PROPOSED LESSON
PLAN/NOTE FOR THE FIFTH WEEK ENDING 14th OCTOBER, 2022
2022/2023 ACADEMIC
SESSION
SUBJECT: AGRIC SCIENCE
TOPIC: PLANT FORMS AND
DISTRIBUTION OF CROPS (CONTINUED)
CLASS: GRADE 7
NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 11
AVERAGE AGE: 11+ YEARS
GENDER: MIXED
PERIOD: 7th
AND 8th PERIOD ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY RESPECTIVELY
TIME: 1:20-2:00
DURATION: 40 MINUTES
DATE: 10/10/2022
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: By
the end of the lesson the students should be able to;
1.
discuss factors affecting distribution of crops.
ENTRY BEHAVIOUR/
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: Students have already studied part of
plants in the previews week.
INSTRUCTIONAL
METHODS/TECHNIC: Questions, simulation, visual.
INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS: Pictures showing monocot and dicot,
Plant sample.
INTRODUCTION: Questions posed
to the students include
Question 1: List
the factors affecting the distributions of crops.
Expected Answer: Rainfall,
temperature
STEP I: FACTORS AFFECTING
DISTRIBUTION OF CROPS.
A. Physical
Climatic
factors
Climatic factors
include;
1. Temperature:
Most plants cannot grow
if the temperature falls below 6°C or the soil is frozen for five consecutive
months. As a consequence many areas are unsuitable for crop cultivation.
2. The growing
season:
The number of days
between the last frost of the spring and the first of the autumn. Different
crops require different lengths of growing season. In Nigeria, there are two
major seasons; rainy season and dry season. Crops are mostly grown during rainy
seasons.
3. Altitude:
This affects temperature
so it also affects farming. When temperatures are consistently high with
sufficient precipitation high yield crops such as rice can be grown. These have
the added advantage of producing up to three crops a year.
4. Rainfall:
Water is obviously a key
factor in plant growth. The greater the average temperature the greater the
amount of water required for plant growth. Seasonal variation is important as
different crops require water at different times.
5. Wind:
Wind can have a
destructive effect on crops. At its most severe a hurricane can physically
destroy thousands of acres of farmland. Less severe but also harmful are the
winds that dry soils so reducing moisture and increasing the potential for soil
erosion.
Soil
Soil type will influence
crop cultivation because different crops prefer different soils.
Clay soils with their
high water retention are well suited to rice whilst sandy soils with good
drainage are good for root vegetables.
Soil type can be
influenced through the input of lime, clay or fertilizer but this can only make
limited differences.
Slope
The angle of slope will
affect the type, depth and moisture content of soil.
It will also affect the
rate of soil erosion. The degree to which a farm can be mechanized is
influenced by slope.
B. Human
Land tenure
In the developed world a
large percentage of farmers are owner-occupiers. Consequently they
have a large incentive to become more efficient and improve land and buildings.
The extent of their investment and success will depend on the market place and
political systems.
In the developing world
farmers are less likely to be owner-occupiers. Instead they will probably
be tenants or landless labourers.
Market
For any commercial farm
to succeed there must be demand. If the demand for a crop drops then profits will
fall. That crop will then be replaced by a more profitable one.
Transport is an important factor in determining
location of farm types. If a product is bulky such as potatoes then it should
be grown close to the market place to cut down on transport costs. If the good
is perishable then again it should be grown close to the market place.
The effects of transport
have been greatly reduced in the developed world because of innovations such as
refrigerated lorries. It is still an important factor in many parts of the
developing world.
The transportation
available and the transport network will have a large influence on the
distribution of agricultural systems. Many subsistence farms could not sell
surpluses even if they had them because of the costs involved in transporting
the surplus to the market place.
Capital
In the developed world
there is a well-established system of supportive banks, private investors and
government subsidies. This means that agriculture is likely to be capital
intensive and highly mechanized. Cereal growing and dairy
farming are good examples.
In the developing world
the systems of capital support are less developed. In addition farmers have
little capital of their own. Borrowing is difficult (especially with the small
farms typical of many subsistence farmers) and incurs high interest rates.
Therefore the farm will be very labour intensive.
If a farmer has little
capital reserve then certain types of farming are not an option.
Whilst his crop is
maturing the farmer will have no income, if the crop takes several years to
mature then he needs substantial financial backing to cover costs of production
(e.g. labour) and basic living costs like mortgage and food.
Tree crops take several
years to mature so the farmer will have to wait a long time for return on his
investment. If he does not have a capital reserve then this is not an option.
Technology
New technology is always
increasing efficiency and yields but technology costs money. Therefore the gap
between the developed and developing world is growing.
Government
Government policies will
have a direct or indirect effect on the prevalent agricultural system.
EVALUATION:
1.
Discuss factors affecting distribution of crops.
SUMMARY:
Factors affecting the
distribution of crops are physical factors and human factors.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Discuss the human
factors affecting the distribution of crops.
2. Discuss the physical
factors affecting the distribution of crops.
0 Comments