Theory question 104
Forestry and Wildlife(a) Define: (i) Taungya farming (ii) crop rotation.
(b) State four advantages of taungya farming.
(c) State four principles underlying the choice of a crop rotation system.
(d) Enumerate four advantages of crop rotation.
(e) Under what situations would you recommend to a farmer to embark on crop rotation?
Show the model answer
(a)(i) Taungya: growing food crops between young forest trees on forest land until the tree canopy closes
(ii) Crop rotation: growing different crops on the same piece of land one after another in a planned order
(b) Any four: farmers get free land and food; cheap establishment and weeding of tree plantations; land used fully; fewer land disputes; trees protected from fire and grazing
(c) Any four: deep-rooted crops follow shallow-rooted ones; legumes included to add nitrogen; crops of the same family/sharing pests should not follow each other; heavy feeders follow legumes/manuring; cover crops to protect soil; market demand and farmer's needs
(d) Any four: maintains fertility; controls pests and diseases; controls weeds; reduces erosion; uses nutrients from different depths; spreads labour and income over the year
(e) Where land is limited and must be cropped continuously; where pests, diseases or weeds build up; where soil fertility is falling; on erosion-prone land; where fertilizer is costly
Answer each sub-part in turn.