4. Answer in brief:
(a) What is subsistence farming? State two features
of this type of farming.
(b) Name two areas where commercial farming is
practised. What are the advantages of commercial
farming? Explain the types of commercial farming.
(c) What type of crops/plants are grown in plantation
farming? Mention two characteristics of plantation
farming.
(d) Define Green Revolution. How did it help in
agricultural development? What are its drawbacks?
(e) Write short note on the benefits of the Green
Revolution.
PLS HELP ITS URGENT
Answers
1. Features of subsistence farming are as follows: (a) It is practised by majority of the farmers in the country. (b) It is characterised by small and scattered land holdings and use of primitive tools. (c) The farmers do not use fertilisers and high yielding variety of seeds as they are poor.
2.
a). Subsistence farming occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families. In subsistence farming, farm output is targeted to survival and is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus.
Features of subsistence farming are as follows:
(a) It is practised by majority of the farmers in the country.
(b) It is characterised by small and scattered land holdings and use of primitive tool.
b) Commercial farming is all about the growing of crops and/or the rearing of animals for raw materials, food, or export, particularly for profitable reasons.
Examples include the vast farms of tea in India and Kenya, the coffee plantations in Brazil and India, banana production in Uganda, beef farming in the United States, and sugarcane farms in Indonesia and Mexico.
Types of Commercial Farming
1. Dairy Farming
As the name suggests, it is the commercial farming of milk and milk products. The farms are, therefore, solely used to rear cattle, which produce the milk used to make other dairy products.
2. Grain Farming
With this type of commercial farming, grains such as corn, barley and wheat are grown for human consumption and exports.
3. Plantation Farming
It is a highly sensitive type of farming, as it used to be practiced during colonial and slavery periods.
4. Livestock Ranching
This is the raising of livestock animals for their meat products. The most commonly reared animals are cattle and sheep, although you might find pigs and chicken reared in large numbers as well.
5. Mediterranean Agriculture
It is a type of commercial farming, primarily practiced in the Mediterranean countries.
6. Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming
In the types above, one single crop or livestock is farmed. However, in this type of commercial farming, both crops and livestock are farmed in the same piece of land
7. Commercial Gardening and Fruit Farming (truck farming)
In truck farming, crops that are high in demand are grown. They include apples, lettuce, cherries and asparagus.
Advantages of Commercial Farming:
1. Encouraging Improvement in Local Infrastructure
Commercial farming helps an area or country establish or improve the infrastructure of the area, such as roads and electricity.
2. Job Creation
Commercial farming is a source of jobs for persons living within the area. The workers will earn some money, enabling them to provide food for their families. As such, commercial farming stimulates the growth of the local economy.
3. Lowering the Price of Products
Commercial farming helps decrease the cost of agricultural products since the crops are available in the market in enough numbers. The forces of demand and supply, therefore, operate to lower the prices of such commodities.
4. Increased Production and Enhancing Food Security
Commercial farming mechanizes operations, controls diseases and pests, enabling the farms to produce more. As a result, commercial farmers increase production, helping increase the national stock of food products
c).Examples of plantation crops are tea, coffee, rubber, sugar cane and banana.
Two characteristics of plantation farming :
(i) It is a single crop farming practised on a large area.
(ii) Crops are mainly grown for the market.