1. COURSE: AGRICULTURAL AND MAN
COURSE CODE: PRT 2008
NAME: ABEEB FAJOBI OLAMILEKAN
MATRIX NUMBER: 181268
LECTURER: Dr. SAMSURI BIN ABD. WAHID

2. OUTLINES
1.0.AGRICULTURE
1.1.EARLY TECCHNIQUES FOR FARMING
1.2.SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES USED BY FARMERS
2.0. AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND SYSTEM
2.1. AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION
2.2. IMPROVEMENT CAUSED BY AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION
2.2.1. FACTORS INFLUENCED AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTIONS INCLUDES
3.0. WHAT IS MODORN AGRICULTURE
3.1. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND MODERN FARMING
3.2.THE PHYSICAL AND HUMAN FACTORS AFFECTING A FARMERS CHOICES
3.3. AGRICULTURALLY BASED MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES

3. AGRICULTURE
1.0. WHAT IS AGRICULTURE? It isdefine asthe cultivationof landforgrowingof cropsrearingof
animalsforthe consumptionof man.
Before agriculture, people lived by hunting wild animals and gathering edible plants. When the herds
were plentiful and the plants flourishing, life was good. But, when the herds migrated elsewhere, people
had to follow them and often discover a whole new setof plants to supplementtheir diet.
Hunters eventually realized that their prey was much easier to kill if it were walled up in a box canyo n.
Better yet, they could capture the prey and keep itin a cave for future use. Archaeological finds show
that early humans imprisoned giantground sloth's in this way. Entrapment, however, was a temporary
measure. Notthinking of the future, hungry humans gorged themselves,then, when the sloths had all
been eaten, they soughtoutmore sloths. Maintaining a herd by breeding and nurturing wasn't yet
practiced.
This "feast or famine" lifestyle had its definite drawbacks including starvation. Fortunately, several
geniuses throughoutthe world eventually discovered how to preserve meatby drying it, smoking itover
a fire, or cooking it. Some others realized thatit they took the seeds ofthe plants they had been eating
and scattered them about, they grew into new plants.
Eventually, people decided thatlife would be a loteasier if they always had the animals with them and if
edible plants or their produce were always available. Settling down seemed like a good idea.
1.1. EARLY TECCHNIQUES FOR FARMING
The initial approach to farming was to remove some ofthe seeds from food plants before eating them,
then scatter the seeds back into the same area they came from.
Later, the planters realized that other (non -food) plants were competing with their plants for the field,
so they took to weeding the fields to make sure the only their plants were growing there. Everything
else was left to nature.
Eventually it became obvious thatthis constant replanting resulted in stunted crops and low yields. The
first response was simply to find a new field. After all, the land was vast and people were few. After a
while, though, the obvious fields were used up. Then potential farmers looked to the forests.
1.2. Some of the Technique used by farmers are:
 Slash and Burn: Mostagricultural societies discovered the slash and burn technique. First, all
the foliage in a section ofa forestwas cut down, creating a field. The remains were left on the
ground. Then the field was set on fire, and the ash from the cut foliage enriched the soil. After
many uses even this enriched soil became barren, and farmers were forced to find new fields.
As Human population increase day by day Slash and Burn technique begins to reduce has
some tribe has occupied the unattached field.
 Fallow Fields: A fallow field is one that is not planted for a period in hopes thatit will regain its
fertility. It is believed thatthe practice of leaving fields fallow originated because some cultures

4. were forced to return to their old fields, and found that the infertile fields they left behind had
become more productive.
This led to the establishmentofa rotation system where each growing season certain field
would be leftalone or tilled but not planted, extending the useful production life ofa set number
of fields. Sometimes the fallow fields were used for pasturage for animals, which had the
incidental benefitof fertilizing the soil.
 Irrigation: As populations grew and competed for the bestgrowing lands some cultures were
forced to try to farm normally arid areas. Some ofthese cultures died trying; others discovered
the principles ofirrigation. There were some early massive engineering projects to dam water
for later use, including the digging ofcanals to distribute water to normally dry fields. In most
cases, irrigation involves trapping and storing water that appears for a shortperiod, such as the
spring flooding ofthe Euphrates and Nile, or the winter rainstorms of the American desert, so
that it can be used later in normally dry periods.
 Importation of Agriculture
1. Source oflivelihood
2. Contribution of National revenue
3. Supply offood as well as fodder
4. Source ofraw materials
5. Source ofsaving
6. Food Security
7. Economic Development
2.0 AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND SYSTEM
Subsistence Farming: Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which
the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed themselves and their families. The output
is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus for trade
Commercialised Farming: is a large-scale production ofcrops for sale, intended for
widespread distribution to wholesalers or retail outlets. In commercial farming crops such
as wheat, maize, tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana, and cotton are harvested
and sold in the world markets.
2.1. AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION
Agricultural revolutions are periods in history in which massive improvements are made to
agricultural technologies,allowing for the advancementofhuman society.

5. 2.2. IMPROVEMENT CAUSED BY AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION
Agricultural Revolution has really bring a lotchange to the face ofAgricultural system
whereby solving the issues ofscarcity ofresources e.g. Agricultural soil, fertility problem,
declining acreage, human capital etc.
2.2.1. Factors Influenced Agricultural Revolutions Includes:
1. The Increased availability offarmland
2. A favourable Climate
3. More livestock
4. Improved Crop Yield
3.0. WHAT IS MODERN AGRICULTURE?
Modern Agriculture is term used to describe the wide type ofproduction practices
employed to improved Agriculture practices system for farmers. It makes use ofhybrid
seeds ofselected variety ofa single crops,technologically advanced equipmentand lots of
energy subsidies in the form ofirrigation water, fertilizers and pesticides
Traditional Agriculture: Perhaps the mostimportant difference between the categories is
the way farmers see themselves and their roles .Traditional farmers, for examples often sat
that they seek to work effectively with resources athand i.e., they use the
land ,rainfall ,seed ,tillage methods and power sources they have to produce what nature
offers .
3.1. Difference between Traditional and Modern Farming
1. Traditional farming and Modern farming differ from each other in a big way.
Traditional farming adheres to the traditional methods ofagriculture. On the other
hand, modern farming experiments with the implementation ofadvanced
technology in the field ofagriculture. This is the main difference between them.
2. Traditional farming makes use ofthe traditional and age old agriculture equipment.
On the other hand, modern farming makes use ofthe modern equipment.
Technology-intensive farming methods are used in modern farming.
3. Traditional farming may yield less,butthere is sufficient quality attached to its
yield. On the other hand, modern farming may fall short ofquality as far as its yield
is concerned thanks to the overuse ofthe modern and technological equipmentin
its processes and procedures. Thus, itis an accepted factthat traditional farming
is laden with quality.

6. 3.2. THE PHYSICAL AND HUMAN FACTORS AFFECTING A FARMERS CHOICES
PHYSICAL FACTORS
 Soils – the fertility will affect the type offarming and whether or not the farmer uses
fertilisers. On a loam soil arable farming usually takes place.
 Climate – the key physical factor, both rainfall and temperature are important. E.g.
Wheat needs temperature ofat least15C and require over 1000mm ofrain.
HUMAN FACTORS
 Cost of land – if the land is expensive then farmers must farm intensively to make a
profit.
 Market – The farm needs to be close to its marketor to routes ofcommunication that
allow the farmers to sell his goods.
 Technology – the increasing developmentofmachinery, seeds and fertilisers has
transformed –from genetically modified crops to the use ofantibiotics in cattle.
3.3. AGRICULTURALLY BASED MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
Food Industry: complex,global collective ofdiverse businesses thattogether supply much
of the food energy consumed by the world population.
 Bakery – establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an
oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies.
 Brewing – production of beer through steeping a starch source (commonly cereal
grains) in water and then fermenting with yeast.
 Brewing industry – brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though
beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history.
 Dairy – business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk – mostly
from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels – for human
consumption.
 Food processing – set of methods and techniques used to transform raw
ingredients into food or to transform food into other forms for consumption by
humans or animals either in the home or by the food processing industry.