Lesson Note On The Types of Agricultural Practice In The Localities

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CONTENT: Types of agricultural practice in the localities

• Pastoral farming
• Arable farming
• Mixed farming
• Taungya farming
• Fish farming
• Shifting cultivation
• Land/bush fallowing
• Crop rotation

Shifting cultivation:

Shifting cultivation is one of the oldest methods of farming. In this system, a farmer cultivates a piece of land for two or more years after which he abandons it for another land with no intention of returning again to that land.

Advantages

1. This system helps to check the build-up of pests and diseases.
2. Soil fertility is restored without using fertilizers.
3. Helps to build up organic matter.

Disadvantages

1. It can only be practiced in areas with low population density.
2. It requires a lot of land which may not be easily available
3. Clearing new farmland leads to wastage of money, time and energy.

Land rotation/Bush fallowing: It involves growing crops on a piece of land until it is exhausted and the land is left to fallow for some years before it is used again.

Under this system, the land is used for 3-4 years after which it is left to revert to bush. The reason for this is to allow the land to rest and regains its lost nutrients.

The time land the land is left to regain its fertility is referred to as fallow period which may be between 4-8 years depending on the history of the land, population density and land availability.

Advantages

1. It is a natural and cheap means of restoring soil fertility.
2. There is build-up of organic matter.
3. It helps to control crop pests and diseases since there are no natural hosts for the pests and disease pathogens, they will naturally die.

Disadvantages

1. It can only be practiced In areas with low population density.
2. It requires a lot of land, because the farmer has to move from one land to another.
3. There is less efficient use of land, since there will be no crop planted during fallow period.