Theory question 101
Agricultural Development(a) State six causes of food shortage in West Africa.
(b) Name four governmental organizations that are involved in the improvement of agricultural production in West Africa.
(c)(i) Mention three field operations that could be powered by the tractor on the farm. (ii) Give five reasons why it is difficult for farmers to acquire tractors in West Africa.
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(a) Any six: pests and diseases; poor or irregular rainfall/drought; dependence on rain-fed farming; poor rural roads and amenities; inadequate farm inputs; desert encroachment, erosion and environmental degradation; climate change; war and insecurity; floods and other natural disasters; rural-urban migration; poor storage and processing; high population growth; poor government policies.
(b) Any four: River Basin Development Authorities; Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs); agricultural/development banks (e.g. Bank of Agriculture); national agricultural research institutes; National Agricultural Insurance Corporation; national land development authorities; ministries of agriculture.
(c)(i) Any three: ploughing; harrowing; ridging; planting; fertilizer application; spraying; mowing; harvesting; transporting inputs and produce.
(ii) Any five: high purchase price; high cost of maintenance and fuel; lack of capital/credit; scarcity of spare parts; lack of technical know-how/operators; small, fragmented holdings; poor government support.
Six separate causes in (a).