Agriculture as a Source of Food to Man – Basic 4 Agricultural Science Lesson Note (First Term)

What Does This Mean?

Agriculture provides most of the food that people eat every day. Without farming, we would have nothing to eat!

How Agriculture Gives Us Food

1. Crop Farming (Growing Plants)

Farmers grow plants that we eat directly

Grains and Cereals:

• Rice – for rice and swallow
• Maize (Corn) – for corn meal and pap
• Wheat – for bread and noodles
• Millet – for local porridge

Root Crops:

• Yam – for pounded yam and boiled yam
• Cassava – for garri, fufu, and tapioca
• Sweet potato – boiled or roasted
• Cocoyam – for soup and porridge

Vegetables:

• Tomatoes – for stew and soup
• Pepper – for seasoning food
• Onions – for cooking
• Lettuce, spinach – for salad

Fruits:

• Oranges, mangoes – fresh fruits
• Bananas, pineapples – healthy snacks
• Watermelon, pawpaw – refreshing fruits

2. Animal Farming (Livestock)

Farmers raise animals that give us food

Meat:

• Cattle – beef meat
• Goats – goat meat
• Chickens – chicken meat
• Pigs – pork

Dairy Products:

• Cows – fresh milk, cheese, butter
• Goats – goat milk

Other Animal Products:

• Chickens – eggs for breakfast
• Ducks – duck eggs
• Fish – from fish farms

3. Processed Foods from Agriculture

Raw farm products are turned into different foods

• Rice → Cooked rice, rice flour
• Maize → Corn flakes, popcorn, pap
• Cassava → Garri, fufu, bread (cassava flour)
• Milk → Cheese, yogurt, ice cream
• Fruits → Fruit juice, jam

Why Agriculture is Important for Food

1. Provides All Food Groups

• Carbohydrates: Rice, yam, cassava (gives energy)
• Proteins: Meat, fish, beans, eggs (builds muscles)
• Vitamins: Fruits and vegetables (keeps us healthy)
• Fats: Palm oil, groundnuts (gives energy)

2. Feeds Everyone

• Provides food for millions of people
• Without agriculture, people would starve
• Ensures food security for the nation

3. Fresh and Natural Food

• Farm-fresh foods are healthier
• No artificial chemicals in natural foods
• Better taste than processed foods

4. Available All Year

• Different crops grow in different seasons
• Food storage helps preserve crops
• Continuous food supply throughout the year

EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. Agriculture provides most of the ________ that people eat
2. ________ farming means growing plants for food
3. ________ farming means raising animals for food
4. Without agriculture, people would ________

Exercise 2: True or False

1. All our food comes from agriculture ____
2. Rice is a root crop ____
3. Chickens give us meat and eggs ____
4. Agriculture only provides carbohydrates ____

Exercise 3: Food Groups from Agriculture

Match the food with its group:

• Rice → Protein
• Chicken → Carbohydrate
• Orange → Vitamin
• Groundnut → Fat

Exercise 4: Crop Categories

Write “G” for Grains, “R” for Root crops, “V” for Vegetables, or “F” for Fruits:

1. Yam ____
2. Tomato ____
3. Mango ____
4. Maize ____
5. Cassava ____

Exercise 5: Animal Products

What do these animals give us for food?

1. Cow: ________ and ________
2. Chicken: ________ and ________
3. Goat: ________ and ________
4. Fish: ________