Description
Introduction
Agriculture is the production of food, feed, fibre, fuel and other goods
through the systematic raising of plants and animals. It encompasses
farming, tending of orchards and vineyards and ranching. Ordinarily,
agriculture means the cultivation and tillage of the soil of a field, in
order to prepare a suitable seedbed, eliminate weed growth and improve
the physical condition of the soil. Farming covers a wide spectrum of
practices, ranging from subsistence agriculture (traditional production of
food for family consumption and animal feeding), intensive agriculture,
industrial agriculture to animal traction and farm mechanization. All
these activities have a common objective of maximization of financial
income from grain, produce or livestock.
However, modern agriculture covers all activities essential to food, feed,
fibre production, including techniques for raising and “processing”
livestock, and increasingly widening areas of human efforts and
practices to ensure survival and sustainable development. Modern
agricultural activities include pastoralism (nomadic farming),
horticulture, fisheries, aquaculture, apiculture, forestry, wildlife
conservation, food science technology, production of industrial
chemicals and drugs, application of chemical fertilizers, wood ash and
limestone, pest control, soil management, hydroponics, crop
improvement, irrigation and sanitary engineering, packaging, processing
and marketing of agricultural products. The use of radio and television
for disseminating vital weather reports, etc. as well as computerization
of farm operations are also agricultural activities.
Agriculture is not only basic to human existence but also an important
factor in determining the complexity of the global socio-economic
change from the original, simple and primitive hunter-gather cultures.
While the latter ancient practices ensure a subsistent food and fibre
Internet Literature, which provides the most current information on most of the
Course Units.
Study Units
The following are the Study Units contained in this course:
Module 1
Unit 1 Scope of Agriculture
Unit 2 Importance of Agriculture
Unit 3 Agriculture and the Natural Environment
Unit 4 Land Tenure and Use Systems
Unit 5 Agricultural Development in Nigeria
Module 2
Unit 1 History of Agriculture
Unit 2: Classes of Crops
Unit 3 Characteristics of Tropical Agricultural Systems
Unit 4 Systems of Crop Production
Unit 5 Cultural Practices in Crop Production
Module 3
Unit 1 Propagation of Crops
Unit 2 Climatic Factors affecting Crop Production
Unit 3 Edaphic Factors affecting Crop Production
Unit 4 Distribution of Crops in Nigeria
Unit 5 Economic Importance of Animal Husbandry
Module 4
Unit 1 Classes of Farm Animals
Unit 2 Distribution of Farm Animals in Nigeria
Unit 3 Livestock Management Systems
Unit 4 Principles of Livestock Management
Unit 5 Economic Importance of Fish to Man
Module 5
Unit 1 Fisheries and Fish Production in Nigeria
Unit 2 Aquaculture
Unit 3 Types of Fish
Unit 4 Importance of Forest
Unit 5 Sustainable Forest Management
Module 6
Unit 1 Silvicultural Systems
Unit 2 Non-Timber (Non-Wood) Forest Products (NFTs/NWFPs)
Unit 3 Wood Products and Wood Components
Unit 4 Basic Principles of Forest Management
Unit 5 Importance of Wildlife
Module 7
Unit 1 Concepts of Wildlife and Wildlife Management
Unit 2 Ecotourism
Unit 3 Measures for Improving Nigerian Agriculture
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