(a) Distinguish between the following agricultural systems: (i) monoculture and monocropping (ii) shifting cultivation and land rotation. [6 marks] (b) Stat...

(a) Distinguish between the systems

(i) Monoculture and monocropping

Monoculture is the growing of the same single crop on the same piece of land year after year, while monocropping (sole cropping) is the growing of only one crop on a piece of land in a given season (one crop at a time, but the crop may change from season to season).

(ii) Shifting cultivation and land rotation

In shifting cultivation the farmer cultivates a piece of land until its fertility declines, then abandons it and moves with his home to a new piece of land, whereas in land rotation the farmer has a fixed home and rotates cultivation among several plots, farming one and leaving the others to fallow, then returning to them in turn.

(b) Four problems of commercial agriculture in West Africa

1. Inadequate capital to finance large-scale production.
2. Poor storage, processing and marketing/transport facilities.
3. Land tenure problems that make large parcels of land hard to acquire.
4. Shortage of skilled labour and high cost of machinery and inputs (pest, disease and unfavourable weather are also acceptable).

(c) Four uses of the farm tractor

1. Ploughing and harrowing the land.
2. Ridging and planting.
3. Transporting farm inputs and produce.
4. Driving other machines through its power take-off (spraying, harvesting, water pumping).

(d) Four indigenous methods of land preparation

1. Bush clearing with cutlass and hoe.
2. Bush burning.
3. Making heaps and ridges manually.
4. Stumping and packing of debris by hand.