Basic Knowledge in Agriculture #17

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Greetings my Amiable Family, it is another day to celebrate the source of our physical existence. Yes! Agriculture plays significant roles in the sustainability of mankind through the provision of food, fruits, shelter, clothing, shade and oxygen (green plants). Today our interest is centered on the foundation of modern Agriculture. While modern Agriculture involves the use of advance and innovative technologies in the planting of crops and rearing of animals,

Traditional Agriculture refers to the rearing of animals and cultivation of crops using crude instruments such as matchet, spade, rake, watering can, go-to-hell, etc. It also involves practices that are machine free. For example, the use of hands to pick insects, the use of hands to harvest crops, manual tilling and even the use of farm feeds for manures.

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Easy and less expensive to practice: Traditional Agriculture which involves the use of manual tools and human efforts is cheap to practice. Here, we do not need expensive machines and electronics rather crude tools which are less expensive are used.

Effective for small scale farming: It is effective in areas with small plot of Land where the farming plants basically for the family consumption.

Eliminates environmental pollution: often, burning engines brings about Co and CO2 which pollutes the environment. Here, in traditional farming, the absence of these engines (tractors, caterpillar etc) eliminates this pollution.

Requires little training: unlike the modern Agriculture were most of the tools used requires certain skills and training before manipulation, the Traditional Agriculture requires no special training on tools usage.

Timely Access: traditional agriculture mostly takes place in areas closer to the house due to its little nature. With this, since it is closer to the house, individuals may access it easily when needed.

The saying that to every advantages, there are disadvantages is very correct and could be justified in the case of traditional agriculture. Its demerit include:

It requires human efforts as such takes time to practice as humans may use days, weeks or months in doing a work that a machine would have done with ease.

Provides production at a smaller quantity since it involves the use of smaller portion of land. Thus, it is ineffective for commercial purposes.

Inadequate elimination of pest and diseases: Human efforts in hand picking inserts could be inadequate as humans would only pick the insects he/she stumbled on while the smaller ones goes unspotted.

It is stressful to practice when compared to modern Agriculture and in most cases may leads to low yield of farm products.

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There are many crude tools used in traditional and Semi-modern Agriculture. These tools include and are not limited to the following:

Watering can refers to a traditional Agricultural tool that is used for watering the plants. It could also be used in spraying for insects, spraying weeds as well as applying watery fertilizer.

Matchet refers to a metal-like or steel-like object which has a wooden or rubber handle and is use for clearing and cutting. It could as well be used to plant and harvest crops

Plow are crude tools used in tiling the soil. Traditionally, oxens were used to pull it thus making the work a bit easier

Sickle refers to a curved blade-like traditional Agricultural tool which is used during harvesting of crops such as wheats, rice and other grains.

Hoe are traditional hand tools used to tear the soil, remove weeds, dig holes, mould ridges and heaps etc

Spades refers to a digging tool which functions similarly to the hoe. However, it is used to dig deep holes, harvest tubers, and clear dirt etc

Axe as an agricultural tool is used to tear wood, cut down trees as well as chopping them for agricultural purposes.

A Mattock refers to a blade-like tool which is best applicable in the breaking of the hard soil so as to enable the planting of crops when due.

Dibber is an Agricultural equipment I refer to as the pointer as it is used to dig holes which seeds are introduced to the soil.

Flail is a traditional threshing tool which falls among the finishing tools as it is used to separate harvested grains from other substances.

Weeding Fork is an Agricultural equipment which is used in removing weeds from the soil. It is also used to remove unwanted items from the soil before planting.

Wheel barrow is a movable Agricultural tool which facilitates the movement of Agricultural products In the farm.

There are many traditional Agricultural products mostly used especially in rural areas and some of the include:

Shifting Cultivation: This refers to a system of Agriculture were a farmer plants a given plot of Land, harvest it then leave it for years to regain back it's nutrients before coming back to it

Crop Rotation: unlike the Shifting Cultivation, here, it is a system of agriculture in which a farmer plants different crops successively in a given piece of land. I e a deep roots plant is planted in. The first year, a shallow root crop follows...)

Mixed Cropping: In this system of agriculture, different crops are cultivated at the same piece of land. Thus, promoting a continuous existence of varieties of products.

Organic Fertilization: n this system of agriculture, farmers uses animals droppings to increase the fertility of the soil.

Bush Burning: This refers to the setting up of fire so as to help in the clearing of the farm land in preparation for planting.

Terracing: This is a system of agriculture used in hilly terrain. Here terrace are built to control erosion.

Thanks so much for having me in this contest. I hope and believe that a lots have been learned today. Permit me to invite @basil20, @bossj23 and @spektro23 to join the contest.

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