliance on livestock products by pastoralists and religious groups are examples of such beliefs.
Market forces. The relationship between price, supply, and demand affect production. Good prices encourage farmers to produce more. Poor prices discourage the production and hence lower the supply of agricultural products.
Transport and communication. Systems of transport and communication affect agriculture in the following ways:
- The use of electronic media helps to access a wider market when delivering information. Poor market information and infrastructure would affect agriculture negatively.
- Good transport systems ensure the efficient flow of agricultural goods from production to consumption.
Government policies. Government policies that affect agriculture in a positive way include:
- Formulation of laws that help to conserve soil and water catchment areas.
- Formulation of policies that help create markets for agricultural produce within and outside the country.
- The imposition of quality control on production and marketing of agricultural produce.
- Reduction of taxes on agricultural inputs or subsidizing agricultural production.
- Formulation of policies that control the importation of agricultural produce and inputs.
Some of the government policies which may affect agriculture negatively include:
- Poor funding of agricultural projects.
- The imposition of high taxes on agricultural inputs.
- Failure to protect agriculture from the negative effects of economic liberalization.
- Poor pricing policies and price controls.
Biotic factors
These are living organisms that affect agricultural production. They include:
Pests. These are destructive organisms that attack crops and livestock. They have the following effects on agricultural production:
- They lower the quality and quantity of farm produce.
- They reduce the productivity of crops.
- They transmit diseases to other crops and livestock or human beings.
- The methods employed to control pests increase the cost of production.
Parasites. These are organisms that live in or on another organism (known as the host) and benefit by deriving nutrients from the host. They have the following effects on agriculture:
- They lower the quality and quantity of products.
- They can transmit diseases to livestock, crops and human beings.
- They decrease the productivity of pasture and fodder.
- Parasites cause irritation in livestock.
- The methods employed to control parasites increase the production cost.
Decomposers. These are organisms, especially fungi and bacteria that decompose organic materials. They have the following effects on agricultural production:
- They decompose soil's organic materials, therefore, increasing soil fertility.
- They clean the environment and help in aerating the soil.
Pollinators. They help in pollination, therefore contributing to the development of new varieties of crops. Butterflies and bees are examples of pollinators.
Pathogens. These are micro-organisms that cause diseases. They have the following effects on agricultural production:
- They cause diseases to crops, livestock and human beings.
- They increase the cost of production.
- They reduce the quality and quantity of agricultural products.
- They can cause the death of crops, livestock and human beings.
Predators. These are animals that prey on others. They have the following effects on agricultural production:
- Some predators help control pests by feeding on them.
- Predators that kill livestock impact negatively on agriculture.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These help in fixing nitrogen in the soil.
Edaphic factors
These are soil-related factors that affect agriculture. Soil is an ordered combination of loose natural material that is found on the uppermost layer of the crust of the earth. Edaphic factors that affect agricultural production include soil profile, soil color, soil pH, soil structure and soil constituents.
Importance of soil in agricultural production
- Soil provides the conditions necessary for plant growth like air, water, and nutrients.
- It provides anchorage or support for plants.
- It absorbs domestic wastes and other liquid substances that improve soil fertility.
- It forms the base upon which farm buildings and structures are constructed.
- Soil harbors useful soil micro-organisms that cause decay of organic matter, thus improving soil fertility.
