CROP PRODUCTION

A. Shifting Cultivation

– This is a method of raising crops by pioneer farmers in large scarcely populated area. Here the farmer can occupy any piece of land without causing any undue land shortage to his neighbours

- The farmers rarely need to manure his farm because land which has been formerly under forest is usually fertile.

- When there is a sign of soil exhaustion indicated by a drop in yields the farmers shifts to another area to develop a new farm.

- The previous land is left fallow for some time and returns to bush that may be cleared several years later.

- As the population increases the farmers finds no option of new land to cultivate.

- In such case the farmer claims all the plots he uses though not simultaneously.

- The land which is resting is said to be fallow and remains so only for a few seasons.

 

Advantages of shifting cultivation

a) The farmer does not incur cost of maintaining land fertility.

b) Cropping is always done on a fertile ground.

c) Land deterioration is rare.

 

Disadvantages of shifting cultivation

a) The farmer has no permanent settlement

b) Production is normally on a very small scale.

c) Only practicable where the population is very low

 

B. PASTROLISM AND NOMADISM

 

Pastoralism- Involves raring of livestock by the pastoral community without growing of crops.

Nomadism Is the leading of unsettled way of life.

Nomadic pastoralism is therefore a term used to describe livestock keeping communities who move from place to place looking for pastures and water for their cattle, sheep, goats etc.

- These people occupy the drier parts of the country and depend mainly on the products of their livestock for food, clothing and shelter.

- Nomadic pastoralists are subsistence farmers in that although they may have large herds the level of production is very low. This is due to poor pastures, drought, poor breeding poor parasite control, and land deterioration due to over stocking.

- Where water sources, schools, hospitals, administration centers and other necessities have been installed these farmers may form co-operative ranches and become settled farmers.

- This has been encouraged by the government in recent years. In this way the advisory services can reach the farmer more easily and livestock improvement is possible.

C. ARABLE FARMING AND PLANTATION

(a) Arable farming: - is the growing of crops where farmers may practice Monocropping (monoculture) in which they specialized in production of only one crop or mixedcropping where more than one crop is produced.

- Mixed cropping involves diversifying production and is preferred by some farmers to specialization as a way of reducing risks where some crops may be more susceptible to severe ecological factors than others.

(b) Plantation - involve large scale farmers growing cash crops e.g. tea, coffee etc.

The plantation may have processing factories for the crop on the same farm e.g. tea estates or low fiber processing.

 

D. MIXED FARMING

-Involves growing crops and keeping livestock on the same farm. This farming system is common in high potential areas.

NB: If a farmer grows fodder e.g. Napier grass, Lucerne or maize for livestock feed he is a livestock farmer and not a mixed farmer.

 

Advantages

a) Mutual benefit between crops and animals i.e. crops supply feed to animals while animals supply manure to crops.

b) Insurance against total lose by the farmer since if one enterprise fails the farmer will benefit from the other.

c) Proper utilization of labour throughout the year.

d) Better soil conservation

e) Permits all-round the year harvesting

 

Disadvantages

(a) High initial capital investment

(b) Lack of specialization

(c) Requires high level of management skill for both enterprises

(d) Cannot be practicable where land is limited

(e) Only practiced in areas with high production potential.

 

E. LIVESTOCK FARMING

Livestock farming in East Africa is carried out in either of two system; subsistence system and commercial farming.

Subsistence system

-Under this method livestock keeping is a way of live and animals are kept to meet the basic needs of food and shelter.

-Management practices aimed at the survival of the animals.

 

 

Commercial farming

-The aim of this farming system is to produce animal products in sufficient quantities for sale locally and overseas market.

-Under commercial farming animals are kept in small or large well managed farm. In these farms there is considerable capital investment.

-As a result, yields are considerably high.

-The products are marketed through organization such as K.C.C., K.M.C. and the Upland Bacon Factory.

-There is also ranching and dairy farming.

-Ranching involves improved pastoral-nomadic system because movement is restricted.