(a) Explain any four reasons why small-scale farmers dominate agricultural production in your country
(b) Suggest any two measures that can be taken to encourage large scale farming in your country.
Explanation
(a)Reasons for the domination of agricultural production by small scale farming in my country are as follows:
(i) Use of simple implements. Farmers still use crude implements such as cutlass, hoe, etc. for farming.
(ii) Poor marketing facilities, fluctuation in prices of the commodities and the existence of many middlemen reduce actual income that accrue to farmers.
(iii) Poor transport and communication systems that should link the producing centers to the consuming areas.
(iv) Problem of storage. Only a few agricultural crops can be stored for a long time under the hot climate without perishing.
(v) Poor technical knowledge. The farmers lack modern skills and techniques to raise the standard of farming and agricultural production.
(vi) Land tenure system which results in land fragmentation contribute. to keep agriculture small-scaled.
(vii) Absence of able-bodied youths because of rural-urban drift.
(viii) Climatic factors-low rainfall.
(ix) Illiteracy and ignorance.
(x) Inadequate capital for farmers to expand their farms.
(b)(i) Provision of capital for expansion of farms on a large scale.
(ii) Expansion of market — forging a link between agriculture and manufacturing industries.
(iii) Use of modern equipment e.g. tractors, harvesters, etc.
(iv) Development of transportation / communication facilities and other social infrastructure.
(v) Construction of silos to store extra products during bumper harvests.
(vi) Control of pests and diseases.
(vii) Provision of extension services and dissemination of research findings.
(viii) Review of land tenure system by the government.
(ix) Irrigation schemes to make all year round farming possible to support large scale production.