MEANING OF AGRICULTURE

The term Agriculture is derived from the latin words “Ager” means (field) and
“culture means cultivation therefore Agriculture literally means field
cultivation .Agriculture can be define as an aspect of science that deals with the
production of crop and rearing of animals for man use.

Agriculture can also be define as an art, science, business tradition, that has to do
with cultivating soil ,producing livestock, processing, marketing and utilization of
both crops and livestock produce for the benefit of a man .

Agriculture can be define as production of crops and rearing of animals and

general management of soil for man use

SCOPE OR BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE: These are different areas of

specialization in Agriculture they are as
1. Animal science
2. Soil science
3. Crop production
4. Poultry production
5. Aquaculture
6. Horticulture
7. Forestry
8. Vet nary medicine
9. Agricultural economic and extension
[Link] engineering

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ANIMAL SCIENCE .This is an aspect of Agriculture that deals with scientific study
and the production of animals for benefit of a man

SOIL SCIENCE .This is an aspect of Agriculture that deals with scientific study of
soil for agricultural purposes.

CROP PRODUCTION .This is also an aspect of Agriculture that deals with scientific
study and the production of crops such us maize, Rice, cowpea etc.

POULTRY PRODUCTION This is a branch of Agriculture that deals the study and
production of domestic birds such us chicken, duck. Geese, guinea fowl
turkey etc.

AQUACULTURE. This is a branch of Agriculture that deals with the scientific study
and production of aquatic animal’s .animals that live in [Link] fish snails etc.

HORTICULTURE .This is also a branch of Agriculture that deals with the scientific
study and the production of fruits such us Mango, Orange, Apple, etc vegetables
such us Amaranths cabbage, carrot and flowers such us Rose flower, Jos private
etc and the ornamentals eg, grass carpet

FORESTRY. This is another branch of Agriculture that deals with the scientific
study and production of forest plant such us timber mahogany melena etc.

VETNARY MEDICINES This is also a branch of Agriculture that deals with the
study prevention, control and treatment of animal health and diseases

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC AND EXTENTION This is an application of economic

principles in field of Agriculture for solution to Agricultural problems

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AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING This is an application of engineering principles in
the field of Agriculture for solution to Agricultural problems

IMPORTANCES OF AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA AND OTHER WET AFRICAN

COUNTRIES

This refers to what agriculture can do for an individual and country or nation .The
following are some of the identifiable importance of Agriculture

1. PROVISION OF FOOD. Agriculture provides us food our body need maize, rice,
beans, meat, egg, and milk for healthy growth and development

[Link] OF EMPLOYMENT .Agriculture provide more than 75% Nigerians

with employment opportunity directly or indirectly.

[Link] OF INCOME Agriculture serve as a good source of income to the

farmers that sale agricultural products such us crops or animal products.

[Link] OF RAW MATERIAL FOR INDUSTRIES. Most of our industries heavily

depend on Agriculture to provide them with raw material to produce their good
and service to satisfy human needs.

5. PROVISION OF SHELTER AND CLOTHING .Materials for shelter can be provided

from Agriculture such us timber and clothing like cotton.

6. PROVISION OF MEDICINE Both mother n and traditional medicine are obtained

from Agriculture

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PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA

These are factors that hinder the development of Agriculture in Nigeria they are
as follows.

1. POOR TRANSPOTATION. Most of our farmers are rural people living in the rural
area and road that link the rural area with urban center are very poor. Farmers
find it difficult to transport Agricultural good from rural area to market centers

2. ILLITRACY Most of our farmers illiterate they cannot read no write which affect
their production capacity negatively.

[Link] OF CAPITAL This another factor that affect agricultural development in

Nigeria .Farmers need money to buy input such seed ,fertilizer, chemicals ,etc.
and most of our farmer are small scale farmer ,they find it difficult to obtain loan
from bank to engage in to farming business.

4. LACK OF BASIC AMENITIES. Most of our farmers our farmers are rural dwellers
living in a rural area where there is no pipe born water, electricity, good road,
health care facilities ,this lead to migration which affect production capacity .etc.

5. CROP PRODUCTION. This is a production of crops to supply nutritional

requirement for human growth and development

6. PRINCIPLE OF CROP PRODUCTION .Basically we have three types of agricultural

operations

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[Link]-PLANTING OPERATION .These are Agricultural operations that are carry
out in the farm before planting of crops such land clearing ,bush Bunning,
ploughing, ridging ,harrowing,.

[Link] OPERATION .These are operation that are carryout during planting
such types of seed to be planted ,method of planting, planting distance, plant
density, number of seed to be planted etc.

3. POST PLANTING OPERATION. These are planting operation that are carryout
after planting such us fertilizer application, weeding, thinning, herbicides
application pest control , harvesting, threshing, winnowing processing ,packaging
utilization

CLASSIFCATION OF CROP: Basically we have two classifications of crops

1. Classification according to life cycle

2. Classification according to uses

1. Classification according to life cycle .Life cycle is a period from planting to

harvesting. Crops are classified in to four based on life cycle

[Link] crops .These are types of crops that complete their life cycle once in a
year or growing session ,they attain both vegetative and reproductive maturity in
a given session .eg. Maize Rice, millet, cowpea vegetables etc

[Link] crops .These are crops that complete their life cycle once in two years
or growing session .they attain vegetative maturity in the first year and

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Reproductive maturity in the second year where fruit and flowers ,seed are
[Link] carrot, lettuce, cabbage cassava, ginger etc .

3. Perennial crops. These are types of crops that complete their life cycle once
three years. In the first two years they attain vegetative maturity in the first two
years where stem and root are developed and attain reproductive maturity in the
last year eg Rhizomes, sugar cane banana, plantain etc. Perennial that survive for
more than 30 years are called permanent crops.

[Link] crops .They are crops that complete their life cycle once in three to
four month and can undergo two to three life cycle in a year eg .tomatoes
Amaranths ect.

CLASSIFICATION OF CROPS ACCORDING TO THEIR USES

1. Arable crops. They are food crops and are mostly annual crops [Link], maize,
potato etc.

2. Cereal crops. They are mostly grasses and provide grain rich in [Link]
maize, rice, millet, guinea corn, wheat, barley, oat .etc.

3. Legumes. They are protein rich grains i.e soya beans, Ground nut, Bam
branut ,mucuna etc.

4. Root and tuber crops. They are also carbohydrate rich food eg yam, cassava,
cocoa yam etc.

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5. Vegetables crops. They provide vitamins and the mineral salt. They can be
eaten raw or [Link] tomatoes, onion, okra, lettuce, water leaf,.

6. Fruit. They also provide vitamins and mineral salt eg .orange, grape fruit, banana,
pineapple mango, pawpaw, cashew etc.

7. Beverage crops. They provide food [Link] cocoa, coffee, tea, and kola-nut
etc.

8. Spices crops. They are used to add flavor to our [Link] ginger, pepper, onion,
garlic etc

9. Fibre crops. These are crops for cloth-marking eg. Cotton, kenaf, jute, etc

10. Oil crops. They are crops that provide us with vegetables oil for domestic and
industrial [Link] sunflower, soya beans, oil palm, ground nut etc.

11. Latex crops .They produces latex for marking plastic industrially.