Roles of Science and Technology in Agriculture, An Overview.
Agriculture in the past two decades in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by the use of indigenous methods of farming compared to what currently exists. There has been a paradigm shift from what people used to experience in farming for the past two decades.
Agriculture in Nigeria before now is purely intensive subsistence and it is characterized by the use of primitive farm tools and inputs.
The advancement in science and technology has resulted in a shift from indigenous practices to the adoption of technological innovations which have brought major transformation in Nigeria agriculture.
Science refers to the systematic study of things or nature through observation and experiment, while technology is the application of the findings of science for practical purposes.
Science and technology are often used interchangeably, their usefulness depends on one another. Science and technology cannot exist without each other vice versa.
What is therefore Science and technology in agriculture? Science and technology in agriculture therefore refers to the application of scientific and technological knowledge to the production, processing, packaging, and marketing of agricultural produce.
Previously, weeding, clearing, and other agricultural value chains were done manually and this has made farming difficult and time-consuming, today, these practices have gradually faded away creating room for the use of modern technology which has brought a lot of innovative experience in agriculture, and has increased productivity.
Science and technology have made farming interesting, people who dreaded agriculture before now as too drudgery, have started gaining interest and taking up agriculture as a career, producing Crops and animals of high quality, and resistance to pests and disease.
Read Also: Non-Governmental Organizations in Agriculture and Everything You Need to Know
Roles of Science and Technology in Agriculture Nigeria
Some of the notable roles of science and technology in agriculture that have been identified by the West Africa Examination Council that are capable of increasing food productivity in Nigeria include the following.
Man Understanding of the Weather Conditions
The application of science and technology in Nigerian agriculture has helped farmers determine what and when to plant, to increase crop production.
Science and Technology have helped meteorology to forecast yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily rainfall patterns as well as to notify farmers when to expect rainfall or dry season.
Information and data from weather forecasting can help farmers to be aware of the harsh climatic conditions that will adverse effects on crop production. planting crops at the right time can helped farmers help farmers increase productivity and avoid uncertainty.
Information from weather experts has helped farmers to understand when to plant certain crops at a particular period of the year. Farmers in Nigeria can predict when to expect rain taking advantage of the indices from meteorologists.
The North Central region where they have Seven to Eight months raining seasons has three phases of the cropping system.
Phase one is from March to April when plants such as groundnut, okra, maize, cassava, yam so on are cultivated, the second phase is from May- to July when plants such as rice, cowpea, soybeans, cassava, etc. are planted, the third phase is July to half September where, Bambara nut, tomatoes, soybeans, and cassava are also cultivated.
In the South-South where there are no particular periods of rainy or dry seasons, planting can be done at any time, depending on the climatic conditions of the atmosphere.
In the North East and North West which have 4-5 months raining reason have two planting seasons, phase one is from April – to June, while phase two is from June to July.
Farmers in these geographical areas are aware of these phases and know the types of crops to be cultivated per time
Invention of Machines
The application of Science and Technology has helped boost Crop Production by the Invention of Machines that make farming easier and faster.
Due to research on how to better the living standard of the farmers’ science and technology have invented various machines that can suit the needs of various farmers irrespective of their location and environments.
These farm machines have helped farmers to boost crop and animal production in agriculture.
Machines such as incubators, tractors, tractor-coupled implements, harvesters, mowers, Planters, and so on have helped agriculture take its useful place in the 21st century reigning occupation in Nigeria.
Drudgery in farming which makes women and agile youths distance themselves from agriculture and agriculture-related practices has been taken care of by the invention of farm machines.
Genders-related and low-cost farm machines have also been invented by the application of science and technology.
Development of Better Road
Accessible roads have been constructed with the aid of Science and Technology to facilitate the movement of agricultural produce from farms to markets.
Nigeria’s agriculture is mainly run by small-scale farmers who reside majorly in rural areas with scattered pieces of land.
The rural areas have no access roads and some of the roads linking rural villages are cut across by rivers where planks and timber products are used for locally made bridges.
The advent of science and technology has helped to build good quality roads and bridges in these villages where necessary.
Construction and Use of Farm Buildings to Facilitate Crop Processing
The knowledge of science and technology has helped agriculture in the area of the construction of farm buildings for the processing of crops.
Farm buildings are permanent structures on the farm that are used for carrying out farm operations. The buildings are constructed with the use of the knowledge from science and technology.
On the farm, there are various sheds constructed for the purpose processing of various crops such example of processing sheds for oil palm processing sheds, cassava and yam processing sheds, maize and Guniea corn processing sheds, etc.
All of these are constructed with the knowledge of science and technology.
Provision of Storage Facilities
Science and Technology have helped in the construction of complex storage structures like silos, refrigerators, and other methods of storage that have helped in the storage of crops and animals.
The roles of science and technology in agriculture have helped to improve traditional and modern storage facilities that will aid in the storage of crops.
The wastage of crops coupled with the increasing high demand for agricultural produce, has made science and technology provide storage facilities that will help to store produce for future use as well as profit maximizations.
Development and Application of Fertilizer
Fertilizers such as Urea, N: P: K, and supper phosphate are produced by the knowledge of the application of Science and Technology.
These fertilizers are developed as a result of the depletion of soil nutrients and continuous cropping.
Important soil nutrients like Nigeria, phosphorus, and potassium are becoming very scarce in most soil due to human activities like bush burning, soil erosion, and continuous cropping.
To replenish these nutrients in the soil, science, and technology have helped to formulate fertilizers that will help boost crop productivity.
Diseases and Parasite Control Using Various Forms of Vaccines and Drugs
Pathogens such as Fungi, Viruses, Bacteria, and protozoa as well as Ecto and Endo parasites have become a major concern for animal husbandry.
The application of Science and Technology has helped to develop various medicines and drugs for the treatment of plant and animal diseases.
Drugs such as fungicides, viricides, nematicides, and bactericides have been developed for the treatment of animal and plant pathogens.
Also, insecticides have been developed with the help of Science and Technology to reduce the activities of ectoparasites and their activities on crops and farm animals.
The application of Science and Technology has produced vaccines to help farm animals build immunity against diseases and parasites of farm animals.
Weed Control
Science and Technology in agriculture have helped in the formulation of many herbicides for the control of weeds.
Contact and systemic herbicides have been developed with the knowledge of science and technology for the control of annual and perennial weeds.
Many types of herbicides are available in the markets with different brand names for effective weed control.
Application of Genetics and Breeding in the production of better crops and animals.
The need to satisfy consumers’ needs, by breeding crops and animals that will mature early, increase yields, adapt to harsh climatic conditions, resistance to pests and diseases, and improve taste are the major concerns of science and technology through genetics principles.
The role of science and technology in agriculture has helped plant and animal breeders to breed various varieties of crops and different breeds of farm animals.
The need to discontinue the local and traditional plants and animal varieties which are low in yields and productivity has made science and technology produce plants and animals that are different from existing local varieties and bred of farm animals.
Irrigation practices
Nigeria’s agriculture is based on rain-fed agriculture, which has resulted in the scarcity of major food crops during the dry season.
The application of science and technology has helped Irrigation practices in major farms in Nigeria which has led to the production of food crops and ensured food security.
Improved Farm Management System
These are methods and practices adopted by farmers in the cultivation of crops. Farming systems that are majorly practiced in Nigeria e.g. crop rotation, mixed cropping, continuous cropping, land rotation, shifting cultivation, tuna farming, alley, and so on.
These methods and practices are widely abused in Nigeria due to illiteracy and inadequate land. The application of science and technology has come up with a better management of farming systems that will help to improve soil fertility and increase crop yield.
Frequently Ask Questions
What are agriculture science and technology?
The terms agriculture, science, and technology comprise three words, one cannot effectively explain the terms agriculture science, and technology without explaining these terms individually.
Firstly: Science refers to the systematic study of things or nature through observation and experiment,
Secondarily; technology is the application of the findings of science for practical purposes.
Thirdly: agriculture involves the production, processing, packaging, and marketing of food for the benefit of man.
Having successfully explained these concepts, one can now attempt to define the concepts of agriculture, science, and technology.
Agriculture science and technology therefore refers to the uses of scientific and technological knowledge in the production, processing, grading, packaging, and marketing of agricultural produce.
These terms are often used interchangeably because of their usefulness in the field of agriculture. In food-producing enterprises, these three terms cannot exist without each other.
What are the benefits of science and technology in agriculture?
The benefit of science and technology in food production, processing, packaging, and marketing cannot be overemphasized.
The era of technology and science in agriculture has turned agriculture into a smart occupation, becoming attractive to the youths and young adults who see agriculture as the occupation of the aged and downtrodden individuals.
Some of the benefits/roles of science and technology in agriculture are:
- Providing a proper understanding of the weather and climate to help farmers determine what and when to plant to increase crop production
- They have helped to invent and fabricate farm machines and implements that can reduce drudgery in farming and make farming easier and faster.
- Science and technology in agriculture have also helped to construct roads and bridges to facilitate the movement of agricultural produce from remote rural farming communities to markets.
- They have helped in the construction of farm buildings to facilitate the processing of agricultural produce.
- They have assisted in the construction and design of modern and sophisticated storage facilities to aid the preservation and storage of food from pest and disease infestations.
- Science and technology in agriculture have formulated both organic and inorganic fertilizers that will help to replenish lost nutrients back into the soil to help boost crop productivity.
- Science and Technology have helped to develop various medicines and drugs for the treatment of plants and animal parasites, pests, and diseases.
- The application of Science and Technology in agriculture has helped in the formulation of many herbicides (both organic and inorganic) for the effective control of weeds on the farm.
- The uses of science and technology in agriculture have helped breed plants and animals of various varieties of crops and different breeds of farm animals.
Roles of Science and Technology in Agriculture Jss3
The term JSS3 is a Nigeria educational curriculum acronyms that mean, Junior secondary school three, which is also called basic three.
The Nigerian government has made the study of agriculture compulsory for the junior secondary in a bid to catch them young into farming to boost food production.
One of the key concepts of agriculture in junior secondary is the Roles of science and technology in agriculture in Nigeria. therefore, some of the roles of science and technology in agriculture in JSS3 are:
- They help to forecast weather and climate which helps farmers to know when to plant crops.
- They have helped to manufacture different farm machines, and tools, and implement make farming easier and faster.
- They have made different roads and bridges in villages and riverine areas to move food from villages to township market
- They have constructed various processing machines to grind, mix, and package food
- They have constructed storage structures such as silos, refrigerators, and containers for storage and preservation of food from pest and disease infestations.
- have produced different types of organic and inorganic fertilizers that will help to help boost crop production.
- help to manufacture different medicines and drugs for the treatment of plant and animal parasites, pests, and diseases.
- They have to produce different types of herbicides (both organic and inorganic) for the effective control of weeds on the farm.
Conclusion
The roles of science and technology in agriculture cannot be over-discussed, ranging from the breeding of crops and animals to the marketing of these crops and animals, science and technology have played a significant role.
Science and technology should be actively involved in helping farmers achieve better food production to prevent food insecurity in Nigeria and across the globe.