Arable farming

Factors Influencing Arable farming

1. Arable Farming Factors Influencing Arable Farming

2. Physical Factors These are mainly environmental factors which the farmer has to influence if she or he is to engage in arable agriculture. The main physical factors are: Relief Climate Soils Biotic factors

3. Physical Factors These are mainly environmental factors which the farmer has to influence if she or he is to engage in arable agriculture. These are:

4. Relief R elief means the shape of the land surface; how flat, hilly, mountainous, swampy etc. the land is. The ideal relief for most types of arable farming are the flat plains or gentle slopes. Botswana’s relief can be described as flat to gently undulating (hilly). It is very difficult to cultivate steep slopes or mountainous areas. Can you think of any major problem that can result from the cultivation of steep slopes? If you have thought of  soil erosion , then you are absolutely correct.

5. Climate Climate, as you already know, has a great influence on any type of plant or crop grown. I am sure you have heard people complaining of crop failure due to climatic conditions. The main climatic factors influencing arable farming are rainfall and temperature. The intensity (amount) and distribution of these factors must always be considered as they determine crop yields . Remember that Botswana Botswana has semi-arid climate. Is this suitable for arable farming?

6. Soils Soils are varied in their physical and chemical properties and because of this, their suitability for different crops also vary.

7. Biotic Factors Crop cultivation may be hampered by the presence of biotic agents such as weeds, parasitic plants, diseases, insect pests, and wild animals. All these cause great damage or destroy crops. Give examples of biotic agents which affect arable farmers in your area. Do you know any preventative measures to some of these biotic agents? Your response may be a little different, but in Botswana, all types of biotic agents affect arable farming and contribute a lot to low crop yields. Preventative measures include the use of fungicides and insecticides.

8. Human Factors Farming is also strongly influenced by a number of human factors. These are: Capital Markets Labour Land ownership Government policy

9. Capital Try to think of what farmers would need money for. As you might have rightly said, farmers need money to purchase farm equipments or machinery, seeds, fertilisers , insecticides, pesticides, fencing material and also to pay farm labour and to transport the produce. In commercial agriculture large sums of money are required. Farms which require more capital are said to be capital intensive than those which require less money.

10. Markets Earlier in this topic, we defined commercial arable farming as the growing of crops for sale. For selling of crops to take place, there should be a market. But what is a market? A market is a place or consumers (people) who are able to buy products. People and industries serve as a market for agricultural products. What the farmer decides to produce is greatly influenced by the distance from the market. To make you reflect on the market issue, do the following activity.

11. Land ownership Subsistence farming takes place on communal land, that is, land owned by the community. In this land tenure, land is allocated to members of the community by the land board. Commercial farming takes place on freehold or leased land. Under freehold tenure, an individual or a group or people own land, securing their own capital and making profit . In Botswana freehold commercial farms are Tuli Block, Gaborone Block and Lobatse Block and Under leasehold tenure, the farmer pays rent to the landlord or land owner. The rent is usually paid in the form of cash or labour . Pandamatenga and Molopo farms are good examples of commercial farming practiced under lease hold tenure.

12. Government Policy A policy is a plan of action or a statement of ideas. Botswana government has its own policy on agriculture. This policy shows the extent and strength of government’s interference or control over agriculture. Some countries have policies which compel (force) farmers to produce certain type of crops only, but in Botswana, government interference is minimal, meaning that farmers are free to grow whatever crops they like. Government policy nevertheless, has a great influence on decisions made by farmers.