MSCE AGRICULTURE - COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE

MODULE 1 – SOIL DEGRADATION

What is soil degradation?

Soil degradation is the loss in value and quality of soil.

Forms of soil degradation

Physical degradation – occurs when rain or machinery destroys soil. The broken particles are then eroded through wind or rain water (puddle erosion)
Chemical degradation – occurs when soil degradation results after excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides
Biological degradation – occurs when soil is trampled by people or animals by breaking down the soil and easily eroding by wind or rain

Causes of soil degradation

Bad farming methods – cultivating steep slopes and river beds which encourage erosion
Constructing ridges along the slope which accelerates hill or gully erosion
Using heavy machinery, which destroys soil structure
Continuous cropping which exhausts the soil and makes it prone to soil erosion
Cultivating the soil when it is too dry or wet which damages the soil structure

Effects of soil degradation

Loss of fertile top soil and eventually reduces crop yields
Reduced infiltration and increased water run-off
Silting of water resources due to sedimentation
Pollution of water resources
Rivers drying up and water becoming scarce
Low ground water table due to run-off
Increased incidence of flooding
Loss of arable land due to gullies that are formed
Loss of grazing land

Control of soil degradation

Ensuring that vegetation soil cover is maintained
Biological soil conservation measures to help reduce damage caused by rainfall
Physical conservation measures to reduce the speed of running water (storm drums, constructing box ridges and counter bands across the slope)

MODULE 2 – CROP IMPROVEMENT

What is crop improvement?

Crop improvement refers to the process of increasing the productivity of cultivated plants by developing better-cultivated varieties, which possess superior characteristics.

Objectives of crop improvement in maize

Objectives relating to increase quantity of yields:

To increase biomass in order to increase yields per hectare
To improve partition in order to improve the desired harvestable portion of the plant
To increase resistance to pests and diseases
To improve seasonal adaptation
To increase tolerance to adverse environmental conditions

Objectives to increase quality of yield:

To achieve uniformity – germination time, growth rate
To promote dwarfness in crops to produce shorter varieties to make forestry easier, especially in fruit. In rice to reduce plant lodging
To improve processing qualities of crop products as required by processors in industry (high oil content, high fiber, high sugar content)
To increase market value of crop products of better colour, texture and taste demanded by consumers

Methods of crop improvement

Introduction – Importation of crop varieties of superior productivity to serve as foundation stocks for breeding or propagating, usually after quarantine and testing

Selection – Choosing of superior plants that have certain desirable characteristics for breeding or propagation

Hybridization – Cross breeding. A process of cross-pollinating two crops or varieties with different characteristics in order to produce a new variety

Types of hybridization steps

Choosing parents – Parent varieties must have superior characteristics that complement each other
Self-pollination of parental lines – The chosen parents are self-pollinated (or mated with close relatives) for several generations (5-6 generations). This is inbreeding done to develop pure lines
Crossing the pure lines – Pollen from one inbred (pure line) is collected and transferred manually to the stigma of the flower of the other inbred

Key differences

Mass selection vs single plant selection – In mass selection a large number of plants showing desirable characteristics are chosen for seed while in single plant selection only one individual plant for breeding is chosen
Inbreeds vs hybrids – Hybrids means cross breeding while inbreeds are self-pollinated
Inbreeding depression vs heterosis – Inbreeding depression is caused by reduction of plant vigor through inbreeding while heterosis is the new vigor of plant as a result of crossbreeding

MODULE 3 – IMPORTANCE AND TYPES OF PASTURE

Importance of pasture

Pasture provides feed to stock grown in dambos and pasturelands
Pasture improves and maintains soil fertility by circulating nutrients through the animals back to the soil
Pasture improves soil structure (decay organic plant material improves soil structure)
Pasture controls pests and diseases because pasture grasses and legumes are resistant to pests and diseases that attack arable crops
Pasture controls soil erosion by protecting the soil from splash erosion

Benefits of including legumes in pasture

The combined yield from grasses and legumes is higher than in a pure stand (animals eat both when grazing)
The nitrates fixed by the legume pasture are used by the grass to increase the grass yield
The legumes have a higher protein content, which improves the nutrient content of the feed
Legumes have higher digestibility even when mature
Legumes retain high nutritive value even when mature, providing the much needed protein in the dry season

Types of pastures in Malawi

Natural pastures
Cultivated pastures

Differences between natural and cultivated pastures

Natural pastures are not cultivated while the other is cultivated
Cultivated pasture tends to give higher dry matter yield
Cultivated pastures have legumes, which are beneficial

Types of cultivated pastures

Permanent pasture which is managed for 10-15 years
Temporary pastures which is managed for only 3-5 years

MODULE 4 – PASTURE ESTABLISHMENT

Methods of pasture establishment

Broadcasting – pasture seed is spread on the soil surface
Drilling – seed is sown in trenches or holes made by sticks or hoes
Oversowing – seed is sown in an already established pasture
Undersowing – seed is sown under growing arable crop such as maize
Vegetative planting – cut stems are used for planting e.g. star grass, Bushman panic

Advantages of oversowing and undersowing

Oversowing advantages:

Improves the composition of existing pasture through the introduction of other desirable pasture species
Increases the dry matter yield of natural pasture (unimproved bush)
Increases the quality of natural pastures in terms of protein content

Undersowing advantages:

Enables pasture to become established a year earlier
Helps a farmer harvest an extra crop of maize from the plot
Eliminates the cost of land preparation
Ensures that young crop pasture is protected
Enables a farmer to obtain a higher total yield from the plot

Qualities to look for when selecting grass or legume for pasture establishment

Adaptability to the environment – to choose species suitable for the area
High overall dry matter per unit area – grass/legumes chosen must be capable of high levels of yield per hectare
High feed value
Compatibility with desired species – choose species which can successfully grow together with chosen species
Proposed method of utilization of the pasture – whether they are for hay, silage or grazing

Factors affecting seed rate for pasture

Purity of seeds
Germination percentage – The higher germination percentage the lower will be the seed rate required to achieve the desired plant population
Seed size
Pure or mixed stand
Soil tilth
Method of sowing – Broadcasting requires higher seed rates than drilling

Seed treatments for pasture

Hulling – Removal of the pod around the seed (pounding in mortar to remove pods or winnowing)

Scarification – Process which seed coats (testa) of some legumes are softened in order to speed germination (immersing in hot water)

Inoculation – Process of mixing legume with the correct type of Rhizobium bacteria before sowing to ensure successful nodulation and nitrogen fixation

Pelleting – Practice of sticking a thin layer of material such as lime, gypsum or rock phosphate around each seed. Pelleting improves legume establishment by correcting the soil pH or soil nutrient deficiencies

MODULE 5 – PASTURE MANAGEMENT AND UTILISATION

Principles of grazing management

Controlling Stocking Rate – Right stock rate for the grazing area to avoid wastage; overstocking leads to overgrazing
Matching Grazing to Pasture Carrying Capacity – The maximum number of animals that can be fed on a given area
Providing sufficient grazing intervals (rest periods) – Give enough time to recover when pasture is not grazed. Not too long not too short to enable pasture recovery and be eaten when still fresh
Rotation Grazing – To rotate to give time for pasture to recover
Strip Grazing
Zero Grazing (Cut & Carry)

Reasons for burning natural pastures

Removes the dry, inedible herbage at the end of dry season so that fresh pasture can grow once more freely
Controls shrub regrowth by preventing bush encroachment
Controls pests and diseases by burning them off
Reduces competition for growth between unpalatable and palatable species

Why frequent burning of natural pasture should be discouraged

It may destroy the legume component of the pasture
It may reduce sward vigor if burning is so severe as to burn off the rootstock, which provides food energy to developing roots

Advantages of hay and silage

Hay:

Can be kept for a relatively long time
Provides cheapest source of animal feed
Supplies most of the energy, vitamins, minerals & proteins
Supplies roughage to satisfy the animal hunger
Can be sold for cash

Silage:

Makes use of variety of forage
Preserves protein percentage
Maintains the freshness
Is more palatable than hay
Is free of weed seeds which are killed by heat
Is better preserved and kept as forage

Factors affecting the quality of pasture

Digestibility of the species
The ratio of legumes to grasses in the pasture
Palatability of the species grown
Crude protein content of the species
Legumes of the species grown

MODULE 6 – CROP PROCESSING AND STORAGE

Processing groundnuts for storage

Groundnuts can be stored in the pod (unshelled) or shelled. Either way groundnuts must be kept dry. Unshelled groundnuts can be stored in sacks and stocked. Just as with maize, shelled groundnuts require drying and cleaning by winnowing for storage.

Important steps in processing maize for storage

Stripping the maize cob sheath – Exposes the grain to air for faster and proper drying. Ensures that storage pesticides (actellic) reach and protect the grain

Shelling the grain – Speeds up drying. Shelled grain takes up less storage space

Drying the grain – To dry to 10-12% moisture content to prevent moulds. Reduces respiration in the grain. Prevents germination of the grain

Cleaning/Winnowing – To remove chaff and dirt

Qualities of a good storage facility for maize

Dry – Prevent moulds
Cool – To prevent grain being heated and increase respiration
Airtight – To prevent pathogens, rats and insect pests

Preparing sweet potatoes for storage

Cleaning – removing dirt and debris from the tubers
Selection – removing tubers which are damaged or bruised
Curing – keeping the tubers by spreading them in a cool, dry and shaded place
Piling – Piling them carefully as they are delicate and less damaged/broken

Processing cassava for storage

Fresh cassava is difficult to store as they go bad in a few days
Cassava is best stored in processed form
Processing cassava reduces the toxicity of the tubers, improves palatability and makes this perishable commodity stable enough for storage
Fresh cassava tubers can be peeled, sliced and dried; these pieces (makaka) can be stored in sacks

MODULE 7 – THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF CATTLE AND POULTRY

What is puberty?

Puberty is a stage when the male and female animals reach sexual maturity.

Age at puberty

Animal	Age
Cattle	8-9 months
Sheep	5-6 months
Goats	5-6 months
Rabbits	6-7 months

Four phases of the oestrus cycle

Oestrus is the term used to describe the heat period when female animals show the urge or desire to mate.

Proestrus – Lasts 3 days. At this period the reproductive tract is prepared
Oestrus – This is when the animal shows most sexual desire
Metoestrus – At this stage corpus luteum is formed. No more eggs are released
Dioestrus – The corpus luteum is retained if fertilization takes place and the animal is pregnant

Signs of heat in a cow

The cow becomes restless
The cow bellows (mooing)
The cow mounts other cows and stands still when mounted by others
The vulva becomes reddened and enlarged
There is a mucus discharge from the vulva
There is an increase in urination
Milk production declines in lactating cows

Gestation periods

Animal	Length of gestation
Cow	283 days
Nanny goat	150 days
Ewe	150 days
Sow	115 days
Rabbit	31 days

Process of reproduction in cattle

The term “reproduction” means to produce or bear young ones.

Mating (male & female) – during mating the egg cells from female are fused with the sperm from the male animal
Fertilization – the fusing of male and female cells results in fertilization of the egg to form an embryo (zygote)
Giving Birth – The embryo (zygote) develops within the womb and the animal eventually gives birth to live young
The term used for animals that bear live ones is viviparous. Mammals are therefore viviparous

Reproduction in hens

Hens may lay eggs, which may not be fertilized. When a cock and hen mate, the sperms are introduced into the reproductive system of the hen. The eggs are laid then fertilized and they hatch after 21 days. The term used for animals that give birth to young ones in this way is OVIPAROUS.

MODULE 8 – LIVESTOCK IMPROVEMENT

What is livestock improvement?

Livestock improvement refers to the improvement in the genetic inheritance of animals and the environment in which they are kept.

Aims of livestock improvement

To increase yield of milk, meat and eggs
To improve the quality of animal products (butterfat content in milk, size and colour of egg yolk in egg shells, quality of wool, and toughness of work animals such as oxen)
To increase disease resistance in animals
To improve the rate of growth improvement

Methods of livestock improvement

Selection – By studying the appearance (phenotype) and performance of animals and their relatives (genotype or genetic make up)
Breeding – By both inbreeding and crossbreeding. Inbreeding results in pure breeds and crossbreeding introduces new blood in the herd
Introduction – introducing or importing animals from other countries

Difference between inbreeding and out-breeding

Inbreeding involves the mating of closely related animals e.g. mother and son, father and daughter, brother and sister while out-breeding is the opposite. It refers to mating of animals that are not closely related e.g. when second cousins mate. This introduces new blood in the herd.

Artificial insemination

This is the artificial introduction of sperms into reproductive tract of a female animal. This process does not involve mating.

Advantages of artificial insemination (AI):

The cost of buying and keeping male animals is eliminated
The spread of sexually transmitted diseases is eliminated
The sperms can be stored for a longer period and used when required

Natural vs artificial selection

Artificial selection is the selection of animals by farmers based on desirable characteristics or good qualities while natural selection is the selection for breeding of those animals within a group that are better favoured by the environment than others.

Progeny testing and sib selection

Progeny testing is the selection of male animals based on the performance of their offspring.

Sib selection is the selection of female animals for such characteristics as egg production and milk production.

MODULE 9 – BEEF PRODUCTION

Importance of beef cattle production in Malawi

Beef production is important in Malawi because it provides a source of food rich in protein (essential for growth and repair of worn out body tissues). It is also important because it is a source of income through sale of live animals or meat.

Breeds of cattle

Malawi Zebu
Afrikander
Boran
Charolais
Hereford
Brahman
Simmental

Improving Malawi Zebu for beef production

Malawi Zebu can be improved for beef production by crossbreeding with Brahman and Friesian although Friesian is mostly used for dairy production.

Management of beef cattle

Shelter – there should be a kraal with enough room and bedding on the floor

Feeding – intensive or extensive system of feeding

Breeding – Crossbreeding in order to improve production and keeping good animal husbandry

Disease parasite control – spraying and dipping animals to kill parasites and drugs/vaccines to kill diseases

Diseases that attack cattle and their control

Disease	Control
East coast fever	No treatment but restrict movement. Control ticks by dipping
Foot and mouth	No treatment but restrict movement. Slaughter and burn infected animals
Mastitis	Treat with antibiotics e.g. tetracyclines and penicillin
T.B.	Slaughter infected animals and vaccinate young animals with BCG vaccine

Internal parasites of cattle and their control

Parasite	Control
Roundworms	De-worming with phenothiazine. Rotational grazing
Tapeworms	Dose with suitable drugs. Practice rotational grazing
Liver flukes	Destroy the snail (host) with copper sulphate. Avoid grazing animals in dambos or wetlands

How ticks and tsetse flies harm cattle and their control

Parasite	Damage caused	Control
Ticks	Cattle become anaemic. Damage hides. Wounds are source of infection (mastitis). Weaken the cattle therefore affecting production. Transmit tick-borne diseases such as East coast fever, heartwater, redwater and gallsickness	Frequent dipping of animals and hand spraying them
Tsetse flies	Suck blood and weaken animals. Cause sleeping sickness disease (Trypanosomiasis)	Spraying the animals. Clearing surrounding bushes

Husbandry practices

These are done before calves are weaned:

Dehorning – remove the horns from cattle to prevent injury to herd boys and other animals

Debudding – stopping the growth of horn buds. To make handling of cows easier and prevent them from hurting each other

Castration – The removal of testicles, which prevents inbreeding and makes the animal docile. Animals also fatten quickly and quality of meat is improved

Branding – placing an identification mark or number for ease of identification

Methods of castration

Burdizzo
Knife cutting testicles
Rubber ring

Disadvantages of extensive system of rearing cattle

Too many cattle may be kept in a small area causing soil degradation
The control of diseases and parasites is difficult
Animals take longer to reach slaughter weight

Advantages of intensive system of rearing beef cattle

Rotational grazing is practiced allowing grass to grow
Prevents build up of parasites and diseases among herds
Cattle fatten up more quickly
Control of diseases and parasites is easier

MODULE 10 – DAIRY PRODUCTION

Importance of dairy production in Malawi

Dairy products are nutritious because milk is balanced containing water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals such as phosphorous, sodium and calcium and vitamins such as vitamin A, B, C, D and E
Dairy products are a source of income because farmers sell milk all year round and cows after lactation can be sold as beef animals
Dairy cows are efficient at converting forage into milk
Cows provide a source of manure, hides and bones
Dairy production provides a source of employment

Breeds of cattle for dairy production

Friesian
Guernsey
Jersey
Ayrshire

Characteristics of good dairy cattle

The body of the cow is lean (without too much flesh) and angular
The body is wedge shaped, not compact and blocky
A dairy cow has a very large udder with teats which are evenly spaced
The legs are short and strong

Types of feeds suitable for dairy cattle

Elephant Grass
Napier Grass
Hay
Silage
Concentrates (maize meal, cotton seed cake, groundnuts cake, bran, bone meal and salt)

Diseases of dairy cattle and control methods

Disease	Control
Mastitis	Treat with antibiotics e.g. penicillin. Observe hygiene and cleanliness when milking
Milk fever	Feed animals with calcium rich feed or bone meal two months before calving

Practices of good milking hygiene

The milker should wash his/her hands with soap before milking cows
The milker should wash utensils with warm water
Give the cow concentrate to feed on while being milked
Milk the cow gently and quickly for about 8-10 minutes

MODULE 11 – TRADING IN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES

What does the term “trading” mean?

Trading means buying and selling at a profit.

Differences between marketing and trading

Marketing	Trading
Stresses consumer analysis and satisfaction	Stresses on sales
Uses selling as a means of communication with and understanding consumers	Uses selling as means to an end
Seeks to anticipate, manage and satisfy demand at a profit	Seeks to dispose of a surplus at a profit

Advantages of trading of agricultural commodities

Community level:

Income from sales raises living standards of all concerned and adds to the economic wealth of the community
Everyone benefits when the producers of different commodities are able to sell their goods to one another
Trading increases productivity of the community, since each member does what she or he is best suited to do

National Level:

Trading creates more opportunities and economic activity which improves country’s economic stability
It increases national output since workers are more focused and productive through specialization
It promotes the development of agro-industries through the provision of raw materials and market for products

International Level:

Trading enables nations earn foreign exchange
Trading offers consumers wide choice of products
It increases business profit for those engaged in this type of wholesale trade

Ways of promoting international trade of agricultural commodities

By promoting good international relations
Increasing the volume of production for export commodities such as tobacco, paprika, tea
Improving transport and storage facilities
Improving on advertising and sales promotions through trade fairs
By offering competitive prices which are reasonable, relative to those of competitors

MODULE 12 – FARM BUDGETS

Difference between partial and complete budgets

Partial budgets are used to assess the profitability of minor changes while complete budgets are used where a farmer intends to open a new farm or wants to embark on a major reorganization of the farm.

Items that make up costs and income from partial budget

COSTS/LOSS:

Where extra costs are to be incurred
Where present income is to be given up or forgone

INCOME/GAINS: 3. Where extra income is to be earned 4. Where existing/present costs are to be saved

Total Costs = Total Income

MODULE 13 – AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES

Definition of agricultural cooperatives

A cooperative is an organization that is formed for the common good. Farmers form cooperatives in order to facilitate production and market their products.

How important decisions are taken in cooperatives

A cooperative should be legally constituted with guiding rules/regulations
Participation is voluntary. People are free to join or leave
Cooperatives are impartial and open to all farming community members who share a common interest
Cooperatives are organized and run according to democratic principles (one person one vote)
A committee of up to ten members (consisting of the chairperson, secretary, treasurer and committee members) is elected and charged with the responsibility of running the affairs of the society. The committee is democratically elected and the election of members is based on trust and quality leadership skills

Factors contributing to cooperative success

The staff and committee members running and controlling the organization have the necessary expertise and are trustworthy
The cooperative has enough capital/funds
The cooperative is efficiently and effectively organized
Staff members managing the funds are skilled, trustworthy and highly motivated
All members are committed to the cooperatives and its success
The organization should have adequate infrastructure such as staff houses, offices, storage facilities, personnel, transport, equipment and supplies
Members of the cooperative receive ongoing and relevant training to improve their productivity and marketing skills

MODULE 14 – FARM MECHANISATION

What is farm mechanization?

Farm Mechanization involves the use of machines and appropriate technology to improve agricultural production.

Importance of mechanizing the farm in Malawi

Farm operations are done faster and at the right time. This allows farmers to prepare the land, plant and harvest in good time
Farm mechanization makes the work easier
Farm mechanization leads to increased production (thus increased crop and livestock yields)
Mechanization releases farmer’s time for other tasks

Limitations of farm mechanization

Capital and operating costs are high
Availability of tractors and spare parts when they are all imported
Skills to operate and maintain the machines might not be available
The topography of the area might not be good
Arable land might not be large and not available

Factors to consider when mechanizing a farm

Size of the farm holding
Accessibility of the land
Topography of the land
Availability of capital
Technical know-how
Value of the crop
Market demand

Types of farm implements and machinery

Implement	Use
Plough	Mostly for ploughing and tilling
Harrow	For breaking down the clods and leveling the land and incorporating manure into the soil
Ridger	For making ridges
Cultivator	For weeding
Hoe	For tilling

Maintenance of farm implements

Implement	Maintenance
Sprayer	Clean the tank after use. Dismantle and clean the nozzle. Replace piston cups and worn out nozzles. Paint the knapsack
Hoe	Check if the handle is not broken and the blade is not blunt
Ridger/Oxcart	Scrape soil and apply used oil to blade

Advantages of disc plough over mould board plough

The disc plough is ideal for tropical conditions because it is able to roll over objects or obstacles such as rocks and stumps. The mould board plough easily breaks if the field has rocks and stumps.

MODULE 15 – REPORT WRITING FOR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS

Importance of reporting experiments

It is important to report agricultural experiments in order to:

Communicate results to farmers or scientists
Tell farmers the recommended actions
Tell farmers the demonstrated evidence
Keep documented record of results

Format for reporting experiments

Title of the experiment
Introduction
Aim or objectives
Materials and methods used
Design of the experiment
Data collection
Results
Discussion or interpretation of results
Conclusions and recommendations

What to report under different headings

Methods used:

Choice of treatments
Design of the experiment
Husbandry practices

Data Collection:

Description of each observation
Numerical information
Diagrams with brief explanation of main issues observed

Interpretation of results:

Observations
Measurements
Reason for each case observed

Conclusion:

Findings
Results
Best treatment
Description of its performance

Important considerations when writing experiment reports

Adopting a scientific attitude:

Emphasizing facts rather than personalizing them. Avoid using personal nouns such as I, we, our, us
Use the third person passive voice

Expressing facts accurately:

Avoid use of vague words
Avoid technical jargon
Use simple and familiar words

Using graphic aids:

To present information in a pictorial way in order to compare or to understand easily

MODULE 16 – LAND DEGRADATION AND THE ECONOMY

Extent of land degradation in Malawi

Deforestation, cultivation of marginal land (along the river banks) and overstocking and overgrazing result in soil erosion, a major land degradation problem in Malawi.

The effects of soil erosion include reduced infiltration resulting in a lot of runoff of water and lowering of water tables, loss of top soil, loss of plant nutrients, sedimentation and silting of streams and rivers, lakes and dams, creation of deep gullies, flooding, desertification leading to the formation of dust storms, low pasture recovery and poor sward composition.

Effects of land degradation on Malawi’s economy

Agriculture production in Malawi is possible because the country is endowed with natural resources such as land, soil, water and forest. However, land that is suitable for farming is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive in Malawi for the following reasons:

As the human population increases, demand for land also increases; this makes the land expensive to own
As more land is cultivated, less land is left for animal grazing and forest reserves
The land is becoming less productive due to soil erosion and loss of fertility
Gullies formed due to erosion take up some land which could be used for farming as it is expensive to reclaim the land that has been degraded
The practice of growing crops on the same piece of land leads to soil exhaustion. The exhausted soil requires a lot of fertilizers, which is expensive

MODULE 17 – POPULATION GROWTH AND FOOD SECURITY

Agricultural technologies that ensure food security

Plant and animal breeding – Resulting in high yielding crops and livestock breeds
Irrigation – Ensure efficient utilization of water for crop production and overcome drought; crops can be grown during dry season
Fertilizer Development – These enrich soil fertility and increase crop yields
Pesticide Development / Herbicide Development – Control pests and diseases
Food Storage and preservation – minimizes wastage from pests and moulds. Food is kept for a longer time and for future use
Mechanization – Farming operations are completed in time and ensure higher yields
Crop Breeding technologies – Disease resistant crop varieties are bred and made available to farmers

Drought resistant crops grown in Malawi

Cassava
Millet
Sorghum
Sweet potatoes
Yams

How drought resistant crops ensure food security

This is made possible through their adaptation to:

Drought conditions
Early maturing
Ease of storage

Importance of growing drought resistant crops

It is important to grow drought resistant crops for food security because they ensure food supply in time of drought.

MODULE 18 – POPULATION AND LAND POLICY IN AGRICULTURE

What is land tenure?

Land tenure refers to the way in which land is owned or used.

Systems of land tenure in Malawi

Public tenure
Communal / Customary tenure
Private (freehold, leasehold) tenure

Difference between freehold and leasehold land

Freehold land is land the farmer owns and can use it in any way he/she wants without paying rent
Leasehold land is land held for fixed period of time (99 years) for a specific purpose for a fee, which is rent, paid annually

Reasons why equitable land distribution is important

To ensure that farmers have enough land to grow food crops
To ensure that idle land is distributed to those who do not have land
To ensure that families will be food secure

Main provisions in Malawi land distribution policy

Traditional Chiefs to distribute customary land to the people to ensure that every member of the village community has land to grow crops
The government through Department of Lands and Physical Planning to lease land to commercial farmers in a leasehold tenure
The government to buy back idle land from large estates and redistribute it to needy and able farmers

Relationship between population policy and agricultural policy

The population policy aims at reducing the population pressure on the land and to increase production