Advantages and disadvantages of the land use Act (Decree) and reforms in West Africa. Assessment would include land use Act (Decree), Land Reforms in West Africa. B. AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY Meaning and importance of agricultural ecology Meaning of agricultural ecology and ecosystem. Components of farm ecosystem e.g. biotic and abiotic Interactions of the components in the terrestrial and aquatic agro-ecosystem. Land and its uses Meaning of land. Characteristics of land – free gift of nature, immobile, limited in supply etc. Uses of land: agricultural purposes: crop production; wild life conservation/game reserve; livestock production etc. non-agricultural purposes: industry; housing; transport etc. Factors affecting land availability for agricultural purpose Physical factors: soil type; topography; land degradation; (iv) soil pollution. Interaction of farm crops/animals with other components of the ecosystem in farm settings such as mono or sole cropping system, mixed cropping system, mixed farming system, fish ponds and forest (rain or savannah) would be assessed. Assessment would include of uses of land for aquaculture, forestry and apiculture. Non-agricultural uses of land such as health centres, church/mosque, mining, recreational centres, schools and markets would be assessed. Economic factors:
control measures of the following major of crops: cereals – stem borer, army worm, ear worm etc; CONTENTS legumes – pod borer, aphids, sucking bugs and leaf beetle; beverages – cocoa myrids (capsids); tubers – yam beetle, cassava mealybugs, green spidermites, variegated grasshopper; – cotton stainer, bollworms; fruits and vegetables – thrips, grasshopper, leaf roller, leaf beetle, scale insect; stored produce – grain weevils, bean beetle. Non-insect pests e.g. birds, rodents etc. Side effects of preventive and control methods: chemical – pollution, poisoning; biological - disruption of the ecosystem etc; cultural – harmful effects of burning etc. General effects/economic importance of pests. Meaning of weeds. Types of weeds. Effects of weeds on crops and economy. Characteristic features of weeds. Methods of controlling weeds: cultural, biological, chemical, physical and mechanical methods. Nature of damage, economic importance, preventive and control measures of each of the non-insect pests would be assessed Common and botanical names would be assessed.
Harvesting, processing and storage equipment. Farm tractor Uses and maintenance of horticultural tools and implements. Livestock and fishing equipment major parts of the implements and their functions. Assessment would include identification, description and uses of harvesting, processing and storage equipment e.g. dehuskers, shellers, winnowers, dryers, processors, graters, refrigerators, cutlasses, scythe, groundnut lifters. Identification of the major components of the farm tractor, servicing and maintenance would be assessed. Identification, uses and maintenance of the following horticultural shears, dibber, pruning knife, secateurs, budding knife, measuring tapes, hand fork, hand trowel, hoe, fork would be assessed. Identification, description, uses and care of livestock and fishing equipment e.g. waterers, feeders, milking machines, nets, hook and line, branding machine, egg candler would be assessed. Farm surveying equipment C. CROP PRODUCTION Seeds, seedlings, fruits and storage organs of crops. Main pests and diseases of crops Assessment would include identification, uses, and care of simple surveying equipment e.g. measuring tape, pins or arrows, ranging poles, plum bob, offset staff, compass, gunter’s chains, pegs, theodolite. Identification of seedlings, fruits, storage organs and essential parts of the common crop plants, pasture grasses and legumes would be assessed. Assessment would include identification and control of the main field and storage pests e.g. cotton stainer, yam beetles, weevils etc and the damage they cause to crops; identification of main diseases of
Planting dates, seed rates, plant population and seed quality tests of the more common local crop plants. Preparation of seedbeds, fertilizer application, mulching, use of pesticides , watering, vegetative propagation, germination tests etc. Forest products and by-products. Methods of propagation of horticultural plants. Common weeds D. ANIMAL PRODUCTION Common breeds of animals and types of animals available in the locality. crops, their causal agents and characteristic symptoms, prevention and control. Assessment would include the following propagation methods – direct sowing, transplanting, layering, grafting and budding. External features, mode of dispersal and methods of controlling weeds on the farm would be assessed. Identification of breeds, methods of restraints, handling and grooming of farm animals would be assessed. Major internal organs of farm animals, e.g. organs of the digestive system, reproductive and excretory systems. Animal by-products Animal feeds and feed stuffs and their local sources. Main pests and parasites of farm animals. Diseases of farm animals. Assessment cover identification and functions of the major internal organs. Identification of animal by-products e.g. hides and skin, fur, feather, horn would be assessed. Assessment would cover the identification and uses of feeds and feed stuffs(e.g. fish meal, groundnut cake, rice bran); types of diets/ration. Assessment would cover identification of common ectoparasites(e.g. ticks, lice) and endoparasites(e.g tapeworms, liver flukes, roundworms); the damage caused on their hosts and their control; and their life cycles. Methods of prevention and control of diseases of farm animals, e.g. drugging, drenching, dipping,
Routine management practices in farm animals, e.g. selection of livestock and poultry for breeding, culling, ear-notching, tattooing, horn or skin branding, debeaking, dehorning, castration. Fish harvesting and preservation. spraying and simple methods of farm sanitation would be assessed. Assessment would cover the identification of equipment/tools used for routine management practices. Methods of harvesting, processing and preservation of fish would be assessed.