Define agriculture. isthe cultivat 30 of erops and the rearing of animals. Explain how the following factors influence agriculture: { a. Temperature: _Noplants can survive in regions experiencing less than 6° C. ¥ _ Different crops grow successfully under different temperature. The growing season is longer under higher than lower temperature ¥ Many crops are destroyed by fost /require a specific numberof rost free days ta grow successfully ~ Livestock rearing is also determined by temperature, with some thriving under high temperature, for example camel, and others lower temperature, for example, dairy cattle. b. Sunshine: ¥ Itsavailability facilitates photosynthesis. ¥ _ Italso facilitates the ripening of fruits/crops where itis available. ¥ Availability of sunshine is necessary during the harvesting of crops like wheat and rice. Moisture: ¥ Moisture/rainfall dissolves mineral content in the soil, making it possible for them to be absorbed by the crops Different crops have diferent rainfall requirements with tea, for example, requiring high rainfall while wheat requires lower rainfall. Many crops cannot survive under waterlogged conditions, yet rice does well under such conditions during the growing Dairy cattle farming is more successful where the rains are high. while camel keeping is more successlul under drier conditions ¥ Where the rains are inadequate, crop irrigation become a necessity 4. Winds: Hot. dry winds destroy crops lke cocoa in Ghana, causing them to wilt due to increased evapo-transpiation, Strong winds also break the branches of crops/fruits and causes soil e ‘Winds also deposit fertile soil, for example, , denying the crops the necessary nutrieits Aorthern China where loess have been deposited, promoting axriculture ‘Warm winds blowing in regions of low temperature, for example the north-facing slopes ofthe Alps, facilitate ripening ‘of crops/blossoming of flowers, thus facilitating crop farming. ¥ Some crops like tea require higher altitude/1500-2200m while cocoa grows successfully below 50m ¥ Beef cattle thrive best in low altitude areas while dairy aattle require higher altitude. Many crops, for example maize grow well where the slope is undulating to allow free drainage, while rice thrive best on flat ground to facilitate flooding, In temperate regions, slopes facing away from the sun, for example the northern slopes of the Alps, are colder and tunsuitable for some crops, compared to the south-facing slopes which face the sun and are therefore warmer amd Stitable for crops Crop growing/animal rearing is more prevalent on the windward side of mountains where the rnfal i high, compared With the leeward side which is drier. £ nn + Soil composition Different crops have different mineral requirements Cocoa grows successfully in soils ich in iron while tea proctices bes in soils rich in phosphates + Soil texture and structure Seils with smal particles for example clay/black cotton soil, retain more water an! are suitable lor rive, while the oil palm require poros soils + Soil airand moisture Plants require oxygen to grow. Soil water/moisture enables the plans to absorb essential nutrients from the so Choosing to succeed is simply a cho* Soil temperature Crops grow better/faster where the soil temperature is higher than where itis lower. 9. Weeds and parasitic plants: 4 Inthe presence of weeds, plants cannot thrive as the weeds compete for nutrients with the crops, overwhelming them. 1h, Pests, fungi and diseases 4 Some insects, for example butterflies, help in pollination, leading to multiplication of crops, while others, for example, aphids destray crops, thus inhibiting growth 4 Animals like elephants/hippos destroy crops, reducing production Cvops are destroyed by the prevalence of diseases, for example, banana mosaic, reducing production. "icks/tse tse fly feed on animal blood, introducing diseases which lead to the death of animals, 1 Human factors + Social factors Tradition: Some communities prefer certain crops and thus neglect others, for example, the Kilauyu has maize as the staple food, while the Kisii prefer bananas, thus producing them in large quantities. Some communities prefer certain animals, for example, the Maasai keep large herds of cattle while the Somali prefer Land tenure system ‘Where land is subdivided by the father tothe sons, land fragmentation occurs, discouraging large-scale farming, while where the land isnot sub-divided, mechanization/large-scale farming is possible. Religion Religion promotes some forms of agriculture while discouraging others. “arming is not carried out in the Arab world, while the population of cattle i large in the Hindu world as they are noc ssghtered due to their religious significance. Gender ‘This influences proxuetivity as the produce will depend on effort of the gender involved. Work is normally left to women who find it difficult to carry out some of the demanding tasks, reducing production Interaction of people ie? “This leads to adoption of new “e: niques in farming/new food/crops. kplan how aconcrlc act Lense See connie he intact NEP a Operation cost (financial consideration) Their mig ned Sy lnd on which wre owt ropa pon There ss need to purchase inputs like fertilizers, seeds, pesticides/herbicides to effectively carry out farming. > Anerrigation sytem may need to be put up as well as fencing the land. Marketing expenses The lanes sys. sequire storage for grains, especially, before it is sod. © For perishat: wauets, the farmer may have to buy/hire refrigerated facilities to ensure freshness. = The lanier nia: quire o purchase/hire trucks to facilitate marketing, = ssn teanspnrtv requirement, then the cost must be put into consideration.Price fluctuations > This affects the marketing of the produce both internally and externally. > When demand is low, the prices go down; the same happens when there is oversupply/production/glut. > Afarmer may decide to abandon an activity and take up another depending on the changes in the price of commodities ‘ How do political factors influence agriculture? > The government may decide on what is to be planted, where it will be planted and to what extent. > The government may decide to provide farmers with subsidies, motivating them to produce more. > The government may decide the price of vital products to protect the farmer from losses/to protect the consumer from exploitation, chus influencing agriculture. > ‘The government may decide to improve roads in an agricultural zone, thus increasing production. The government may decide to allow importation of agricultural products, killing the farmer's morale or ban importation, thus ‘encouraging the farmers to produce more due to possibility of higher prices. > The government may decide to degazzette forest land and using it for agriculture, for example, the Kenyan government increased tea production by introducing the Nyayo Tea Zones along forest boundaries. Define arable farming. ‘This is the cultivation/production of crops. It is done at both the subsistence and commercial levels At the subsistence level, crops are produced for consumption while at the commercial level they are produced for sale. Subsistence arable farming is done through shifting cultivation, sedentary subsistence agriculture and intensive subsistence agriculture. KKK ‘What is shifting cultivation? ¥ Thisis the practice whereby a portion of land in the forest is cleared, cultivated for some time until the soils become exhausted, necessitating abandonment of the plot fora new one. State the characteristics of shifting cultivation. ‘Vegetation is cleared ina virgin forest by slashing and burning + Thevegetation is first put on fire + Theres itl/no use of manutefarmer depends on the ashes to provide plant nutvients + Thefarmers depend on manual family labour. ‘ ¢Theland is communally owned + Theyields fom the land decline after a period due to over-cultvation/leaching. forcing the farmer to abandon it. + Both the plote/settlements are temporally + Farmingis done mainly for subsistence, though litle of the produce could be exchanged with neighbours. + Almost all the farmers produce the same crops *Caseva, yams, maize end millet ae produced + Plots are small and scattered in the forest. ‘+ The farmer uses simple implements machetes hoestcks. + Theplots are abandoned and new ones cultivated when the soils become exhausted Identify the advantages of shifting cultivation, ‘The potash produced by burning provides the necessary plant nutrients. ‘The ash covers the ground, protecting the soils from etosion. ‘The practice requires no capital input and is therefore cheap. ‘The farmers are able to produce enough food for their families. ‘The labour force, provided by the family, is readily available. ‘Since a farmer has a number of plots, chances of crop failure are minimal. vyvyyyy Choosing to succeed is simply a choice: Be wise - Author. Page 247‘What are the disadvantages of shifting cultivs ‘The clearing of the forest interfere with the ecosystem, The exhausted soils take time to recover, during which they can be eroded by the heavy tropical rain. ‘ The farmer produces just enough for the family, leading toa static economy as there is no growth. 4 The farmer is not guaranteed of getting enough food as he can experience crop failure/destruction by animals. Since fire is used to clear the land, it can easily get out of control and damage unintended areas. Land left fallow is wasted as itis unproductive, The standards of the people engaged to shifting cultivation remains low as there are no sales, just enough for the family. + The practice is only practical where the population is low and extensive virgin forest available. Differentiate between sedentary and intensive subsistence agriculture. Y-— Sedentary subsistence farming is the practice where by the farmer and his family live in one place permanently but only produce enough food for the family while intensive subsistence agriculture is where by the farmer utilizes the land to the maximum, though the production is for domestic consumption. What are the characteristics of intensive subsistence agriculture? + Allthe available land is utilized to the maximum, + The cultivated plots are very small + Swamps are drained, irigation used and hilly areas terraced. + Double/treble platiting is done ina year. ‘© Alot of labour is used on the plots in land preparation, sowing, transplanting, weeding and harvesting. + Livestock rearing is minimal as there is litle land for pastures ‘© Animal dung/plant manure/manufactured fertilizers is used to increase soil nutrients. ‘+ Many different crops are grown. Define plantation agriculture. This is the specialized cultivation of cash crops in large scale on large tracts of land/estates. Give the characteristics of plantation agriculture. > They cover large areas. > Most ofthe plantations are owned by foreign companies. ‘They specialize in the cultivation of one crop/monoculture is practiced. ‘There is scientific management of activities, with the use of machines and the application of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. ‘There is a large capital outlay used to purchase/hire land, pay skilled unskilled workers and purchase inputs. ‘What are the advantages of plantation farming? > Due to the expertise of single-crop product > ‘The machinery used in processing, once pur production can be ensured. cha be used effectively fora long time. Describe the disadvantages of plantation agriculture. + Since only a single crop is cultivated, ifit is destroyed by climatic hazards/pests, there are great losses ‘Inthe tropical regions, there is heavy rainfall, leading to fast growth of vegetation which makes paving/maintenance of plantation roads difficult. ° + There is rapid deterioration of tropical sols due to the heavy rainfall, requiring heavy use of fertilizers/animal manure. + The production of single crop can be risky due to price fluctuations in the world market, usually leading to great losses. ee Choosing to succeed is simply a choice: Be wise ~ Author. Page 248Hdentify: The regions where extensive mechanized grain cultivation is mainly carried out. v cor arrerd Eurasian steppe ‘ ‘Canadian and American prairies. Pampas of Argentina Veld of South Africa. Downs of Australia, Canterbury plains of New Zealand. ‘The main crops grown under this system K88 8 Wheat ¥ Com/maize Barley v Flax Oats “Soya beans Rye The characteristics of this system of farming. A single crop is cultivated, though in some cases, animals are kept. ‘The farms are large. ‘Settlement is sparse and scattered. Cultivation is highly mechanized. ‘There are low yields per acre but high yield per man. is intensive commercial agriculture? ‘This is a type of farming where the land is intensively cultivated to produce crops forsale. Every effort is made to maximize production. It is common in regions where there is shortage of land. Its also suitable near the urban centres where the products find ready market. Invigation is practiced in regions of inadequate rainfall. What are the characteristics of intensive commercial agriculture? > Farms are small in size, with every space being utilized. > Farmers mainly depend on manual labour with little machinery in the form of sprayers. > Alarge amount of fertilizers, hybrid seeds and pesticides are used to protect crops and boost production. > The farmers specialize and produce a single crop on a plot. Define the following terms: © Pastoralism. ‘This is the rearing of domestic animals. rearing. - So © Nemadism. ‘This is the practice where the farmer rears the livestock in one place until the pastures and water are depleted, then migrate to another place where they are in abundance. © Cattle ranching. ‘This is raising of cattle in extensive enclosed areas, divided into paddocks which ensure adequate pastures and provided with adequate water, for commercial purposes. ———— ee Choosing to succeed is simply a choice: Be wise - Author. Page 249Name the communities which practice nomadism in Africa. ‘The Maasai of East Africa ‘The Fulani of West Africa ‘The Nuba of Ethiopia ‘The Bantu and Hottentots of southern Africa, ‘The Tuaregs of the Sahara. Identify the characteristics of nomadic herding. vyvy Animals are kept in large herds. Different animals are kept, for example cattle, goats, sheep, camels and donkeys. Animals depend on nacural pastures. It is practiced in regions where the population is low, allowing land for migration. Migration follows traditionally-established routes. Poor breeds of animals are kept. Nomads lose a large number of animals in case of disease attacks or drought. What are the differences between nomadism and animal ranching? Nomadic herding. ‘Animal ranching. 1. Animals are reared for their social significance. 2. Different types of animals are kept. fenced. 4. Animals depend on natural pastures which dry up | during the dry season, 5. The farmer depends on natural breeding/uncontrolled breeding to increase the herd. 6.The mals kept are generally of poor quality. 3. The farmers practice open grazing as the land is not 1. Animals are reared for commercial purposes. 2. A single type of animal is kept. 3. The ranches are sub-divided into paddocks using fences, making grazing organized 4. Animals are reared on a continuous grass cover and additional selected grasses are grown. 5. Selective breeding, with artificial insemination is ‘used to increase/improve the herd. 6. The animals kept are of high quality Give regions in Kenya where a cattle ranching is practiced. Taita taveta Makueni Machakos. Why should cattle ranching be encouraged in Kenya?" ‘To make it easy to provide veterinary services. ‘To control the pastures, making sure the animals are fed on quality pastures which are continuous, thus preventing erosion on the rangelands. ‘To ensure quality animals are raised, ‘To ensure farmers earn decent income from their animals. ‘To enhance transportation /marketing of animals as collection centres are easier to establish. i Outline the characteristics of livestock ranching. i A large number of animal are reared. Choosing to succeed Be \uthor.Define: | Identify reasons why livestock ranching is more successful in the temperate than in tropical regions. v | } ‘The grass cover is continuous, at times supplemented with selected grasses like Lucerne and Rhodes. ‘There is no migration as the ranches are large, with continuous grass cover and controlled grazing. ‘There is scientific management, with high breed animals maintained through selective breeding/artificial insemination, The products from ranches are mainly forsale in both domestic and export market. In the tropical regions where ranching is carried out, rainfall is low, temperature high thus pastures are poor, leading to poor ‘quality animals, while in the temperate regions, though rainfall is not high, the temperature is also low, thus litde evaporation and the consequent nutritious pastures In the tropical regions, not much attention is given to breeding animals, thus many animale are of poor quality whereas in the temperate regions, proper breeding is emphasized, leading to high quality animals. Due to the high temperature in the tropical regions, there is prevalence of catle diseases like East Coast Fever which cause animal deaths; disease control is also not effective whereas in the temperate regions, disease prevalence is lower and control effective, leading to better quality animals. In the tropical regions, the farmers keep large herds without caring about quality, whereas in the temperate regions, farmers ca about quality more than herd size, leading to better managed animals. Farmers in the tropical regions generally lack capital to develop their animals, whereas the farmers in the temperate regions have access to capital, making it possible for them to raise high-quality animals. Due to the high quality of animals raised in the temperate regions, the farmers dominate the export market, compared to farme in the tropical regions whose market for their animal products is limited. ‘Most government in the temperate regions assist their farmers through subsidies and sourcing market for their products, unlike ‘many farmers in the tropical regions who lack the assistance, affecting the quality oftheir products. Transhumance. ‘This is the altitudinal migration of the herdsmen with their animals to the uplands and the lowlands seasonally. During winter, the animals remain on the lowlands and are fed on preserved feeds while remaining indoors due to the low temperature, ‘The snow melts due to higher temperature in spring. ‘This facilitates the growth of pastures. ‘The animals are thus moved to the upland areas to feed on the fresh pastures. ‘This is called transhumance. | Hentify the cemperate regions where transhumance is practiced. KARR RRR KS Choosing to succeed is simply a choice: It's practiced in the mountainous areas of: © Norway ee © Taly sea OUR Lapy + Switzerland aon Describe mixed farming. sng, Date... “This isthe growing of crops and keeping of animals dn the same piece of land. leis practiced mainly in the developed world. Farming is intensively done and highly specialized. Ie provides the farmer with security in ease one of the activities fll asthe farmer can rely on the other. ‘Some crops are fed to the animals while the animals provide farm manure forthe crops. ‘Animals like the pigs are kept as they feed on farm waste while providing the farmer with an income. Crop rotation is practiced to ensure the soi’s nutrients are well utilized Crops like oats, fruits ike apples are grown while animals like cattle and sheep are kept. ‘The products are both for sale and domestic consumption. Be wise - Author. Page 25