Land and It’s Uses – SS1 Agricultural Science Lesson Note (First Term)

Land is the solid part of the earth’s surface, including its soil and mineral resources, where farming and livestock management take place.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define land.
2. State the general characteristics of land.
3. Outline the agricultural uses of land.
4. Name examples of game reserves and national parks in Nigeria and where they are located.
5. Outline the non-agricultural uses of land.

What is land?

Land is the solid part of the earth’s surface, with its soil and mineral resources.

• Natural endowment: land is the gift of nature to people and is not made by them.
• Fixed in supply: the total amount of land stays the same.
• Immobile: land cannot be moved from one place to another.
• Use in agriculture: it is the place where farming and livestock management take place.
• Factor of production: land is the basic resource on which crops, animals, buildings and mining depend.
• Reward: the payment made for the use of land is called rent.

What are the general characteristics of land?

Land is fixed in supply, limited, immobile, a natural gift and different in quality from place to place.

• Fixed in supply: the total amount of land cannot be increased easily.
• Limited: land is scarce, so its value rises steadily as demand for it increases.
• Immobile: land cannot be moved from a place of plenty to a place of scarcity.
• Natural gift: it is provided by nature and has no cost of production.
• Varies in quality: some land is fertile, while some is poor, rocky or waterlogged.

What are the uses of land?

Land has two main groups of uses: agricultural uses and non-agricultural uses.

• Agricultural uses: uses connected with growing crops, keeping animals, fish, forests and wildlife.
• Non-agricultural uses: uses that are not farming, such as housing, transport and mining.

What are the agricultural uses of land?

There are five agricultural uses of land: crop production, grazing, fishery, forestry and wildlife conservation.

1. Crop production: land grows food crops such as yam, cassava and rice, and cash crops such as cocoa, kola nut and coffee.
2. Grazing: large areas with abundant grass are set aside for livestock. This is called pasture land.
3. Fishery: land is set aside for fish farming. Fishponds hold fish reared artificially to give protein and income.
4. Forestry: forest land and its resources are managed to give products and services useful to people.
5. Wildlife conservation: wildlife means animals and birds found in the bush. They are protected in game reserves and national parks.

What should you know about forestry?

Forestry is the management of forest land and trees to give useful products and services.

• Where it is set up: in areas with little pressure for cultivation, or where land is too poor for crops.
• Raw materials: economic trees are grown to supply wood and paper industries.
• Other products: medicinal herbs, ropes, fibres and resins are also obtained from the forest.

What should you know about wildlife conservation?

Wildlife conservation is the protection of wild animals and birds and the land they live on.

• Habitat: the forest gives cover and food to a large number of wild animals.
• Recreation: animals and birds provide recreation and are centres of tourist attraction.
• Land choice: land not suitable for farming may be used for game reserves.
• Revenue: game reserves earn money for the government.

What is the difference between a game reserve and a national park?

A game reserve is an area set aside to protect wildlife, where hunting is controlled by permit.

A national park is a larger protected area where wildlife, plants and scenery are strictly protected and visitors come for tourism.

Which game reserves and national parks are found in Nigeria?

Nigeria has several game reserves and national parks, spread across different states.

What are the non-agricultural uses of land?

Non-agricultural uses of land are uses that are not connected with farming.

1. Housing: land is used for residential houses and buildings.
2. Industrial building: land is used for factories and industrial estates.
3. Transport: land is used for roads, railway lines, bridges and airports.
4. Socio-economic activities: stadia, amusement parks, markets, hospitals and cemeteries are built on land.
5. Religious centres: land is used for churches, mosques and shrines.
6. Mining: land where minerals such as petroleum, tin, coal and gold are found is mined.

Evaluation

1. Define land.
2. Name two food crops and two cash crops grown on land.
3. What is pasture land?
4. In which state is Yankari Game Reserve located?
5. State two non-agricultural uses of land.

Assignment

1. Write a short answer sheet covering the following: define land, list three general characteristics of land, outline four agricultural uses of land, state four game reserves or national parks in Nigeria with their states, and outline five non-agricultural uses of land.