(a) List and discuss the factors hindering Agricultural development in West Africa under the following headings:
(i) Basic amenities
(ii) Farm inputs
Explanation
(a) Factors hindering agricultural development in
West Africa
(i) Basic amenities
- Inadequate storage facilities result in wastage of farm produce
- Inadequate processing facilities cause wastage of farm produce
- Inadequate provision/lack of potable water for domestic use
- Shortage of water for irrigation
- Lack/inadequate recreational facilities which promote rural
- urban migration
- Poor health care services/facilities reduce productivity of farmers
- Lack of /inadequate supply of electricity in many rural areas for farm opeartions
- Bad road network connecting the rural areas to the urban centres makes evacuation of farm produce difficult
- Lack of adequate educational facilities for farmers children
(ii) Farm inputs
- Lack of/inadequate access to modern tools and farm machinery which constrains farmers to subsistence farming/use of crude tools
- Inadequate supply/high cost of farm inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals to farmers which reduce farm input
- Inadequate supply of improved breeds of farm animals reduces livestock production
- Inadequate supply/high cost of feeds for feeding animals
- Poor technical know-how in the use of inputs made available to farmers