<h1><strong>DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Definition of Agriculture</li> <li>Importance of Agriculture to the Individual</li> <li>Importance of Agriculture to the Society</li> <li>Importance of Agriculture to the Nation</li> <li>Types of Agriculture based on Levels of Production: Subsistence & Commercial Agriculture</li> </ol> <br> <h2><strong>Definition of Agriculture</strong></h2> Agriculture can be defined as the art and science which deals with the growing of crops and rearing of animals for man’s use. <h2><strong>Importance of Agriculture </strong></h2> Agriculture plays an important role in the development of all nations. It used to be the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy and that of other developing countries. The importance of agriculture can be grouped into three categories: <h2><strong>Importance of Agriculture to the Individual</strong></h2> <ol> <li><strong>Provision of food:</strong> This is the <strong>most</strong> important contribution of agriculture to man because food is required for our survival. People need food in order to live. Farm animals also need food. The food could be meat, eggs, and milk from farm animals and products from many different crops such as yam, rice, maize etc.</li> <li><strong>Provision of shelter materials:</strong> This help to protect man from adverse weather conditions and predators. Agriculture is a source of materials used in building houses. Materials such as timbers and leaves are used in building houses.</li> <li><strong>Provision of materials for clothing</strong>: Agriculture provides fibre, silk and cotton from plants for textile production, hides and skins as well as wool from sheep for clothing, shoes, belts and bags.</li>

<h1><strong>TYPES OF AGRICULTURE BASED ON THE LEVELS OF PRODUCTION</strong></h1> CONTENT<strong> </strong> <ol> <li>Meaning and Characteristics of Subsistence Agriculture</li> <li>Meaning and Characteristics of Commercial Agriculture</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Subsistence Agriculture</strong></h2> <h3><strong>Meaning of Subsistence Agriculture</strong></h3> Subsistence agriculture is defined as the type of agriculture which involves the production of crops and animals by a farmer to feed himself and his family. He produces food for the consumption of the family with little or nothing left for sale. <h3><strong>Characteristics of Subsistence Agriculture</strong></h3> <ol> <li>It requires small capital/finance.</li> <li>Mixed cropping is mostly practiced.</li> <li>There is limited used of agro-chemicals e.g. pesticides and fertilizers.</li> <li>Unimproved varieties of crops and breeds of animals are used.</li> <li>There is little or no surplus for sale.</li> <li>It involves the used of crude/traditional tools such as hoes, machetes/cutlasses.</li> <li>It involves mainly the production of food crops.</li> <li>It is done on small scattered land.</li> <li>It uses family/unskilled labour.</li> <li>Yield/output is low.</li> </ol>

<h1><strong>TYPES OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES IN THE LOCALITIES</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Pastoral Farming</li> <li>Arable Farming</li> <li>Mixed Farming</li> <li>Taungya Farming</li> <li>Fish Farming</li> <li>Livestock Farming</li> <li>Shifting Cultivation</li> <li>Land Rotation/Bush Fallowing</li> <li>Crop Rotation</li> </ol>   <h2>1.<strong> Pastoral Farming</strong></h2> This system involves the rearing of animals that feed/graze on forage crops (grasses and legumes), such as goats, sheep and cattle. Pastoral farming could take any of these three forms: <ul> <li>Ranching</li> <li>Nomadic herding</li> <li>Ley farming</li> </ul> <img class="size-full wp-image-31948 aligncenter" src="https://classhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/pastoral-farming.jpg" alt="Types of Agricultural Practices in the Localities - Pastoral farming" width="540" height="197" /> <h3><strong>Ranching</strong></h3> In this system, large numbers of animals are kept o a large expanse of enclosed land which may be under natural vegetation or planted pasture. The animals are allowed to move freely and graze within the confinement (Ranch). It is possible to adopt rotational grazing especially where the ranch is divided into sections/paddocks. An example of ranch in Nigeria is Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River state. <h4><strong>Advantages of Ranching</strong></h4> <ol> <li>Pasture and water are available all through the year.</li> <li>The animals are better managed and more protected from pests, diseases and death.</li> <li>Good quality animals are produced due to proper breeding programme.</li> </ol> <h4><strong>Disadvantages of Ranching </strong></h4> <ol> <li>It is expensive to manage a ranch.</li> <li>It will be difficult to give individual attention to each animal kept in the ranch.</li> <li>Outbreak of disease may wipe out the entire stock.</li> </ol>

<h1><strong>FORMS OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITIES </strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Growing of Crops</li> <li>Rearing of Livestock</li> <li>Salving of Farm Produce</li> <li>Rearing of Fish (fishery)</li> <li>Horticulture</li> <li>Rearing of Snail/Heliculture</li> <li>Apiculture/Bee Keeping</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Forms of Agricultural Activities in the Communities</strong></h2> Agricultural activities is any activity directly related to the production or processing of crops or livestock. The followings are forms of agricultural activities in the communities that different people involve in: <ol> <li>Cultivation and growing of crops</li> <li>Rearing of livestock</li> <li>Rearing of fish (fishery)</li> <li>Salving of farm produce</li> <li>Horticulture</li> <li>Rearing of snail/Heliculture</li> <li>Apiculture/bee keeping</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Crop Farming</strong></h2> This involves the production of different kinds of crop plants useful to man and animals. Crop plants are either called <strong>food or arable crops</strong> and <strong>cash crops. </strong>Crops that are eaten by man either cooked or raw are referred to as <strong>food crops </strong>e.g. cassava, yam, vegetable, potatoes, bean, cowpea, soya bean, maize, guinea corn etc. Crops cultivated with the aim of selling them either to our local industries or for export is called <strong>cash crops </strong>e.g cocoa, cotton, groundnut, oil palm, timber, coffee, etc.

<h1><strong>PARTS OF FLOWERING PLANTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS </strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Parts of Flowering Plant and their Functions</li> <li>Important Terms</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Parts of a Flowering Plant </strong></h2> A flowering plant is made up of two parts, namely; <ol> <li>the root system</li> <li>the shoot system</li> </ol> <h3>1.<strong> Root System: </strong></h3> The root system refers to the portion of the plant which develops inside the soil. The root has many tiny structures on it called the root hairs through which water, mineral salts and other nutrients are absorbed by the plant through a process known as <strong>osmosis. </strong> The root system is divided into two main types namely; <ol> <li>Tap/main root</li> <li>Fibrous/adventitious</li> </ol> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-31956 aligncenter" src="https://classhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/flowering-plants.jpg" alt="" width="634" height="322" /><strong>A Labelled Diagram of a Flowering Plant </strong></p> <h4><strong>Functions of the Root</strong></h4> (i)<strong> Anchorage:</strong> for holding the plant firmly to the ground. (ii)<strong> Nutrient absorption:</strong> Roots absorbs water and mineral elements from the soil which are then pass unto other plant parts. This is the most important function of the root to the plant. (iii)<strong> Storage</strong>: In some plants the roots acts as storage organs e.g carrot, cassava, etc. (iv)<strong> Reproduction</strong>: Some plants used their roots for vegetative propagation e.g. bread fruit, sweet potato, citrus etc. (v)<strong> Nutrient fixation:</strong> Roots of leguminous crops harbors some nitrogen fixing bacteria which helps to convert atmospheric nitrogen into soil nitrate for plant use. (vi)<strong> Erosion control:</strong> Root of grasses help to bind soil particles together thus preventing erosion.

<h1><strong>MONOCOTYLEDONOUS AND DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Classification of Crops based on Crop Plant Forms</li> <li>Monocotyledonous Crops e.g. maize, guinea corn</li> <li>Dicotyledonous Crops e.g. beans, melon</li> <li>Differences between Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Classification of Crops based on C</strong><strong>rop Plant Forms</strong></h2> A crop is any plant that has a useful purpose or economic value. Crop plants are grouped into two forms based on the structure of their seeds or the number of seed leaf it contains. Seed leaf is otherwise known as <strong>cotyledon</strong>. Food for germinating seed is stored in the cotyledon. <h2><strong>Monocotyledonous Plants</strong></h2> These are plants with one seed leaf or cotyledons e.g. oil palm, coconut, banana, plantain, pineapple, date-palm, garlic, sugar-cane, cereals e.g. wheat, millet, rice, maize, sorghum, rye, barley, oats and all grasses e.g. guinea grass, carpet grass, etc.

<h1><strong>ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND PERENNIAL CROPS</strong></h1> CONTENT Classification of Crops based on Life Span; <ol> <li>Annual Crops (e.g. maize, yam, etc.)</li> <li>Biennial Crops (e.g. ginger, pineapple, cassava, etc)</li> <li>Perennial Crops (e.g cocoa, mango, etc.)</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Classification of Crops based on Life Span</strong></h2> Crops complete their processes of growth at different lengths of time. Hence, crops can be classified as follows - annual, biennial and perennial. <h2><strong>Annual Crops</strong></h2> Annual crops are crops which complete their life cycle (length of life) within one year or in one growing season. These crops grow into maturity, flower, produce seeds and eventually die within one year. Examples are maize, rice, sorghum, soya-beans, guinea corn, cowpea, sweet potato, cotton, tomato, yam, etc.

<h1><strong>CLASSIFICATION OF CROPS BASED ON USES OF CROPS</strong></h1> CONTENT Classification of Crops based on Uses of Crops <ol> <li>Food and Feed Crops</li> <li>Fibre Crops</li> <li>Oil Crops</li> <li>Latex Crops</li> <li>Beverage Crops</li> <li>Spice Crops</li> <li>Forage Crops</li> <li>Sugar Crops</li> <li>Drug Crops</li> <li>Stimulant Crops</li> <li>Ornamental Crops</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Classification of Crop based on Uses of Crops</strong></h2> Agricultural crops can also be classified on the basis of their economic products or uses. In this classification a crop may belong to more than one group. <h2><strong>Food and Feed Crops: </strong></h2> These crops are produced mainly for consumption by man or livestock. Their various parts are eaten raw, cooked or processed. Food crops can be grouped into the following classes: (i) Cereal crops (ii) Legumes (iii) Vegetable crops (iv) Root and tuber crops (v) Fruit crops <h3><strong>Cereal Crops</strong>:</h3> These crops belong to the grass family called Gramineae. They are grown for their seeds or grains and are rich in carbohydrates (starch). Some grains are ground into powder. Bread is made from wheat and rye flour. Breakfast food, cakes and pastries and livestock feeds are also made from cereals. Examples are rice, millet, rye, maize, sorghum (guinea corn), wheat, barley, oats, acha. etc. The most important cereal crops are rice, wheat and corn. <img class="size-full wp-image-32083 aligncenter" src="https://classhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/classification-of-crops-based-on-uses-of-crops.jpg" alt="Classification of Crop based on Uses of Crops" width="498" height="156" />

<h1><strong>CLASSIFICATION OF CROPS BASED ON SOURCE OF FOOD NUTRIENTS</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Classification based on Sources of Food Nutrients e.g. carbohydrates, protein, fat and oil, minerals, vitamins, etc</li> </ol> <h2><strong>Sources of Food Nutrients</strong></h2> Crops can also be grouped based on the class of nutrient derived from them. <strong>Table showing classification of crops based on nutrients, their sources and functions </strong>

<h1><strong>DISTRIBUTION OF CROPS IN NIGERIA </strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Distribution of Crops in Nigeria</li> <li>Distribution of Crops of Nigeria</li> <li>Factors Affecting the Distribution of Crops</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Meaning of Distribution of Crops in Nigeria</strong></h2> This refers to the region where each particular crop is mostly adapted in Nigeria. <h2><strong>Distribution of Crops of Nigeria</strong></h2> As you move from the south to the north of the country, the vegetation gradually changes from forest to savanna. There is, of course, no sharp distinction between one forest zone and the other. The vegetation types rather merged into one another. This is due to the gradual change in climatic conditions in the various regions/zones.