Unit 4.1 Traditional Farming & Rural Development Practices

Question 1

What is meant by subsistence farming?

Answer 1

Farmers grow food for themselves and their families

Question 2

What are staple crops?

Answer 2

The dominant (most important) food in people’s diet

Question 3

Define NOMADIC PASTORALISM

Answer 3

A system where people (nomads) continually move in search of water and grazing for their livestock.

Question 4

List 4 main features of traditional farming

Answer 4

1. Mainly family labour.
2. Little capital input
3. Simple tools such as hoes and wooden ploughs.
4. Small areas of land.
5. Low yields.
6. Staple crops such as rice & beans
7. Small numbers of different livestock.
8. Nomadic pastoralism in some areas.

Question 5

Explain the benefit of a MIXED farming system.

Answer 5

It allows manure from animals to be used as fertiliser for crops.

Question 6

Why is it difficult for traditional farms to grow

Answer 6

Land is divided up between sons on the death of the farmer resulting in very small plots.
Also there is little capital to buy more land.

Question 7

What is meant by land reform?

Answer 7

The re-organisation of land holdings

Question 8

What is meant by security of tenure?

Answer 8

A guarantee of ownership of land

Question 9

How can a farmer manage risk (the possibility of suffering losses)?

Answer 9

1. Grow a variety of crops or farm different livestock so that is one fails / suffers from disease he still has the others.
2. Build up a surplus of assets in good years so they have something to sell in bad years.

Question 10

Name 3 reasons a farmer might struggle to obtain credit (get a loan from a bank).

Answer 10

They need to borrow AGAINST the value of the land they own BUT….

1. If they are tenant farmers they do not own the land.
2. Communal farmers also so not own the land.
3. Many women farmers do not have rights to won the land.

Question 11

Name 3 ways governments can help women farmers have a better way of life.

Answer 11

1. Set up agencies to give loans at fixed low interest rates.
2. Encourage the formation of cooperatives.
3. Encourage gender equality in land ownership through education and laws.

Question 12

List 5 kinds of RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT aimed at improving the lives of farming communities.

Answer 12

1. Improving services
2. Irrigation programmes
3. Grass roots sanitation projects (e.g digging latrines)
4. Establishing cooperatives
5. Introducing renewable energy supplies

Question 13

Define DEFECATION

Answer 13

The discharge of solid matter (faeces) from the body.

Question 14

Give 4 ways in which farming cooperatives help farmers

Answer 14

1. Bulk buying of fertilisers reduces costs (economies of scale)
2. New technology can be shared among members
3. Skills can be shared and training given
4. Group storage and marketing can also save money
5. Farmers can help each other at harvest time.
6. Credit is easier to obtain as a member of a group.

Question 15

List 4 benefits of solar powered lights

Answer 15

1. Less money has to be spent on Kerosene
2. The home has no fumes so the family has better health
3. Small businesses can set up using renewable energy
4. Systems are low cost to buy and solar power is free..

Question 16

How can increased levels of farming affect the quality of the soil.

Answer 16

1. More crops being grown take more nutrients out of the soil.
2. Too many animals can lead to overgrazing and less vegetation cover which means the soil is easily eroded (can be blown or washed away)

Question 17

What does soil DEGRADATION mean?

Answer 17

Loss of quality of soil

Question 18

What does EROSION mean?

Answer 18

Removal by wind or water.

Question 19

Define the word LEACH

Answer 19

It is the action of water flowing through soil and removing substances (nutrients) from it.

Question 20

List 5 reasons soil erosion can occur

Answer 20

1. Trees are felled for firewood
2. More animals cause overgrazing
3. Overuse of paths
4. Drought causes plants to die
5. Poor farming practices.

Question 21

Why might people choose to use firewood for cooking?

Answer 21

They cannot afford other fuel.

Question 22

List 3 problems with using firewood as a cooking fuel

Answer 22

1. Most of the wood comes from natural sources and so is unsustainable (more tress are not planted to replace those chopped down)
2. Women and children have to spend many hours collecting firewood
3. Fumes from firewood cooking cause many deaths.

Question 23

Why are more women effected by this smoke than men?

Answer 23

It is the women who do the cooking and so are closer to the fire / smoke.

Question 24

List 5 ways of preventing / reducing soil erosion

Answer 24

1. Reduce the need to fell trees by using more efficient stoves or alternative fuels such as electricity.
2. Plant trees especially on slopes.
3. Reduce the number of livestock or use fences to control grazing.
4. Educate farmers in better framing techniques.
5. Plant hedges especially on hillsides

Question 25

What is a rocket stove?

Answer 25

An efficient cooking method made from 6 bricks tied together. They are also cheap.

Question 26

What better farming techniques might help reduce soil erosion?

Answer 26

1. Crop rotation
2. Contour ploughing
3. using compost or crop remains to add nutrients to the soil

Question 27

Vetiver hedges are planted to prevent soil erosion. List 4 qualities of these plants that help achieve this

Answer 27

1. Thick fibrous roots hold the soil in place
2. Deep roots help them survive drought.
3. Fast growing
4. Grows well in poor conditions.
5. Resistant to pests.
6. Cheap
7. Low maintenance

Question 28

Define the term mulching

Answer 28

Putting organic matter on the soil to enrich and protect it.

Question 29

What is composting?

Answer 29

Rotting of plant material (leaves etc) which provides nutrients fo soil and helps other plants to grow.

Question 30

How can communities create compost for to improve the quality of their soil?

Answer 30

Collecting organic matter such as kitchen waste (such as potato peelings), animal waste, bark, paper eggshells etc and allowing this to rot down together.