Land And It’s Uses SS1 Agricultural Science Lesson Note

LAND

Land is man’s natural endowment (the gift of nature). It is the solid part of the earth’s surface (the soil and its mineral resources) where production like farming and livestock management takes place.  

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LAND

1. It is fixed in supply and its value rises steadily in response to increasing demand for it.
2. The supply of land is limited and cannot be easily increased.
3. Land is mobile i.e. cannot be moved from a place of plenty to a place of scarcity.

USES OF LAND

 Land use is subdivided into agricultural and non-agricultural uses.

A. AGRICULTURAL USES OF LAND

1. Crop Production: – Land is used for the production of food crops such as yam cassava rice etc and cash crops such as cocoa, kola nut, coffee etc.
2. Grazing: – Large areas of land set aside where there are abundant grasses for grazing by livestock is called pasture land.
3. Fishery: – It involves the area of land set aside for the production of fish through fish farming.  It involves the establishment of fishponds where fish are reared artificially to provide a necessary source of protein and income for the people.
4. Forestry: – This involves the management of forest land and its resources to produce food and services that are valuable to man. It is established in areas where there is no great pressure for cultivation or where the land is too poor and not suitable for crop production. Economic trees are cultivated on forest land to provide raw materials for wood and paper industries. Medicinal herbs, ropes, fibres, resins etc are also obtained from the forest.
5. Wildlife Conservation: – Wildlife refers to animals and birds found in the bush.  Wildlife is conserved in game reserves.  

The forest provides cover and food for a large number of wildlife. These animals and birds provide good recreation facilities and good centres of tourist attraction. Land not suitable for farming may be used for game reserves. They generate revenue for the government.

Examples of game reserves and where they are located in Nigeria are:

1. Kanji national park in Niger state  
2. Borgu game reserve in Kwara state
3.  Zurguma game reserve in Niger state
4. Yankari game reserve in Bauchi state. 

B. NON-AGRICULTURAL USES OF LAND

1. Housing;-This involves the use of land for the construction of residential houses and buildings
2. Industrial Building: – For building of industrial, individual estates.
3. Transport;-  Land is used for the construction of many forms of roads,  railway lines, bridges airports etc.
4. Social-economic activities: – Stadia, amusement parks, markets, hospitals cemeteries etc that are used for various socio-economic activities are constructed on land  centres
5. Religious Centres: – Construction of churches, mosques and shrines
6. Mining: – Land where minerals like petroleum, tin, coal, gold etc are found are used for mining purposes.

ASSIGNMENT 

1. What is land?  
2. List three general characteristics of land. 
3. Outline four uses of land for agricultural purposes. 
4. State five-game reserves in Nigeria. 
5. Outline five non-agricultural uses of land.