Meaning and Importance of Agriculture – SS1 Agricultural Science Lesson Note (First Term)

Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating crops and rearing animals for man’s use.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define agriculture and explain the origin of the word;
2. list the branches of agriculture and state what each one does;
3. state the importance of agriculture;
4. give examples of agricultural raw materials and the industries that use them;
5. distinguish between agro-based and agro-allied industries.

What is agriculture?

Agriculture is the art and science (or management) of cultivating crops and rearing animals for man’s use.

• Crop work: it covers the cultivation of the soil to produce crops.
• Livestock work: it covers the keeping and management of farm animals.
• Distribution: it includes moving plant and animal products from farms to buyers.
• Marketing: it includes the sale of plant and animal products.

Where does the word agriculture come from?

The word agriculture comes from two Latin words, “ager” and “culture”.

• Ager: means field, farm or land.
• Culture: means cultivation.
• Literal meaning: together they give “field cultivation”.
• Limit of the meaning: this is not a complete definition, since agriculture also covers animal production.

What are the branches of agriculture?

There are eleven branches of agriculture: animal science, veterinary medicine, soil science, crop production, agricultural economics and farm management, agricultural engineering, agricultural extension and education, forestry and wildlife conservation, fishery, apiculture and heliculture.

• Animal science (animal husbandry or animal production): it ensures efficient management of farm animals and better animal productivity.
• Veterinary medicine (animal health): it provides better health management for farm animals. It controls pests, parasites and diseases of farm animals.
• Soil science: it maintains soil fertility and improves soil classification and mapping. It also helps in erosion control, soil moisture conservation and the use of suitable fertiliser for each soil type.
• Crop production (crop science): it promotes good crop management, better planting materials and correct crop spacing.
• Agricultural economics and farm management: it ensures effective management of agricultural resources. It promotes agricultural marketing and good farm accounting.
• Agricultural engineering: it promotes mechanisation of farm operations. It develops processing and storage equipment and maintains farm tools and equipment.
• Agricultural extension and education: it trains farmers and spreads agricultural information to them. It also links farmers to researchers.
• Forestry and wildlife conservation: it conserves forest products and wildlife. It also helps in the creation of microclimate.
• Fishery: it promotes fish production, management, processing and other fishing practices.
• Apiculture (bee farming): it promotes the production of honey for local consumption and use.
• Heliculture (snailry): it involves the production of snails for consumption as a source of protein and minerals.

What are the aspects of crop production?

Crop production has three main aspects: agronomy, crop pathology and entomology.

• Agronomy: the study of soil management and the production of field crops.
• Crop pathology: the study of crop diseases and how to control them.
• Entomology: the study of insects, including those that damage crops.

Why is agriculture important?

Agriculture is important because it provides food, clothing, shelter, income, employment, raw materials, foreign exchange, a market for industrial goods, rural development and recreation.

• Provision of food: it gives maize, rice, yam, vegetables, fruits, meat and milk, fresh or processed, for man and farm animals.
• Source of materials for clothing: it gives fibre and cotton for textiles. Hides and skins make clothing, shoes, belts, caps and bags.
• Provision of materials for shelter and furniture: timber makes doors, windows, roofs and poles. It also makes shelves, cabinets, tables and chairs.
• Provision of income: farmers and farm labourers earn money from the sale of produce, and from wages or salaries.
• Employment for the working population: agriculture and agro-based industries employ farmers, farm workers and people in agricultural finance and marketing.
• Provision of raw materials for industries: agro-based industries depend on agriculture for their raw materials.
• Source of foreign exchange: Nigeria earns foreign exchange by exporting cocoa, coffee, groundnut, cotton, palm produce and timber.
• Provision of market for industrial goods: farmers buy fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, agro-pharmaceutical drugs, farm tools, machines, and storage and processing facilities.
• Development of rural areas: roads, electricity, pipe-borne water, schools and hospitals are provided where commercial agriculture exists.
• Provision of facilities for recreation and tourism: agriculture leads to the setting up of game reserves. It also provides horses for horse racing and polo.

What are agro-based and agro-allied industries?

Agro-based industries use farm produce as raw materials. Agro-allied industries make goods that farmers use.

• Agro-based industry: an industry that depends on agriculture for its raw materials, such as a textile mill or a cocoa processing factory.
• Agro-allied industry: an industry that produces inputs and equipment used in agriculture, such as a fertiliser plant.

What are examples of agricultural raw materials and the industries that use them?

Evaluation

1. Define agriculture.
2. Name the two Latin words from which agriculture is derived and give their meanings.
3. State what veterinary medicine and soil science each ensure.
4. Give five ways in which agriculture is important to a country.
5. Differentiate between agro-based and agro-allied industries.

Assignment

List and define eight branches of agriculture, then state five agricultural raw materials and the industry that uses each one.