FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION KATSINA

SCHOOL OF VOC. & TECH. EDUCATION

AGE 215

YAHAYA BADAMASI
431533
AGRIC DM

QUESTION
Describe in detail the functions of
1. Tillage
2. Cultivation
3. Planting
4. Fertilizing
5. Processing and
6. Storage

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Introduction

Agriculture fulfils the basic need of human kind by producing food. About a century ago,

farmer used to produce food commodities mostly for self-consumption or for exchange with

others (cash or kind) mostly in the same village or nearby places. They were primarily self-

reliant. But, now production environment has changed considerably from self- reliance to

commercialization. Technological advancement in the form of high yielding varieties, use of

fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, farm mechanization has led to a substantial increase in farm

production and consequently the larger marketable and marketed surplus. The improved

production is accompanied by the increasing urbanization, income, changing life style & food

habits of the consumers and increasing linkages with the overseas market. Today consumers are

not limited to rural areas where food is produced. Further, increasing demand for processed or

semi-processed food products requires value addition in the raw agricultural produce. These

developments require movement of food commodities from producer to consumers in the form of

value added products. Agricultural marketing brings producers and consumers together through a

series of activities and thus becomes an essential element of the economy. The scope of

agricultural marketing is not only limited with the final agricultural produce. It also focuses

supply of agricultural inputs (factors) to the farmers.

1. Tillage: It is a mechanical manipulation of soil to provide favorable condition for crop

production. Soil tillage consists of breaking the compact surface of earth to a certain depth

and to loosen the soil mass, so as to enable the roots of the crops to penetrate and spread

into the soil. It constitutes the initial major soil working operation. It is normally designed

to reduce soil strength, cover plant materials and rearrange aggregates. The operations

performed to open up any cultivable land with a view to prepare a seed bed for growing

crops is known as primary tillage. Tillage operations following primary tillage those are
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 performed to create proper soil tilth for seeding and planting are secondary tillage. These

are lighter and finer operations, performed on the soil after primary tillage operations.

Some of the functions of tillage include:

a) To obtain deep seed bed, suitable for different type of crops.

b) To add more humus and fertility to soil by covering the vegetation.

c) To destroy and prevent weeds.

d) To aerate the soil for proper growth of crops.

e) To increase water-absorbing capacity of the soil.

f) To destroy the insects, pests and their breeding places and

2. Cultivation: Cultivation is carried out to improve soil physical conditions, to allow

improved root growth and therefore tree anchorage, to improve root access to soil

nutrients and moisture, and to improve the quality of planting. Also, cultivation removes

competing weeds, thereby improving moisture and nutrient availability to planted

seedlings; and it provides a surface to which herbicides can be effectively applied. Soil

cultivation should be contoured on all soils of high or very high erosion class such as silty

or granitic soils, and on slopes greater that 15% for the moderate to high erosion class. All

cultivation must avoid disturbing flow lines. In areas of very high rainfall cultivation may

be undesirable for some moderate and moderate to high erosion class soils above 15%

slope.

i. Cultivation serve as a form of weed control.

ii. It can play a part in pest management. For example, tillage is recommended to

reduce the number of overwintering heliothis pupae in paddocks where

susceptible summer crops such as sweet corn and tomatoes are grown.

iii. It may be required to incorporate herbicides and soil ameliorants, such as lime.
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 iv. It may reduce the incidence of soil-borne diseases. Soil-borne diseases such as

rhizoctonia can be a problem in soils where crops are planted using direct drill

or zero till.

v. It reduces soil strength. High soil strength has been shown to reduce the vigour

of crops, especially seedlings. High soil strength is one reason for poor

seedling vigour in direct-drilled crops on poorly structured soils.

vi. It roughens the soil surface; this can help retain moisture.

3. Planting: This is probably the most critical phase in the establishment of a new date

plantation. Mistakes at this point may lead to a poor survival rate of offshoots or tissue

culture-derived plants, regardless of the efforts put in during the preparation phases. The

aim is to assist the date grower to execute the planting operation in a way that will ensure

a high transplanting survival rate in the newly established plantation. The planting

operation is divided into different activities which will be discussed separately.

i. to allow for sufficient sunlight when palms are tall;

ii. to allow for sufficient working space within the plantation; and

iii. to provide sufficient space for root development.

4. Fertilizers: Fertilizers are manufactured mixtures of chemical products that contain N, P,

K and other necessary nutrients. They are spread over the soil to re-supply the soil with

the proper amount of these nutrients. The three numbers on the front of the fertilizer bag

represent the percentage by weight of N, P and K in that particular mixture. These

numbers are used to calculate how much of a particular fertilizer to apply at one time.

i. Promotes rapid growth, chlorophyll formation and protein synthesis.

ii. Stimulates early root growth, hastens maturity, stimulates blooming and aids seed

formation.
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 iii. Increases resistance to drought and disease, increases stalk and straw strength and

increases quality of grain and seed.

iv. Improves root formation, stiffness of straw and vigor and resistance to seedling

diseases.

v. Aids chlorophyll formation and phosphorus metabolism and helps regulate uptake

of other nutrients.

5. Processing: Processing in agriculture involves the biological, physical, mechanical, and

biochemical manipulation of agricultural produce in other to preserve it for further use.

The functions of processing include:

a. Processing helps to make food available even during the off-season.

b. When food is processed it taste and look very attractive

c. Processing helps in the durability of food crop products-when food crop is been

processed like in dehydration of a food crop, micro-organisms becomes absent

thereby preventing spoilage.

d. Processing adds value to the Agric produce.

e. Processing helps in producing income to individual and foreign exchange to a

country

f. It creates room for commercial agriculture, thereby promoting agricultural

activities.

g. If we stand to process our food crop regularly, then more food will be in our food

reserve which is an aid in adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

h. Processing provides raw materials for further studies and for industrial uses.

i. Through processing some materials are produced (by-products) which can be used

for formulation of animal feed.

as to prevent them from deterioration for a specific period of time beyond their normal

shelf life. Some functions of storage include:

a. Creation of Time Utility: There are products which are produced continuously

throughout the year while consumption is seasonal. Storage enables goods to be

made available to buyers whenever they are in demand.

b. Creation of Place Utility: Another function of storage is to make goods available

to a buyer at his place of business when he needs them.

c. Finance Function: Storage helps to obtain or raise loans by providing collateral

security of the goods stored.

d. Creation of Form Utility: Certain commodities improve in quality or desirability

while in storage, e.g., curing of tobacco, liquor etc.

e. Stabilising Prices: Another function of storage is to stabilise prices by making the

goods available in the market whenever there is demand.

f. Regular Production: Storage performs the function of smoothing out irregularities

in production.

g. Ability to Face Natural Calamities: Storage enables the society to face natural

calamities such as floods, famine, drought etc.

References

Ellis,F. (2003). Peasant Economics, Farm Households and Agrarian Development, 2nd. Ed., Wye
Studies in Agricultural and Rural Development, Wye (England).

Kahneman, R., Scholes, R., Ash, N. (2005). Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Current State
and Trends. 1. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Washington.

Niemiera, A. (2018). Shrubs: Functions, Planting, and Maintenance. Virginia Cooperative