INTRODUCTION TO

AGRICULTURE

 Agriculture is derived from two latin

words:

 Agriculture as an art entails/
1. Ager- refers to field. practices that make agriculture an
2. Cultura-which refers to cultivation. art:
 This is the science and art of crop and 1. Construction of farm structures.
livestock production.
Reasons for studying/ learning agriculture 2. Feeding and handling animals
1. Helps to acquire knowledge on crop 3. Measuring of land sizes and
production. distances.
2. Helps to acquire knowledge on livestock 4. Operating farm machinery.
management practices.
3. Helps to learn how to handle livestock. 5. Harvesting of crops.
4. Helps to know about pest, disease and 6. Weighing and marketing of farm
parasite control. produce.
5. Helps to acquire knowledge on 7. Digging/tillage of land.
agricultural economics.

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  As a science agriculture entails:
 1. Crop production.
1. Genetics- study of heredity and  This is the production of crops on cultivated
variation. land.
2. Pathology – study of diseases.
3. Entomology- study of insects.  The crops grown include:
4. Pedology/soil science- study of a) Field crops- they are grown on fairy a large
soils. area of land. They are either perennial crops
5. Agricultural engineering- study of e.g. tea, coffee sisal or annual crops e.g. beans,
farm machinery. maize.
Branches of agriculture. b) Horticultural crops- they are highly
 They include: perishable crops.
1. Crop production/farming (arable Branches/ forms of horticulture.
farming). 1. Floriculture: growing of flowers e.g.
roses.
2. Livestock production.
3. Agricultural economics. 2. Olericulture: growing of vegetables e.g.
4. Agricultural engineering. french beans, cabbages and tomatoes.

3. Pomology- growing of fruits e.g.

5. Soil science
avocado, mangoes, citrus.

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2. Livestock production/ farming
 3. Agricultural economics-
 This is the rearing of all types of  This is the branch of agriculture that
animals/livestock.
deals with the utilization of scarce
Branches of livestock production.
resources.
a) Pastoralism (mammalian livestock
farming) - Rearing of farm animals on  It is aimed at maximizing output while
pastures e.g. cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, camels minimizing costs.
etc. 4. Agricultural engineering
This is a branch of agriculture that deals with
b) Aquaculture (pisciculture) - Rearing of
use and maintenance of farm tools, machinery
fish in fish ponds
and structures.
c) Apiculture:/ bee keeping - refers to 5. Soil science
rearing of bees in bee hives  This is a branch of agriculture that deals
d) Aviculture:/ poultry keeping- keeping of with the study of soils.
all classes of birds for production of eggs
and meat.

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 
FARMING SYSTEMS Advantages of extensive farming
 A farming system is the system
organization of the farm and all the 1. It is cheap.
enterprises in relationship to each 2. Requires low labour.
other. 3. Waste areas can be utilized.
 They include: 4. Requires low level of
A. Extensive system. skill/management.
B. Intensive system Disadvantages of extensive farming
A.Extensive farming system system
 It is characterized by: 1. There is low output.
1. Large tracts/ pieces of land. 2. Land is under utilized.
2. Low capital investment. 3. It cannot be practiced in areas
3. Low labour per unit area. with high population.
4. Low yield per unit area. 4. Profit output is low.
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B. Intensive farming system
 Disadvantages of intensive farming
 It is characterized by: system
1. High capital investment. 1. If management is poor, it can lead
2. High labour investment. to big losses.
3. High yields per unit area 2. It requires high initial capital.
4. High level of skill/ management.
3. It requires high labour
Advantages of intensive farming system costs/labor expensive.
1. There is proper/maximum utilization of
land. 4. Requires high level of
management /skilled labor.
2. It can be practiced in densely populated
areas.  Intensive or extensive farming
3. There is high output/ profit/ yield/ system can be carried out under:
production. A. Large scale farming
4. Uses technology to increase production. B. Small scale farming.
5. Farm supervision is easy.

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 A. Large scale farming
  Large scale farming can be practiced
 It is characterized by: under:
1. Large tracts of land a) Plantation farming- growing of one
type of crop on large scale farm e.g. tea
2. Heavy capital investment. plantations.
3. Skilled labour. b) Ranching- it refers to keeping of beef
4. High level of management. cattle in marginal range areas.
Advantages of large scale farming.  It is characterized by:
1. It has high yields. 1. Efficient control of diseases and parasites.
2. It can create employment. 2. Improved pastures.
3. It earns the country foreign exchange. 3. Supplementary feeding and provision of
4. There is increase in profits. water.
Disadvantages of large scale farming 4. Fencing/ confinement of livestock.
1. Requires a lot of initial capital. 5. Controlled breeding.
2. A lot of labour is required. 6. Livestock products are of high quality.
3. High level of management is required.
4. Incase of pest/disease outbreak, it can
result in big losses.
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B. Small scale farming.
 METHODS OF FARMING.
 It is characterized by:  They include:
1. Farming on small piece of land A. Mixed farming- it refers to growing of
2. Use of improved technology. crops and rearing of animals on the same
piece of land.
3. Production throughout the year. Advantages of mixed farming
4. Low labour 1. There is mutual benefit between crops
5. Low capital investment. and livestock. Crops provide feed for
6. Low output. livestock and livestock provide farmyard
Advantages of small scale farming manure for the crops.
2. The farmer gets income throughout the
1. High production per unit area.
year.
2. Use of improved technology. 3. It ensures proper utilization of labour and
3. Diversification/ mixed farming. land throughout the year.
4. Low capital investment. 4. There is no total loss/ there is
5. Surplus products can be soil to earn income. diversification. In case one enterprise fails,
the farmer can benefit from another.
6. Enhances food security at household and
5. Draught animals can be used as a source
national level.
of power in the farm.
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 Disadvantages of mixed farming
  Pastoral nomadism is practiced
1. It requires high level of management. where:
2. It requires a lot of labour/ it is labour 1. Land is enough/ not a limiting
intensive. factor.
3. If livestock are not well confined, they 2. Land is owned by eth community.
can damage crops.  It is common in arid and semi arid
B. Nomadic pastoralism/ pastoral areas.
nomadism Advantages of nomadic pastoralism
 Pastoralism is the practice of rearing 1. Requires little capital.
livestock on natural pastures while 2. Farmers can keep as many animals
nomadism is the practice of moving as possible.
from one place to another.
3. Animal waste is evenly distributed
 Pastoral nomadism is the practice of all over the field to allow grass
moving of animals from one place to regeneration.
another in search of water and pastures.
4. There is no disease and pest build
up/increase.
5. Pasture is given time to regenerate
.

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 Disadvantages of nomadic pastoralism
 C. Shifting cultivation- it refers to farming on
a piece of lad continuously until it is
1. It encourages the spread of pests ad exhausted/ fertility goes down after which
diseases. the farmer moves to another fertile land.
2. Many animals can be kept in a small  It is practiced where:
piece of land leading to 1. Land is abundant/ enough.
overstocking/overgrazing hence soil 2. Population is low/ sparse.
erosion. 3. Number of livestock per unit area is low.
3. There are disputes/quarrels among 4. Land is owned by the community.
the pastoralists over water and feed. Characteristics of shifting cultivation.
1. Movement/ shifting when soil loses fertility.
4. Low yield and quality products are
2. Practiced where land is plenty.
produced.
3. Practicable with annual crops not with
5. It is difficult to improve livestock perennials.
breeding due to uncontrolled 4. Agricultural output is low.
breeding. 5. Inputs like pesticides, fungicides are rarely
6. There is no soil and water used.
conservation. 6. Land is communally owned.
7. Population is sparse.
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8. Low number of livestock per unit area.
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© Sam obare

Advantages of shifting cultivation  D. Organic farming- this is the growing of crops

and rearing animals without using agricultural
1. It requires low capital.
chemicals.
2. There is no pest and disease build up. Ways of carrying out organic farming/ practices
3. Soil structure is maintained. undertaken in organic farming.
1. Use of medicinal plant products to control
4. There are no land disputes because land is diseases and parasites.
owned by the community. 2. Crop rotation.
Disadvantages of shifting cultivation. 3. Cover cropping.
4. Application of organic manure to add soil
1. The total yield per unit area is low. nutrients.
2. A lot of time is wasted when the farmer is 5. Mulching.
shifting and building new structures. 5. Use of biological, cultural and mechanical
methods of pest, parasite, weeds and disease
3. Farmers have no incentives to develop land control.
and conserve water and soil. 6. Intercropping other crops with legumes to
4. It is not applicable in areas of high improve fertility.
population/ where there is high population 7. Rearing of livestock on natural
feedstuffs/without use of chemical additives.
increase. 8. Close season.
5. It should be practiced where land is 9. Trap cropping.
abundant/ communally owned.
6. It leads to land fragmentation.
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 Reasons/ Advantages of organic farming.

E. Agroforestry- It involves growing of
1. Products do not have chemical trees, crops and keeping livestock on
residues/produce healthy products.
the same piece of land.
2. It is environmental friendly/does not
cause pollution. Advantages/ importance/ benefits of
3. It improves soil structure. agroforestry.
4. It improves water holding capacity. 1. Source of wood fuel.
5. It enhances soil water infiltration. 2. Source of income.
6. It provides food for micro- organisms in
the soil/ promotes microbial activities 3. Have aesthetic value/ beauty.
in the soil. 4. Source of food.
7. Improves soil fertility/ adds nutrients 5. Source of livestock feed.
into the soil.
8. It is cheap/ materials are readily 6. Has medicinal value.
available. 7. Acts as wind breakers/ control soil
9. It helps to control soil erosion/ erosion.
conserves water and soil

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ROLE OF AGRICULTURE TO THE KENYAN
ECONOMY
 3. Provision of foreign
exchange- when agricultural
1. Source of food-/ food supply –it supplies products are exported they
food to both urban and rural communities to earn the county foreign
ensure a healthy and strong population exchange which is used for
which spends more energy in other aspects economic development
of economic development leading to a
wealthy nation. activities e.g. development of
2. Source of employment- it provides direct infrastructure.
employment to Kenyans as full time farmers, 4. Source of raw material for
farm employees and those based in agro- industry- it supplies raw
based industries. materials to processing
 It also provides indirect employment to industries e.g. tea, maize,
Kenyans employed in extension services, leather, milk etc. to create
research stations, transport and industries. more employment and
 The income/ wages obtained is used to revenue which is taxed for
improve their standards and government economic development.
taxes the income to finance national
development programmes e.g. health,
education, communication, water etc.

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 5. Source of market for industrial

Role of agriculture to the development of
goods- the final products of agro- industries.
industries e.g. jembes, pangas,
wheelbarrow find their market in the 1. Supplies/provides raw materials to
agricultural sector. industries.
 The industry generate money for 2. Provide market for industrial
developing the country and improves
production and revenue which is goods/products.
taxed to improve economy. 3. It is a source of capital that is used to
6. Source of money/ capital/ income- start industries.
when agricultural products are sold
money is earned and used in Ways in which the foreign exchange earned
purchasing farm inputs e.g. from agriculture is important in Kenya.
chemicals, tools and improves the 1. Used to service foreign debts.
living standards of farming
community. 2. To finance imports of drugs, fertilizers
 The government taxes the income and machines.
and revenue to finance development 3. To finance government projects e.g.
projects.
schools, hospitals, roads etc.

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