SS2 Second Term Geography Lesson Note – Agriculture in Nigeria

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WEEK 6                                                                                

TOPIC: AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA

CONTENT:

1. Types of Agricultural Practices
2. Food and Cash crops in Nigeria
3. Importance of Agriculture
4. Problems of Agriculture in Nigeria
5. Suggested solution to problems of Agriculture in Nigeria

Meaning:  Agriculture is the cultivation of crops and rearing of animals for man’s use. In Nigeria, about 75% of the total numbers of adults in the population are engaged in agriculture with the aim of producing the needed varieties of crops, animals to meet the need of the country’s ever increasing population. Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy of Nigeria after crude oil.

SUB-TOPIC 1: TYPES OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES IN NIGERIA

The main types of agriculture practiced in Nigeria include;

(1) SUBSISTENCE FARMING (AGRICULTURE)

Subsistence Agriculture is a system whereby areas of farmland are cultivated using simple implement to produce crops for the farmer’s house needs. Due to the small nature of land under cultivation, the farmer hardly produces enough for export. It involves the cultivation of many crops at a time. Family labour is usually used.

It requires small capital to operate

The food crops grown include maize, cassava, yam, okra, etc.

They use simple farm tools like cutlass, hoe, etc.

(2) MECHANISED (PLANTATION) AGRICULTURE

This is a modern method of agriculture which involves the cultivation of crops on very large acres of land for commercial purposes. The crops are grown on estates or plantations. It also requires huge capital because it involves the use of machines to replace human labour in most farming operations. The system also involves the use of ploughs for preparing lands, harrows, and harvester. The crops involved are Mono cropping (single crop).  The crops are perennial like cocoa, rubber, oil palm, kola nut. It is mainly practiced in the rainforest regions. Good Examples include Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) Benin and Sapele Rubber Estate (SRE) Sapele and cocoa in Ibadan.

(3) PASTORAL AGRICULTURE

This agricultural system is mainly practiced in the Savannah region of Nigeria. The Fulani and Shuwa Arab herdsmen move their cattle across northern part in search of pasture and water. During the wet season they move their cattle northwards while in dry season they move southwards. This system of moving with changes in season is known as Pastoral Nomadic.

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