Agriculture SS1 Economics Lesson Note

Agriculture can be defined as the production of crops, animals, fish and forest resources for the consumption and other benefit of humans. It is a dominant occupation which employs about 65-70% of the total population of West Africa. 

COMPONENTS OF AGRICULTURE:

Agriculture is made up of the following:

1. Live stock
2. Fishing
3. Crop production
4. Forestry

1.  LIVESTOCK

This involves rearing domestic animals, e.g. pigs, cattle, horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, etc. Most of these animals are reared to satisfy domestic consumption.

• FORESTRY

It concerns the preservation of economic trees or plants. Also, it involves the extraction of various forms of resources associated with forest e.g. furniture, plywood, boats, manufacturing of papers, and electric pools, These are some of the things we derive from plant preservation.

• CROP PRODUCTION

It involves the cultivation of various crops. Crops are divided into two categories: food crops and cash crops.

1. Food Crops: these are majorly for consumption e.g. maize, rice, beans, coco yams, yam, tomatoes, corn, millet etc. 
2. Cash Crops: these are meant for sale either locally or export. E.g. cocoa, palm oil, rubber, palm kernels, cotton, groundnut, etc. 

1. FISHING 

This involves the breeding and catching of fish from the rivers for human consumption. it constitutes a major occupation of people who reside in the riverine area.

SYSTEM OF AGRICULTURE

Systems of agricultural production include:

1. Plantation farming
2. Peasant farming
3. Cooperative farming
4. Mechanized farming 

1. Plantation Farming

It involves the use of large estates of land permanently planted with economic or commercial crops. Examples of crops planted on plantation farming include sugar, cotton, rubber, sugar cane, tobacco, etc. In plantation farming, land could be owned by the government, private individuals, or corporate bodies. 

2. Peasant Farming

This is also known as subsistence agriculture. It involves cultivation on a small scale (acres of land). Land in this situation is often owned communally and they employ mainly their family labour. The size of land used by peasant farmers is majorly determined by the size of their family members and their family land. Rudimentary farming equipment such as cutlasses, axes, hoes, e.t.c.which are crude and are usually used in peasant farming. 

3. Cooperative farming

In this nature of farming, farmers come together to form a sort of association or union. This form of union is adopted to obtain loans and aid from the government, to hire or purchase farming equipment.

4. Mechanized farming 

This involves the extensive use of machines and other types of advanced mechanical devices in agricultural production. It ensures large-scale production because the use of human labour is replaced with that of machines. E.g. harvesters, ploughs, tractors. e.t.c. this form of farming has not been popularized in West Africa. 

IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN WEST AFRICA

1. Source of raw materials
2. Provision of food
3. Provision of employment
4. Creation of a market for industrial product
5. Source of income
6. Source of Labour for industries

PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURE IN WEST AFRICA

1. Illiteracy/ignorance
2. Lack of medical facilities
3. Use of crude implement
4. Poverty
5. Lack of credit facilities
6. Lack of storage facilities
7. Poor transportation
8. Problem of the land tenure system
9. Pests and diseases
10. Natural disaster

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURE

1. Granting of credit facilities to farmers
2. Improvement of transportation system
3. Discouraging migration
4. Mechanization of agriculture
5. Effective control of pests and diseases
6. Provision of medical facilities
7. Education
8. The use of research
9. Use of irrigation
10. Control of erosion 

ASSIGNMENT 

1. What is trade by barter?
2. Highlight the problems posed by trade by barter.
3. What is partnership?
4. Explain the function of money as the:    
5. store of value    
6. measure of values
7. Give three reasons why primary production pre-dominates in developing countries.