Zim Agriculture: Summary of Topics

1 INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE.

• Agriculture is the rearing of animals and growing of plants.
• There are wild and tamed animals.
• Agriculture is important to the community and the nation at large
• It gives people food and is also a source of income to the community. It brings foreign currency to the nation through exports and tourism.
• Termed animals are grouped as work animals and food animals.
• Crops can give clothes and food to humanity.
• Agriculture has branches-Crop production, Animal production, Soil science, Agricultural engineering, Agricultural economics, horticulture, forestry and wildlife.
• Agriculture gives a lot of career opportunities such as Agronomist, drivers,Researchers, veterinary and doctors, lectures, officers and teachers etc.
• Type of agriculture in Zimbabwe are;
• Mixed farming, Specialized farming and Diversified farming.
• Farming systems are; Shifting cultivation, Subsistence farming and commercial farming.
• -Subsistence farming is farming for the family and selling surplus.
• Commercial farming is farming for sale at large scale.
• Shifting cultivation is whereby farmers move from place to place searching for fertile land.
• People can supplement rainfall through irrigation.
• The government had implemented the land reform programme of the year 2000.
• Land reform was important in the sense that it gave Zimbabweans opportunity to repossess land from white colonisers.
• It also called the third Chimurenga.

2 CLIMATE AND LAND USE.

• Zimbabwe has four seasons-Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring.
• Seasons of Zimbabwe are related to agricultural activities
• Weather is the condition of atmosphere at a given time and given place.
• Weather has different elements which are temperature, rainfall, and wind.
• Elements of weather can be measured in different units using different apparatus.
• Weather can influence agricultural activities.
• Climate can influence the type of farming region in Zimbabwe.
• Farming regions are influenced by the amount of rainfall and temperature.
• Different places are in different regions.
• Human activities influence climatic change.

3 SOIL

• Soil has four components-Mineral matter, Organic matter, water and air,
• Soil is formed as a result of weathering.
• Weathering is the breaking down of rocks.
• We have physical weathering, chemical weathering and biological weathering.
• There are different agents of weathering.
• There are different soils with different soil textures and structures.
• Organic matter can improve soil structure and soil fertility.
• Artificial fertilizers improves soil nutrients.
• Soil has a structure which compose top soil, subsoil, gravel and parent rock.
• Soil can be polluted by agent of pollution.
• Soil pollution can be controlled .

4 WATER.

• Water is a precious liquid to agriculture.
• Water has many uses in agriculture such as irrigating and mixing of chemicals.
• Animals also need clean water.
• Water can be conserved through harvesting and mulching.
• Water is never lost or gained but it cycle in a water cycle.
• Water also can be polluted.
• There are many agents of pollution.

5 PLANTS

• There are many plants in the environment.
• Some plants are grown at home and others grow naturally in the environment.
• Plants have many uses.
• Plants give food, clothes and medicine.
• Plants can be classified according to uses.
• Plants are classified according to life span.
• Field crops are crops grown in the field.
• Vegetables are classified according to the part eaten.
• Different parts of a plant have different tasks.
• Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to grow.

• Nutrients can be found from organic matter and artificial fertilizer.
• Minor plant nutrients are boron, sulphur and zinc.
• Major plant nutrients have different functions.
• Cereals are crops which produce grains.
• Crop rotation has many advantages.
• Field crops are processed and marketed.
• Fruit trees are grown in an orchard.
• There are different factors to consider when establishing an orchard.
• There are indigenous and exotic fruit trees.
• Seedlings are grown in a nursery.
• Ornamental plants are decorative plants.
• Deforestation is the cutting down of trees without replacing them.
• Animals may cause plant damage.
• Pests and weeds are the major enemies of plants.
• Pests and diseases can be controlled.

ANIMALS

• Domestic animals have many uses.
• Poultry or rabbit need special requirements to maximize profits.
• Poultry and rabbits need special housing.
• Parasites need to be controlled.
• Bees can be managed to produce quality honey.
• Keeping of bees is called apiculture.

FARM IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINERY.

• Implements help to make work easier.
• Tools are classified according to their uses.
• Farm equipment need to be maintained and stored properly.
• Implements are stored in a shed.
• Tools are stored in a storeroom.
• A farmer need to keeps an inventory of implements and machines.

8 AGRO BUSINESS

• Agriculture is a business.
• Different agricultural products have different markets
• A farmer need to keep financial records to see if one is making progress.
• There is also a production record which need to be kept.