(a) Highlight any five features of rotational bush fallowing as practised in WestAfrica (b) State four advantages of this system of agriculture (c) Outline ...

Answer Details

(a) Five features of rotational bush fallowing in West Africa

1. Land is cultivated for a few years then rested (fallowed): A piece of land is farmed for about two to three years and then abandoned for several years to allow it to recover its fertility naturally.
2. Shifting of cultivation between plots, not settlements: The farmer moves from one plot to another within the same area while remaining in a permanent home settlement.
3. Use of simple tools and low technology: Farming is done mainly with hand tools such as the hoe and cutlass, with little or no machinery.
4. Clearing by cutting and burning the bush: The natural vegetation is cut and burnt, and the ash adds nutrients to the soil before planting.
5. Mixed cropping on small holdings: Several crops (for example yam, cassava, maize and vegetables) are grown together on small, scattered plots, largely for subsistence.

(Reliance on natural restoration of fertility and use of family labour are also acceptable features.)

(b) Four advantages of the system

1. Restores soil fertility naturally: The fallow period allows the soil to regain nutrients and structure without artificial fertiliser.
2. Cheap and low input: It requires little capital, no expensive machinery or chemicals, and uses available family labour.
3. Controls pests, weeds and diseases: Resting and burning the land breaks the life cycle of pests, weeds and crop diseases.
4. Reduces soil erosion and exhaustion: Regrowth of vegetation during fallow protects the soil surface and prevents rapid exhaustion of the land.

(c) Four disadvantages of the system

1. Requires a large area of land: Because much land is left fallow at any time, the system is wasteful of land and unsuitable where population is dense.
2. Low output and small farm size: Yields per farmer are low and production is mainly at subsistence level, giving little surplus for sale.
3. Not suited to mechanisation: The small, scattered plots with tree stumps make it difficult to use machinery, keeping productivity low.
4. Shorter fallows cause soil degradation: As population grows, fallow periods are shortened, so the soil cannot recover fully, leading to declining fertility and erosion.