CULTURAL PRACTICES 

Cultural   practices   are   activities engaged by farmers to raise their crops ranging from land preparation to farm level processing. It includes the following in sequence:

1.   Pre-planting operations.

2.   Planting operations.

3.   Post-planting operations.

1.    PRE-PLANTING OPERATIONS

This   means   land t preparation   before planting takes place. The processes include:

Choice of site or Field selection: The choice of a site can influence the cost of land preparation to the extent that it may not be viable to proceed with the development at all. It is important because crops require some soil conditions to thrive. The critical areas to be considered when selecting the land for the establishment of a new site are:

i. Availability of water:

(i) the sustainability of water source,

(ii) the quantity of water available for irrigation,

(iii) the distance to the field, and

(iv) the quality of the water.

ii.   Soil depth:   Some   crops   need sufficient space for root development. Besides root development, soil depth also influences drainage and leaching possibilities. Any obstructive layers must be properly checked to know if they will influence root development and possibly be corrected.

iii Soil quality: Different crops grow and produce in different types of soil. Adaptation could range from a very sandy to a heavy clay soil. The soil quality is related to its drainage capacity mainly when soils are salty or the irrigation water is characterized with a high salt content. The optimum soil conditions are found where water can penetrate to at least 2 m deep.

When evaluating the soil quality, attention must be given to the soil texture which influences the water retention   capacity   and   nutrient necessary for soil improvement.

iv. Soil salinity or acidity: Plant growth is influenced by either saline or acid soil conditions which, in -the end, affect potential yield.

v.   Nearness   to   the   market:   Farm located close to the market makes it easy   for transportation   of  farm produce to the market.

vi.  Access road: This will help ease transportation of materials into the farm and farm produce out of the farm for marketing.

vii. Availability of labour: Labour is an important factor of production. Farm located where there is no steady source of labour might not record steady growth.

b. Clearing: It involved the removal of vegetation, stones, and rocks from the choice area to be cultivated. It can be done manually with hoes or diggers; or bulldozers.

c.   Surveying  or  plotting:   This  is  the process of measuring and mapping out the   position,   size,   topography   and boundary of farmland. Fields which are well laid can be managed efficiently.

d.  Farm   planning:   This   involves the arrangement of the mapped out land for proper usage.

e.   Stumping: It involves uprooting tree trunks from the cleared land.

f.   Tilling:  This is the breaking of the soil surface. The plough is used first to break into the ground (ploughing), and followed by harrow which turns the soil up in preparation   for   ridge   making (harrowing). It helps aerate the soil and soften it for easy penetration of roots. It also mixes the soil.

g.   Ridging:  This is the act of making ridges or beds to enable planting of seed/seedlings. It is the advanced part of tilling.   It   softens   the   soil   for   easy penetration of roots of crops. It also raises the seed bed above the water level in the water-logged area.

h. Seed   selection:   Viable   seeds   are

selected for planting.

i.   Nursery and Nursery practice:

A nursery is a place where seeds are sown until they germinate and develop into mature seedlings before transplanting to the field or main garden. Plants like tomatoes, eggplant requires nursery, while yam, cassava do not.

Nursery practice is a pre-planting operation where seeds are planted first on a bed for intensive care before transplanting to the final ridge or bed.

How to start a Nursery practice

(i). Make a flat seed bed (usually done in a shade where there is no direct heating of the sun); (ii). Add organic manure;

(iii). Plant seeds closely on the nursery beds, slightly covered with little soil.

(iv).   Cover   with   leaves   of plants (mulching) to keep the soil moist, reduce direct heating of the soil, and increase soil fertility.

When the seedlings are matured and ready to be transplanted, we cut the soil round each seedling with the hand trowel, excavated with soil taken to the final place of planting where it is dipped into properly dug out soil.

2.   PLANTING OPERATIONS

These are operations done on the items to be sown on the farm. Some planting materials are sewn directly on the field (e.g. maize), while others require a nursery bed and need to be transplanted on a later date to the field. Planting operations include the following:

a.   Seed treatment: The seeds are usually treated with chemical substances like fungicides and insecticides to prevent infestation of seedlings before planting either on the nursery or open field.

b. Planting: This is the act of introducing seeds/seedlings   to   the   farm   (either nursery of the main farm).

c.   Date/time of planting:    This is the period of the year that planting is recommended. Planting is done when rain has sufficiently moistened the soil. It varies with the type of crop to be planted. Date/time of planting depends on the climatic factor of the place.

d.  Seed rate: this is the quantity of plant materials/seeds to be planted per hole. This will determine the quantity needed for the total land area. For instance, seed rate for maize is 2 to 4 seeds per stand; at 23kg to 30kg per hectare.

e.   Spacing: This is the distance required between plants on the field. This varies from species to species. Plants which spread their branches when growing require wider spacing than those that grows vertically upwards. It helps to reduce competition between plants for space, sunlight, nutrients, and water.

Crops which branch out extensively are sown at the wider spacing than those which do not branch out.

These are operations done on the farm after planting operations. Transplanting is needed for crops/plants planted on the nursery bed. It includes the following:

a. Watering: This is the addition of water to the farm.

b. This is the addition of materials like leaves to shade the seeds/seedlings from excess heat of sunlight. This is done mostly on crops that do not require excess sunlight.

c. This is the process of replacing seedlings or seeds in a stand where the ones initially planted did not germinate or survive. This is done usually immediately after germination.

d. Thinning: This is the removal of excess seedlings   from   a   stand   to   avoid overcrowding. This is done by carefully pulling off weaker seedlings.'

e.   Weeding:   This   is   the   removal   of weeds/plants   that   are   growing   on unwanted areas of the farm. This is to avoid   competition   of weeds   with planted crops for available resources like   water,   nutrients   etc.   Weeding should be done as need arises. Weeds reduce   yield   and attract pests   and

Manure and fertilizer application:

This is the replacement of the nutrients that might have been lost or enhancement of soil nutrients to aid plant growth.

Pest and diseases control: Pests that affect crops on the Held should be adequately controlled to increase yield by applying pesticides. Diseases should also be controlled.

Pruning: Pruning is an agricultural practice involving selective removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. The practice entails targeted removal of diseased, damaged, dead, non-productive, structurally unsound, or unwanted tissue from crop plants.

4.   HARVESTING

This is the process of removing matured crops from the farm for processing, storage or consumption. Timely harvesting will prevent possible infestation of crop pests and diseases that may attack the crop plant while on the field. Late harvesting will, however, lead to low yield and poor quality of produce. Untimely harvest will affect products when there is the need to store them.

5.   POST-HARVEST OPERATION

These are activities that are done to both the farm and the farm produce after harvesting. This includes farm level processing of crop and storage. Farm produce like maize has to be thoroughly cleaned and dried before storage. Some crops like grains cereals and legumes are processed directly on the farm by drying, threshing etc.; while cassava can be ground and fried to make 'garri1, or soaked, dried and ground to make cassava flour. Yams may be stored in barns in a cool environment that is free from pest and rodents.

Importance of Processing Agricultural Products

1.   It   increases   farmer's   income   as processed food gives him more revenue from sales than raw foods.

2.   It facilitates good packaging of produce: we can package processed food more than unprocessed ones.

3.   It makes the produce attractive and presentable.   Produce   like   cassava cannot be carried as we do for garri.

4.   It reduces wastage and spoilage of produce.  Perishable produce can be processed for preservation.

5.   It eases transportation of produce as the wastes are removed during processing.

Storage and Marketing

Agricultural produce is either taken to store (storage) for preservation, or taken to marketing outlets to get income. Marketing is the last stage of farm operations.