AGRICULTURE

    AGRICULTURAL   SOCIETIES

                    Agriculture is the system of cultivating crops and keeping animals. Or, is an adaptation of early farming technique, crop cultivation and domestication of animals (during Neolithic revolution).

The Agricultural systems that were involved in Africa were influenced by

-Climate

-soil formation

-Drainage system

-Relief features.

v There were several Agricultural systems that involved in Africa. These were

Ø Shifting cultivation

Ø Intercropping

Ø Agro forest

Ø Irrigation system

Ø Mixed farming

Ø Terracing

                                                       I.            SHIFTING CULTIVATION.

This was the method of cultivation which involve shifting to a new land when the land cultivated for several season got exhausted, was suitable in low population and plain land it was more practiced in savanna bush land. E.g., kikuyu, Sukuma

                                                     II.            INTERCROPING FARMING

This was the Agricultural system which involves planting different species and varieties of crops on the same field, was good due to climatic change, E.g. Swazi people.

                                                  III.            AGRO-FOREST.

This was the Agricultural system which involves planting trees on cultivated field. Is suitable for soil fertility and it provide shade to crops. E.g. kikuyu, Haya and Sukuma

                                                  IV.            IRRIGATION FARMING

This was Agricultural system which involve the application of controlling amount of water to plant at needed interval, help to grow Agricultural crops, maintain land scape and revegetate in dry area or period of less rain. E .g. Egypt, North Sudan, Tunisia and North Nigeria

                                                    V.            MIXED FARMING

This was the system of Farming that involve growing of crops and raising livestock. E.g. Gogo, Kurya, Nyaturu in Tanzania

-Fulani in West Africa

-Swazi and Nguni in south Africa

                                                  VI.            TERRACING FARMING

This was the Agricultural system which involve the construction of ridges across the slope in order to avoid soil erosion, it is common in high land areas

CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES

Ø There was increase of tendence of living of permanent and semi- permanent

Ø There was increase population

Ø There was increase modification of natural Environment

Ø Formation of classes in the society and social hierarchies

Ø They practice of land ownership was common

Ø Emergence of trading economies