SS 1 Second Term Agricultural Science Lesson Note – Maintenance Practices and Precautionary Measures

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CLASS: SS 1

TOPIC: Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization

CONTENT: 1. Definition / Meaning of Farm Mechanization

2. Mechanized Agricultural Operations
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Farm Mechanization

SUB TOPIC 1. Definition / Meaning of Farm Mechanization

 Definition and Meaning of Farm Mechanization

Mechanization can be defined as the use of modern implements as well as motorized equipment like plough, harrow, ridger, and also the use of agro-chemicals like insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers and improved seeds in the farm.

Farm Mechanization can be defined as the application of engineering, scientific and technological principles to agricultural production, storage and processing of farm products. Farm Mechanization means the use of modern farm inputs instead of human efforts to increase agricultural productivity and efficiency.

Mechanized Agricultural Operations

Farm Mechanization covers almost all agricultural operations such as land preparation (ploughing, harrowing and ridging), planting, husbandry, fertilizer application, weeding, crop health, irrigation, crop harvesting, storage and processing, and animal care and management, milking, egg collection as well as processing and storage of farm animal produce.

EVALUATION

• Define the term mechanization
• What do you understand by farm mechanization?
• Mention seven agricultural operations that can be mechanized
• State a machine that can be used to carried out such operations.

SUB TOPIC 2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Farm Mechanization

 Advantages of Farm Mechanization

1. It reduces farm drudgery i.e it makes it easy to avoid unpleasant manual jobs
2. It increases productivity i.e large hectares of land can be put under cultivation

iii. It facilitates timeliness of operations. Farm operations are done and completed within a short period of time

1. Farm Mechanization encourages large scale farming

Disadvantages of Farm Mechanization

1. Displacement of farm workers. With the use of machines, the operations that can be done by many farm workers can now be carried out by few hands. This will make some workers to be jobless and unemployed
2. Destruction of soil structure. The use of machines such as tractors and bulldozers result in the destruction of fragile soil structure, leading to erosion.

iii. Compaction of Soil. The use of heavy machines not only destroys the soil structure but also leads to the compaction (compression) of the soil.

1. Environmental Pollution. The exhaust and the dust raised by motor-vehicles used in pulling agricultural implements and other heavy equipment for processing of farm produce constitute environmental pollution.
2. Mechanization may limit production of some crops which are not easily mechanized eg. cocoyam and yam.
3. Farm machines cannot control themselves; they need human labour to control them and such labour may not be readily available.

TOPIC: Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization

CONTENT: 1. Limitation/ Problems of farm mechanization

2. Prospects of farm mechanization

SUB TOPIC 1. Limitation/Problems of Farm Mechanization

Limitation/Problems of Farm Mechanization

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