Theory question 101
Agricultural Development(a) Mention two roles of the governments of West African countries in agricultural development in each of the following areas: (i) agricultural finance; (ii) agricultural education; (iii) agricultural extension services; (iv) agricultural policies and programmes.
(b) State three structural differences between disc plough and disc harrow. (Use a table with the columns: Disc plough, Disc harrow.)
(c) Highlight four effects of the frequent use of disc plough on the soil.
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(a)(i) Finance: give subsidies; provide loans/credit through agricultural banks; credit guarantee schemes; agricultural insurance.
(ii) Education: set up colleges and universities of agriculture; fund research institutes; train youths and farmers in agriculture.
(iii) Extension: employ and train extension workers; provide extension tools and transport; spread research findings to farmers.
(iv) Policies and programmes: formulate agricultural policies and laws; set up programmes (e.g. OFN, farm settlements, ADPs) and implement them.
(b) Disc plough: larger discs; fewer discs; discs spaced far apart and mounted individually, each at an angle. Disc harrow: smaller discs; many discs; discs close together on a common shaft in gangs.
(c) Any four: breaks down soil structure; causes compaction/hard pan below the plough layer; exposes soil to erosion; increases loss of organic matter and moisture; destroys soil organisms.
Give each difference as a matched pair.