SS 2 First Term Agricultural Science Lesson Note – Agricultural Pollution

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TOPIC:              Agricultural Pollution

CONTENT: 1. Meaning of Agricultural Pollution

2. Types and Sources of Pollution of Agricultural Lands and Fish ponds
3. Effects of Land/Pond Pollution on farmers and Agricultural Productivity

SUB TOPIC 1: Meaning and Types of Agricultural Pollution

Pollution simply means introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes discomfort to the ecosystem.

Agricultural pollution refers to the introduction of harmful substances into the environment as a result of agricultural practices. It is the totality of the contaminants present in the environment resulting from agricultural practices.

Agricultural Pollution comprises of:

• Wastes,
• Emissions and
• Discharges arising from farm activities which may constitute nuisance to the ecosystem.

These (discharges) include liquid pollutants such waste from garri processing industries, abattoir wastes and gaseous agricultural wastes such as emissions from burning of farmlands. Many agricultural practices such as fertilizer application, use of pesticides to attack plant pests, improper animal waste disposal, etc. all these have significant contaminating effects on land and water bodies. A wide range of contaminants produced from these practices usually find their way into the water bodies through runoff from ground water and drainage ditches.

Types and Sources of Pollution of Agricultural Land and Fish pond

There are three major types of Agricultural Pollution

1. Atmospheric/Air Pollution: This is the introduction of chemical substances such as matters and biological materials that are harmful to human life and other living organisms into the atmosphere. The causes include automobile emission; Pesticide spray; smoke from burning bush, dust raised while working, animal remains and tyres.

Sources of Atmospheric Pollution include pesticides spray, dust, vehicular and power plant emission, burning of agricultural materials and livestock waste.

2. Water/Pond Pollution: This is the introduction of chemicals, physicals and organic matters into the water bodies which degrade water quality and affect the organisms living in them. Water pollutants include pesticides, heavy metals and non-degradable chemical compounds.

Sources of Water Pollution include oil spillage, erosion, refuse and sewage, agricultural wastes, industrial effluents, drug disposal and pesticide drift

3. Land/Soil Pollution: This is the degradation of the earth’s crust through misuse of the soil by poor agricultural practices, mineral exploitation, industrial wastes dumping and indiscriminate disposal of urban wastes.

Sources of Land Pollution are pesticide application, fertilizer waste, oil spillage, industrial waste, erosion, refuse and sewage, mining and exploration and burning of agricultural wastes.

Evaluation:

1. List any three common types of agricultural pollution with relevant examples.
2. Explain one of the major agricultural pollution.

Effects of Land/Pond Pollution on farmers and agricultural productivity

1. Effects of Land /Pond Pollution on Farmers/Man
2. It leads to health problems of farmers and consumers of contaminated produce
3. It renders water unfit for drinking and for domestic use

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