CHAPTER ONE
AGRICULTURAL INTERVENTION FOR SUSTANABLE DEVELOPMENT
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The important of agriculture in a country like ours hardly needs only emphasis. The speedy development of agriculture is vital to the progress of the country. One of the important aspects contributing to this advancement of agricultures is dissemination of scientist compilation or CD of scientist information of one place. This necessitated a comprehensive volume which could provide information on introductory as well as advanced agricultural technology.
Since agriculture is applied science, therefore, it is quite difficult to restrict it to limits. But an attempt has been made to introduce it comprehensively and systematically along its diverse branches like agronomy, soil science, horticulture, social and agro forestry, genetic and, plant breeding, entomology, agricultural economics and extionstron education. The main objections or an aim of it is term paper is to gives a through understanding of the subject of agriculture to these undergraduate as well as postgraduate students. Besides the term paper is oriented in such a way that it could provide sufficient relevant information on the subject to match the needs of the reader for competitive examination. As we all know, this is an era of competitive and lines, the knowledge should also have a competitive edge. I feel that this term paper will perform a dual role in academics and competitions as well.
1.2 MEANING OF AGRICULTURE
Agriculture is the branch of applied science. The term agriculture is derived from the Latin word “agar” meaning field, and field meaning an area of land in the country where crops or animal feeds on grass, and “culture” which means cultivation. That is the science and act of producing crops and livestock from the natural resources of the earth. It is a deliberate attempt by man to cultivate crops, rear animals caring for them for the benefit he will get from doing so. Agriculture also embraces various preparations and processing of plant and animal products as well as the disposal of these products through marketing, the primary aim of agriculture is to cause the land to produce more abundantly and at the same time to protect or immune it from getting worse and misuse.
2.2 IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
This refers to what agriculture deals with such as:
(a) Provision of food: food is 80% vital in once life. Since it is 80% responsible for our living, that is to say that we can not do without it and agriculture is the only sector that provides food for the teeming population. The food can be in form of crops like cassava, yams, maize etc or livestock’s like goats, cows, hens, pigs etc.
(b) Provision of raw materials for industry: agriculture plays a vital role in the production of raw materials industries to utilize for the production of finished goods. Examples of some agricultural raw materials are, cotton, palm kennel, cocoa, timber, kola nut, rubber latex etc
(c) Provision of foreign exchange: agricultural science also plays a vital role in the income of the country. The sales of agricultural products of the international market such as cocoa, groundnut, rubber, timber, palm kannels, coffee, cotton etc rewards the country in foreign currency and can be used to purchase manufactured products like machines, cars etc.
1.3 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Early man depended on hunting, fishing and food gathering. To this day, some groups still pursue this simple way of life and others have continued roving hard men. However, as various groups of men undertook deliberate cultivation of wild plants and domestication of wild animals, agriculture came into being. Cultivation of crops, notably grains such as wheat, rice. Barley and millets, encouraged settlement of stable farm communities, some of which grew into a town or city in various parts of the world early agricultural implement like digging sticks, hoe, scythe, and plough developed slowly over the centuries and each innovation caused performed or serious changes in human life. From early times too, men created indigenous or native systems of irrigation especially in semi-grid or dried area and regions or periodic rainfall. Farming was intimately associated with land holding and therefore with political organization. Growth of large estates involved the use of slaves and bound or semi free labour. As the middle Ages warned, increasing communication, the commercial revolution and steady rises of cities in Western Europe tended to turn agriculture away from subsistence agriculture towards the growing of crops for sale outside the community i.e. commercial agriculture. In the 16th and 17th centuries, horticulture was greatly developed and contributed to the so called agriculture revolution.
Exploration and intercontinental trade as well as scientific investigation led to the development of horticultural knowledge of various crops and the exchange of mechanical devices such as the sugar mill and eli whitney’s cotton helped to support the system of large plantation based on a single crop.
The industrial revolution after the late 18th century’s swelled the population of towns and cities and increasingly forced agriculture into greater integration with general economic and financial patterns. The era of mechanized agriculture began with the invention of such farm machines as the reaper, cultivator, thresher, combine and tractor which continued to appear over the years leading to new types of large scale agriculture. Modern science has also revolutionized or pulsated food processing. Breeding programs have developed highly specialized animals, plant and poultry varieties thus increasing production efficiency greatly. All over the world, agriculture colleges and government agencies attempt to increase output by decimating or spreading knowledge of improved agricultural practices through the release of plants and animal types and by continuous intensive research into basic and applied scientific principles relating agricultural production and economics.
3.3 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY
There is close interdependence between agriculture and industry. This relates to the supply of raw materials and inputs from agriculture to industry and vice-versa: secondly, the supply of basic consumption goods to the agricultural population; and finally, the supply of materials for the building up of economic and social overheads in the agricultural sector.
The relationship between agriculture and industry is becoming stronger as the economy is developing. The application of science and technology in agriculture induces innovations in respect of industrial products which are used for agricultural production. Agricultural inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, diesel oil, electric motor, diesel engines, pump sets, agricultural tools and implements, tractors, power tillers, etc are supplied by the industry and oil sugar, juts and cotton textiles and tobacco industries rely desperately on the agricultural sector. Even the processing industries which utilize agricultural raw materials are developing fruits mill products, meats products etc
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 AGRICULTURAL INTERVENTION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Agriculture forms the backbone of the economy. And despite concerted industrialization, agriculture still occupies a place of pride. Agriculture is contributing nearly 40% of the national income, providing employment to about 70% of the working population and accounting for a sizeable share of the country’s foreign exchange earning.
It provides the food grain to feed the large population. It is also supplier of raw materials to many industries. Thus the very economic structure of the country rest upon agriculture, Agriculture has intervened for sustainable development through the following:
4.1 contributions to natural income: before the time Nigerian civil war, the country was self sufficient in the food but increased rapidly after 1973. Organization clearly shows that agriculture contributed about 70% of the national income in 1973-1980 but contributed only 32% of the national income in 2000-2010. the perusal or data in table 4.1 reveals that the share of agriculture in the national income.
TABLE 4.1 CONTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURE TO NATIONAL INCOME
Year
|
Percent
|
1970-81
1985-90
1995-2000
2001-10
|
56.1
51.2
36.9
23.0
|
4.2 CONTRIBUTION TO EMPLOYMENT
Agriculture, directly or indirectly has continued to be main source of livelihood for the majority of the population in the are employed by agriculture.
4.3 CONTRIBUTION OF MANPOWER TO INDUSTRY world. In Nigeria
The agriculture or rural sector has been the supplier of manpower to industry. The findings of the commission on labour nearly all migrants from the rural areas. This shift to urban areas continues. This is due to lack of opportunities for employment and income in rural areas in the one hand and line of employment, higher income and urban facilities on the other.
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 SUMMARY
The term agriculture is derived from the Latin word “ager” (field) and “cultura” (cultivation). Agriculture is defined as the art and science of cultivating crops and rearing animals for man’s use and the disposal of their product by marketing.
Agriculture is important because it pro0vides food employment income, raw materials for industries, foreign exchanges, shelter, market for industrial goods and also aids rural development.
Agriculture is faced with a lot of problems such as problem of land tenure, finance, etc.
The problem of agricultural development can be solve by so many ways such as, financial assistance, provision of land etc.
Agriculture intervened in the sustainable development of nation by contribution to the national income, contribution to employment, contribution to manpower to industry etc.
5.2 CONCLUSION
Agriculture is important and still remains 40% useful to the world. In the history of the world according to the bible man started as an agriculturist who has being intervening for his sustainable development.
PREFACE
Agriculture – the science and act of producing crops and livestock from natural resources of the earth. It covers the entire economy. The term paper is here now to that problem. This work is accomplished by one of the best brains in agricultural economics department.
The term paper is presented in five chapters for better treatment of the issues involved and better understanding of readers in chapter one the introduction of agriculture; meaning of agriculture and development of agriculture are clearly explained. Chapter two talks on types of agriculture, importance of agriculture and agriculture in Nigeria Chapter three explains problem, and relationship between agriculture and industry. Chapter four elucidates agriculture intervention for sustainable development. Then finally the chapter five which contains the summary and conclusion of the whole sayings,
The term paper meets the requirements in all intermediate level in the university.
Readers will definitely find the book a lasting treasure read on.
REFERENCE
A K Vyas introduction to agriculture 4th revised edition 2008
The sun newspaper 15th February 2008 page 24-26