INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE
By the end of the lesson the students should be able to
1. State the meaning of agriculture.
2. State the importance of agriculture.
The term agriculture was derived from a Greek word `ager` meaning field and `culture` meaning cultivation or growing. If the words are brought togerher it actually means field cultivation.
Therefore
Agriculture can be defined as the science, art or practice of cultivation of crops and rearing of livestock for food and other purposes. i.e man`s use.
Importance of Agriculture
1. Provision of food: agriculture provides us with food such as maize, rice yam, meat eggs etc.
2. Provision of clothing materials: cotton from plants and wool from animals are used in producing clothes for covering and protection against cold, nakedness and beautifying our bodies.
3. Provision of Employment: agriculture provides employment to the farmers, and people involved in the distribution of agricultural produce.
4. Provision of income:those involved in
agricultural production get paid .
5. Provision of foreign exchange: exportation of agricultural produce to other countries generates foreign currencies and makes room for cooperation amongst nations. the goods are cash crops such cocoa, coffee, rubber, timber etc.
6. Provision of shelter: this is used
against harsh weather conditions, by
use of timber and iroko.
7. Provision of market for industrial
goods
8. Provision of medicinal herbs: bark of
trees are used to manufacture drugs.
e.g neem tree, moringa, aloe vera.
9. Provision of tourist attraction. eg
Yankari games deserve, obudu ranch
resort e.t.c.
10. Provision of raw materials. e.g latex
from rubber tree.
Agrobased industries In Nigeria
1. Rubber industries: makes use of rubber and latex for prodcing tyre, foam and rubberband.
2. Textile industries: used cootton wool,
silk wool in the production of clothing
materials.
3. Beverage: this is gotten from cocoa
and coffee used to produce food
drinks e.g Milo, bournvita. other
industries includes
Soap industries, leather industries.
Fruits and calming industries.
Sugar industries.
Class work
1. List and explain 5 importance of
agriculture to mankind.
Assignment
1. State five differences between
commercial and subsistence
agriculture.
2. State five industries of agriculture and the raw materials used for production.
