(a) Explain the term staking in yam cultivation (3marks)
(b) Describe the nursery practices in cocoa cultivation.
(c) State five reasons for parboiling paddy rice [ 5 marks ]
(d) State three advantages and two disadvantages of taungya farming (5 mark)
Explanation
(a) Explanation of staking in yam cultivation
- It means using long poles or stick to support yam vines
- The vines are trained to climb up the stakes by the farmer
- Staking is done to ensure adequate exposure of leaf surface to sunlight for photosynthesis
- Staking improves yield of yam
(b) Nursery practices in coca cultivation
- Polythene bags/poly pots are filled with loamy soil mixed with organic manure
- Fresh seeds are sown in the soil in polythene bags
- The polythene bags are placed under a shade in the nursery
- The sown seeds in the polythene bags are watered daily
- Removal/hand pulling of weeds around the growing seedlings is done regularly
- The seeds are sown in nursery between October and November
- Nursery practices last for about 5-6months
(c) Reasons for parboiling paddy rice
- To reduce the breakage of grains during milling
- To harden the grains.
- To loosen the husk
- To make dehusking easier
- To improve the resistance of grains to storage Pests
-To enable the grains absorb vitamin B and proteins in the bran during soaking
-To improve storability of rice grains
(d) Advantages and disadvantages of taungya farming
Advantages
- Varieties of crops are harvested
- It increases the income of the farmer
- When leguminuos crops are used, the beneficial effect of root nodules increases soil fertility for the forest trees
- The young forest trees receive attention from the farmer
- Where land is scarce, the farmer has a piece of land to cultivate
- Ensures effective weed control
- Creates employment
Disadvantages
- The forestry sector may be reluctant to release their fertile land to farmers
- There is competition for space, light, water and nutrients between arable crops and trees
- Choice of crops to be planted is restricted to arable crops
- Labour intensive because the system cannot be mechanized
- Trees may harbour pests/pathogens of crops