AGE 101 — Introduction to Agriculture: Lecture Note

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AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS

AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS Course code: AGE 101 Course title: Introduction to Agriculture Course credit load: 2 Units Series 1: Foundations of Agriculture • Part 1.1: Definition, Scope, and Branches of Agriculture o Sub Part 1.1.1: What is agriculture? o Sub Part 1.1.2: Branches of agriculture o Sub Part 1.1.3: Importance of agriculture • Part 1.2: History and Development of Agriculture o Sub Part 1.2.1: Origin and spread of agriculture o Sub Part 1.2.2: Development of agriculture in Nigeria o Sub Part 1.2.3: Modern agricultural revolution • Part 1.3: World Population, Food Supply, and Food Security o Sub Part 1.3.1: World population growth o Sub Part 1.3.2: Food production and the food gap o Sub Part 1.3.3: Food security in Nigeria • Part 1.4: Measures of Improving Nigerian Agriculture o Sub Part 1.4.1: Land use and tenure o Sub Part 1.4.2: Government policies and programmes o Sub Part 1.4.3: Agricultural mechanisation and extension

AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS Introduction Agriculture is the oldest and most fundamental human economic activity. It is the source of food, fibre, fuel, and raw materials that sustain civilisation. Understanding what agriculture is, how it developed from prehistoric times to the modern era, how it relates to population growth and food security, and what measures can improve it in Nigeria provides the conceptual foundation for the entire AGE 101 course. This opening Series defines agriculture and its branches, traces the history of agriculture from its origins to the modern era, examines the relationship between world population growth and food supply, and surveys the specific challenges and improvement measures relevant to Nigerian agriculture. The knowledge built here underpins every subsequent Series in this course. Series Learning Outcomes Upon completing this Series, you should be able to: • SLO 1.1 define agriculture and describe its scope, branches, and importance to Nigeria (Linked to Part 1.1), • SLO 1.2 describe the origin and historical development of agriculture and its transformation in Nigeria (Linked to Part 1.2), • SLO 1.3 explain the relationship between world population growth and food supply, and describe food security in Nigeria (Linked to Part 1.3), and • SLO 1.4 describe the land use and tenure system, government programmes, and mechanisation as measures for improving Nigerian agriculture (Linked to Part 1.4). 1.1 Definition, Scope, and Branches of Agriculture 1.1.1 What is agriculture? Agriculture is the science, art, and practice of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and raising livestock for food, fibre, fuel, medicinal plants, and other products used to sustain and enhance

AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS human life. The word agriculture comes from the Latin words ager (field) and cultura (cultivation). Agriculture therefore encompasses everything done to manage land, crops, and animals for useful products and services. It is both a science (applying biological, chemical, and physical knowledge) and an art (requiring skill, judgment, and experience). Agriculture is also an industry and a way of life for the majority of Nigeria's population. Approximately 70% of the Nigerian rural population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Agriculture contributes approximately 24-26% of Nigeria's gross domestic product (GDP) and employs over 30% of the labour force. It provides the raw materials for food processing industries, earns foreign exchange through export of agricultural products (cocoa, groundnut, rubber, palm oil, sesame, cashew), and supports rural community development. Fill in the blank: Agriculture is the science, art, and practice of cultivating the soil, growing ________ , and raising livestock; it contributes approximately 24-26% of Nigeria's GDP and employs over 30% of the labour force. Figure 1.1: The scope and branches of agriculture

AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS 1.1.2 Branches of agriculture Agriculture is subdivided into several major branches. Crop production (agronomy): the science and practice of growing field crops (cereals, legumes, roots and tubers, oil crops, fibre crops) for food and raw materials; the largest branch of agriculture in terms of area and output. Horticulture: the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and flowers; requires more intensive management than agronomy. Animal husbandry (livestock farming): the breeding, management, and utilisation of domesticated animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, rabbits) for food (meat, milk, eggs), fibre (wool, hides), and draught power. Agricultural engineering: applies engineering principles to farm mechanisation, irrigation, drainage, farm buildings, and post-harvest equipment. Soil science (pedology): studies the formation, classification, and management of soils for crop production. Agricultural economics: applies economic principles to farm management, marketing, agricultural policy, and rural development. Forestry: the management of forests for timber, fuelwood, and environmental services. Fisheries: the production of fish and other aquatic organisms. Food science and technology: the preservation, processing, and quality control of agricultural products. Veterinary science: the health and disease management of farm animals. Fill in the blank: ________ is the branch of agriculture concerned with the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and flowers; it requires more intensive management than agronomy and is important for urban and peri-urban food supply. 1.1.3 Importance of agriculture Agriculture is important to Nigeria and to humanity for seven major reasons: (1) Food supply: agriculture is the primary source of food for the growing Nigerian population; it produces staple crops (cassava, yam, maize, rice, sorghum, millet) and protein sources (poultry, beef, fish, beans, groundnut). (2) Raw materials for industry: agriculture supplies cotton for textiles, rubber for tyres, palm oil for soap and cosmetics, groundnut for oil, and timber for furniture and construction. (3) Employment: agriculture is the largest single employer in Nigeria; it provides rural livelihoods and reduces urban-rural migration.

AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS (4) Foreign exchange earnings: Nigeria earns foreign exchange from cocoa, rubber, sesame, cashew, and horticultural products; before the oil boom, agriculture was the dominant source of foreign exchange. (5) Government revenue: taxes on agricultural trade and processing contribute to government income. (6) Raw materials for agro-industries: sugar mills, cotton ginneries, flour mills, and breweries depend on agricultural raw material supply. (7) Ecological services: agriculture, when practised sustainably, maintains soil cover, prevents erosion, and contributes to biodiversity; agroforestry enhances carbon sequestration and watershed functions. Fill in the blank: Before the discovery of petroleum, ________ was Nigeria's dominant source of foreign exchange earnings, contributing cocoa, groundnut, palm oil, and rubber exports; restoring this role is a major national agricultural policy goal. Pilot questions 1.1 1. Define agriculture in your own words. 2. Name five branches of agriculture and state what each involves. 3. State five reasons why agriculture is important to Nigeria. 4. Explain why agriculture is described as both a science and an art. 5. State the approximate percentage contribution of agriculture to Nigeria's GDP. 1.2 History and Development of Agriculture 1.2.1 Origin and spread of agriculture Agriculture began approximately 10,000-12,000 years ago during the Neolithic revolution (New Stone Age), when human populations in several independent centres began to domesticate plants and animals rather than relying solely on hunting and gathering. The primary centres of agricultural origin include: the Fertile Crescent (Southwest Asia; wheat, barley, lentils, goats, sheep); China (rice, millet, pigs); Mesoamerica (maize, beans, squash); sub-Saharan Africa (sorghum, millet, cowpea, yam); and South America (potato, quinoa, llama). Pre-agricultural humans were hunter-gatherers who moved constantly to follow game and seasonal plant foods; they lived in small nomadic groups. The shift to settled farming allowed

AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS permanent villages, food surpluses, population growth, specialisation of labour, and eventually the development of cities, writing, and complex civilisations. In Africa, agriculture developed independently in multiple centres: the West African savanna (sorghum, pearl millet); the Sahel; the Ethiopian highlands (teff, coffee); and West African forest margins (yam, oil palm). Agriculture spread from these centres along trade routes, river valleys, and through migration over thousands of years. Fill in the blank: Agriculture originated approximately ________ -12,000 years ago during the Neolithic revolution; the Fertile Crescent (Southwest Asia) is recognised as one of the earliest and most important centres of agricultural origin. Figure 1.2: Origins and spread of agriculture and Nigeria's agricultural history 1.2.2 Development of agriculture in Nigeria Pre-colonial Nigerian agriculture: farming in Nigeria dates back several thousand years; indigenous farming systems were adapted to local ecology; they included shifting cultivation (bush fallowing) in forest zones; mixed farming (crops + livestock) in the Sudan and Sahel savannas; permanent cultivation in densely populated areas such as Kano close-settled zone; and integrated tree-crop farming in the forest zone. Crops cultivated included yam, cassava, sorghum,

AGE LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS millet, cowpea, groundnut, oil palm, and rice. Trade in agricultural surpluses was practised through local and long-distance markets. Colonial era (1900-1960): the British colonial administration introduced export crop production at a large scale; cocoa in southwestern Nigeria (Yoruba farmers); groundnut in the north (Hausa farmers,

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