it's the millennium success series : Integrated Science for Junior High Schools Volume

BOOK18

AGRICULTURAL TOOLS

INDICATORS and EXEMPLARS Out of these seven [7] stages of crop

cultivation, six [6] of these stages are
performed; i.e. carried out in the farm.
At the end of this sub strand, the
student should be able to: These are called the on-farm activities.
The on-farm activities are; land/soil
1. Show and discuss the use of basic & simple preparation, sowing/planting, fertilizer
agricultural tools for basic on-farm activities. application, irrigation, weed control
2. Engage in the use of basic & simple
and harvesting.
agricultural tools for basic farm activities.
Storage is the only is the only off-farm
activity in crop cultivation.

Each of the above processes has a

specific group of tools that can be used
during that stage.

In reality, several tools can be used for a

AGRICULTURAL TOOLS
particular/specific activity/process in the
[FARM TOOLS and IMPLEMENTS]
Farming activities are carried out by the farm.
use of certain tools and equipment.
However, factors like; type of crop being
Different farm tools have specific produced, the nature of land; i.e.
functions for which they are used in the location of the farm, as well as the
farm. size/purpose of production generally
determines the correct tool for a specific
The above is influenced by the stage that work.
has been reached in the cultivation For instance; the tool to be used for
process of that crop plant. sowing yam setts is different from that
which must be used to plant a cereal
The entire process of crop cultivation is
crop like maize/rice.
grouped into seven [7] stages/groups.

These are; land [soil] preparation, Similarly, the tool for tools
sowing/planting, fertilizer application, irrigating/watering a small farm-size
irrigation [water supply], weed control, must be different from that which is used
harvesting and storage. to water a large farm-size.

167
 Introduction
Table
Force of
andContents
Energy
to Integrated Science

The six [6] on-farm activities/processes On a large scale [commercial] farm,

and the tools used to perform them are the cultivator is used for land
as follows; preparation

A. Land preparation
Land preparation is the first and one of
the most important processes in
farming.

According to its name, land preparation

mould board plough
gets/makes the land/soil ready for the
cultivation process to begin/start.

The activities that are carried out during

land preparation include; hoe

1. Clearing the land; i.e. removing all the

unwanted plants [weeds] for it to be bare.

2. Burning the cleared weeds. soil leveler

This is a practice which is presently
cutlass
discouraged because it kills useful soil
organisms and affect soil fertility.
machete
Instead, the cleared and dried weeds
can be mixed with the soil to decay/rot
into organic matter, which improves soil
str ucture and also encourages
[promotes] the activities of soil
organisms.

3. Turning of the soil to ensure that both

the cleared and uncleared weeds are
mixed with the soil.
This activity also improves soil aeration;
i.e. air penetration in the soil.
rake
4. Breaking lumps and clubs of soil and disc plough
also removing stumps.
The tools that are used for land
preparation include; cutlass, hoe, rake,
garden folk, cultivator, etc.
168
 it's the millennium success series : Integrated Science for Junior High Schools Volume
BOOK18

B. Tilling or ploughing C. Sowing /planting

The process of tilling/ploughing the soil The sowing of planting materials is a
involves turning and loosening the soil. very important stage in the farming
process.
This is done to ensure that the top soil and
the sub soil that provide nutrients as well This is mostly because, the success or
as the other conditions for crop growth otherwise of the entire process mainly
have the needed/required supply. depends on this stage.

The plough is used for this process. It can The quality of planting materials used
be operated/powered by a bull/oxen as help check disease outbreak and
an animal-drawn implement or even by spread which can ensures high crop
a tractor as a machine-drawn yield.
implement. Note: When seeds are the planting
materials used for cultivation, the
The common forms of this implement is process is known as sowing.
the mould board plough and the disc
plough. Planting tools differ in shape, size and
function depending on the type of
The mould board plough is used on soft planting material with which it is to be
and sticky soils while as the disc plough buried in the soil.
is used on hard/dry soils.
Hard and dry soils can be watered Dibber, seed drills and sometimes
before the ploughing process. cutlass are used for sowing seeds

The hoe is used for making

Activities that are done during the mounds/beds for planting setts of yam
ploughing process include; and pineapples, etc.
1. Turning and loosening the soil with the
plough Planters are used in large scale
[commercial farms]
2. Using a leveler to break
clumps/crumbs of soil.
This levels the soil surface and proves
beneficial during irrigation and seed
sowing; i.e. makes them easier to
perform.

3. If organic fertilizer [manure] is the

chosen fertilizer for this cultivation, it must
be added at this stage.
planter
[machine operated]
169
 Introduction
Table
Force of
andContents
Energy
to Integrated Science

Tools needed for the transportation and

application of manure include; hand
trowel, shovel, spade, wheel barrow,
head pan, etc.

seed drill
hand trowel

planter
[manual operated]
spade

head pan

shovel
D. Fertilizer application wheel barrow
Fertilizer application refers to the various
ways by which fertilizer is supplied to crop
plants in the farm. On the other hand, fertilizer can be
supplied to crop plants using knapsack
Note: Fertilizer is any substance that sprayer, sprinkler, watering can or by
contains plant food [nutrients]. the broadcasting method.

Fertilizers can be grouped into two [2]

types/kinds, depending on their sources;
i.e. where they are obtained.

Organic fertilizer [manure] is obtained

from plant and animal materials; i.e.
living things but inorganic fertilizer
watering
[fertilizer] is made chemically in the
can
laboratory.
170
 it's the millennium success series : Integrated Science for Junior High Schools Volume
BOOK18

for crop cultivation whoever, inorganic

fertilizer is ideal for large scale farming
because it can easily be obtained in
commercial quantities for large scale
production.

E. Irrigation
Irrigation is the artificial means of
supplying water at regular time-intervals
to crop plants to ensure a
healthy/proper growth.

Water is the most abundant material in

plants, it forms/contitutes about 90% of
sprinkler in-use their volume.

In addition to the above, it encourages

the activities of plants root, contributes
in seed germination and allows
dissolved minerals to be taken into the
plant during absorption.

The above reasons explains why water

must always be present in the soil. The
knapsack time and frequency of irrigation
sprayer varies/changes from crop to crop, soil to
soil as well as season to season.

During dry seasons, the frequency of

watering/irrigation must be high ,
compared to the other seasons.
The broadcasting method involves
Tools for irrigation
fetching and throwing the fertilizer
The watering can is used as a means of
granules among the crops in the farm
supplying water to crop plants on a
using the hands. No special device is
small scale farming system.
involved.
On a large scale system; the sprinkler is
Note: Organic fertilizer is mostly used for
used to supply water to plants like;
small scale production of crops
lawns, coffee and other crops that need
because it is needed in higher quantities
water constantly and in large quantities.
171
 Introduction
Table
Force of
andContents
Energy
to Integrated Science

Fruit tree crops, gardening plants and resources of growth like; water ,
other plants that can conserve water for nutrients , space and light which
prolonged use are occasionally supplied reduce; i.e. negatively affect yield.
water using the drip system.
2. Some weeds serve as host for some
pests and diseases that affect crops.

3. Weeds increase the cost of

production as the farmer spends
money to control hem.

4. Weeds make the farm bushy and thus

interferes with movement in the farm.
drip method irrigation

Although weeds are harmful to crop

plants, yet there are some benefits that
F. Weed control [weeding] are sometimes obtained from them.
Weeding [weed control] refers to various
ways/methods that are used/employed Economic importance of weeds
to check the growth and the spread of 1. Some weeds can sometimes serve as
weeds; i.e. unwanted plants in the farm. food; i.e. be eaten.

A weed is a plant that is growing where 2. Some weeds like centrosema can fix
and when it is not needed. atmospheric nitrogen into the soil to be
used by crop plants.
From the above, a maize plant that is
growing in a tomato farm is a weed. 3. Some weeds are used to feed farm
animals.
However, technically, the term weed is
reserved for those unwanted plants that 4. Weeds could be used as mulch; i.e.
have the special ability to rapidly grow materials for mulching.
and increase in number to replace the
more desirable plants; i.e. crops in the 5. Weeds could be used as manure to
farm with time. fertilize agricultural lands.

Weed control/removal is important

because of the following reasons; Note: The best time to remove weeds is
before they produce flowers and seeds;
Harmful effects of weeds i.e. before they begin their own
1. Weeds compete with crops for reproduction process.
172
 it's the millennium success series : Integrated Science for Junior High Schools Volume
BOOK18

Tools for weed control i. Selective weedicides

The various ways of weed control and the A selective weedicide is a type
respective tools used includes; weedicide that kills only the plants
fromweedicide that kills only the plants
1. Tilling/turning the soil with tools like; from certain families but not others.
plough and ridger before crop Eg. Atrasine.
cultivation.
In explanation; when a farmer sprays
2. Manual/physical removal of weeds by atrasine in his farm, the atrasine kills all
uprooting or cutting them close to the the plants in the farm except those
ground from time to time using a cutlass plants that belong to the grass family.
or hoe.

3. The use of ploughs, mowers, and other ii. Non - selective weedicides
cutting tools. A non-selective weedicide is a type of
weedicide that kills all the plants in the
4. Mulching and mulch application farm when it is sprayed.
equipment. Eg. Gamazone.
Note: 1. Mulching is the process of
covering the soil surface with dead In explanation; when a farmer sprays
plants and animal materials. gamazone in the farm, it kills all the
2. Mulch is the dead plants and plants in that farm.
animal materials like; dried leaves and
grass, compost and straw, palm fronds,
animal droppings, etc. that are used for
mulching.
3. Mulching is important because it
prevents the excessive loss of water from
the soil and also decays to add humus to
mower
it.

5. The use of a knacksack sprayer

[sprayer machine] to spray solutions
[liquid mixture] of chemicals called
weedicides /herbicides on the weeds.

Weedicides/herbicides are of two [2]

types. These are; selective weedicides
and non-selective weedicides.
ridger
173
 Introduction
Table
Force of
andContents
Energy
to Integrated Science

G. Harvesting Note: A type of harvester called

Harvesting is the cutting/removal of the combined harvester can harvest,
edible parts of crop plants after they are thrash [thresh] and bag a cereal crop
matured/ripe. like rice at the same time.
Different crop plants mature at different
times depending on the part which is
eaten; i.e. used as food. 2. Cocoa pods are harvested by a
Generally, vegetables crops mature machete or a ‘special sickle’ with a
faster than other crop types like; cereals longer handle called go-to-hell.
or root and tubers.
3. Tomato, pepper, okra and the egg
Tools for harvesting plant [garden eggs] are harvested by
The tool selected for harvesting depends hand plucking.
on the part of the crop to be
removed/taken. 4. Cassava, cocoyam and other tuber
1. Cereals are harvested manually with a crops are harvested by digging around
sickle or with a machine called a the root with a digging tool like; cutlass
harvester. hoe, mattock, etc.

a combine harvester in use to harvest thresh and bag rice

174
 it's the millennium success series : Integrated Science for Junior High Schools Volume
BOOK18

Shears

RELATED PAST QUESTIONS

sickle 1. The diagram below is an illustration of

a simple farm tool.

Study it carefully and use it to answer

go-to-hell the questions that follow:

Note: In the cultivation of ornamental

plants; i.e. plants generally regarded as
flowers which are grown to beautify the
environment, a common practice called
pruning is carried out; i.e. performed..

Pruning is the removal or cutting-off of

the diseased-affected or overgrown i. Identify the above tool.
parts of a plant in order to prevent the
spread of diseases among crop plants in ii. State three uses of the tool
the farm.
iii. Mention three ways of maintaining
In ornamental farming; i.e. the growth of the tool
plants which beautify the environment, [BECE 2010 Q1d]
pr uning is done to shape the
plants/flowers. 2. State three ways of caring for farm
machines
The process of pruning is done with a pair [BECE 2015 (B) Q 3d]
of shears or a pair of secateurs.
3. List two devices that can be used to
perform each of the following farm
activities;
Secateurs I. weeding

ii. ploughing

175
 Introduction
Table
Force of
andContents
Energy
to Integrated Science

iii. harvesting

4. I. What is weed control?

ii. Give three ways of controlling weeds in

the farm.

5. I. List all the stages that are involved in

crop cultivation.

ii. Group the stages into two general

forms based on where they are
performed.

176