AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA
SUBJECT : GEOGRAPHY
CLASS : SS 3
TERM :FIRST TERM
WEEK 3 & 4
AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA
Lumbering in Zaire Region
(1) Lumbering in Zaire: Lumbering involves the felling of trees, which can be used for domestic industrial and commercial purposes. ,
(2) Area of Lumbering:Huri and Equateur Province.
Favourable factors: (1) Presence of dense equatorial forest
(2) Easy transport by river Zaire
(3) Presence of ready market
(4) High demand (market) for products.
Methods of Lumbering (a) Identification of lumber trees. Axe or hand saw is used to fell trees.
(b) Platform is constructed
(c) Buttress of trees are then cutoff.
Economic Importance (a) Provision of timber for construction and fueling
(b) It generate foreign exchange for the nation
(c) Provision of soft wood
(d) Provision of employment
(e) It is used for building boat.
Problems of Lumbering (a) Heterogenous nature of trees
(b) Lumbering is expensive and difficult
(c) Presence of undergrowth
(d) Presence of trees with buttresses
(e) Poor transportation system
(f) Inadequate labour.
Lumbering in Nigeria Area of Lumbering:Sapele, Benin, Warri, Calabar, Ondo State. Methods of Lumbering:
Methods of Lumbering (a) Identification of lumber trees. Axe or hand saw is used to fell trees.
(b) Platform is constructed
(c) Buttress of trees are then cutoff.
Differences between Lumbering In Zaire and Nigeria
(1) Zaire has awiderlumbering area than Nigeria
(2) Lumbering in Zaire is in the interior while in Nigeria it is around the coast.
(3) Nigeria produces timber more for export
(4) Nigeria processes more plywood than Zaire.
Irrigation Agriculture in Nile Basin Areas of irrigation Agriculture: Sudan and Egypt.
Types of Irrigation (1) Basin of flooding irrigation
(2) Perennial irrigation
(3) The shaduf method
(4) The saqua irrigation.
Crops Grown: Cotton, rice, millet, groundnut, coffee, sugar- cane.
Importance of Irrigation in Nile Basin
(1) Farmers can grow 2 – 3 crops in a year
(2) It cools the environment of the plant
(3) High production of crops
(4) Helps in easy tillage of soil
(5) Wide range of crops are grown
(6) Less dependence on rainfall.
Problems of Irrigationin Nile Basin
(a) Presence of excess mineral salt
(b) Fluctuation in the level of water in rivers
(c) Flooding
(d) Displacement of settlements
(5) Lack of technical know-how.
Irrigation Agriculture in West Africa Areas of Irrigation (1) Inland delta of Niger (Mali)
(2) Sokoto – Rima Valley (Nigeria)
(3) Richard Toll District (Senegal)
(4) Lower Accra Plain (Ghana).
Crops Grown: Maize, millet, sorghum, ground tut, sugarcane, wheat, e.t.c.
Types of Irrigation (1) Sprinkler irrigation (2) Channel irrigation.
Importance of Irrigation in West Africa (1) Farmers can grow 2 – 3 crops in a year
(2) It cools the environment of the plant
(3) High production of crops
(4) Helps in easy tillage of soil
(5) Wide range of crops are grown
(6) Less dependence on rainfall.
Problems of Irrigation (a) Presence of excess mineral salt
(b) Fluctuation in the level of water in rivers
(c) Flooding
(d) Displacement of settlements
(5) Lack of technical know-how.
Bush Fallowing In West Africa Bush fallowing is the system of farming in which farmlands are left to lie fallow after one or two years of cultivation.After some years, the land regains its fertility and is put into use again. It is practised where there is plenty of land with low population.
Advantages of Bush Fallowing (1) It is cheap (2) Controls pests and diseases (3) Fertility of the soil (4) Used for livestock grazing.
Disadvantages of Bush Fallowing (1) It requires large area of land
(2) lt cannot be practiced where the population is high
(3) Soil erosion
(4) lt wastes time, energy and money.
Plantation Agriculture in East and West Africa Plantation Agriculture involves the cultivation of crops on large areas of land. Characteristics of Plantation Agriculture (a) It requires a large area of land
(b) It requires huge capital
(c) It requires skilled labour
(d) It requires many unskilled labours
(e) It involves the use of complex tools and machines.
Importance of Plantation Agriculture (1) People acquire new skills
(2) It create room for specialization
(3) Production of high yield of crops
(4) It aid employment generation
(5) It aids development of towns
(6) It generates income to government.
Problems of Plantation Agriculture (1) Inadequate labour (2) Inadequate capital (3) Ownership in the hand of foreigners (4) Displacement of workers.
Crops grown are coffee, cocoa, tea, oil palm, rubber e.t.c.
Fruit Farming In the Mediterranean Region of Africa Areas of Fruit Farming: Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and South Africa.
Favourable Condition: It requires mediterranean type of climate with warm, bright summer and cool, moist winter and fertile soil. Crops/Fruits Grown:Oranges grapes lemon, lime, olive trees, chestnuts, walnuts, peaches, apricots, pear, figs and cherries.
Importance Of Fruit Farming (1) Production of wine
(2) It generate employment
(3) It provide food
(4) It provides raw materials for industries
(5) It generates revenue to government.
PASTORAL FARMING IN WEST AND EAST AFRICA Pastoral farming is the rearing of animals like cattle, sheep and goat which involves herdsmen and these animals in search of pasture and water.
Areas of Pastoral Farming In West Africa it is practised in Sudan and Sahel savannas by the Fulanis. In East Africa, it is practised in wetter highland grasslands in Kenya, Tanzania by the Masai.
Favourable Factors
(a) Presence of good climatic factors b) Presence of grassland vegetation
(c) Culture of the people e.g. Fulani of Masai are good cattle rearers.
Importance of Pastoral Farming
(a) It serves as source of food
(b) It serves as source of power
(c) It serves as source of income
(d) It generates foreign exchange for the nation.
Problems of Pastoral Farming (a) Presence of tse-tse flies
(b) Inadequate rainfall
(c) Extensive system of rearing cattle
(d) Low level of education of cattle rearers
(e) Poor feeding and inadequacy of proper healthcare of the animals.
Evaluation: (i) List and explain four factors that favours lumbering in Zaire region
(ii) What are the economic importance of lumbering
(iii) State five problems facing Lumbering in Zaire region
(iv) List the types of Irrigation in Nile Basin
(v) State five benefits of irrigation agriculture
(vi) State five problems facing irrigation agriculture and suggestion solutions to them
(vii) What is bush fallowing
(viii) What are the merits and demerit of bush fallowing
(ix) What are the importance of Plantation Agriculture in East and West Africa
(x) What are the problems facing Plantation Agriculture in East and West Africa
ASSIGNMENT: What are the importance of fruit farming?
(ii) Explain the favourable factors favouring pastoral farming
(iii) State three problems facing Pastoral farming