Small Scale Agriculture

Question 1

What is small scale agriculture?

Answer 1

Includes farming which produces mainly for the family with some left over for sale in the local market. It may also include home gardening, kitchen or backyard gardening.

Question 2

What are the characteristics of small-scale farming/ peasant farmers?

Answer 2

Size of holdings, locations, labour, tools/machinery, capital expenditure, variety of crops, fertilizer and market.

Question 3

Size of holdings

Answer 3

A peasant farm is usually small – less than 1.2 hectares (which
is approximately 2.5 acres)

Question 4

Locations

Answer 4

Usually situated in areas with higher altitudes or on marginal lands such as less fertile slopes because they cannot afford to
purchase other land.

Question 5

Labour

Answer 5

Family members usually supply the labour on peasant farms.

Question 6

Tools/Machinery

Answer 6

Peasant farmers use simple tools such as shovels, hoes and
cutlasses.

Question 7

Capital Expenditure

Answer 7

There is usually little surplus income from peasant farming the amount of
money that can be used to invest and make improvements on the farm is very
small.

Question 8

Variety of crops

Answer 8

This is when farmers practice polyculture (many crops and animals) so they have food all year round.

Question 9

Fertilizer

Answer 9

Mostly use organic fertilizer since they often cannot afford others (manure, vege peelings)

Question 10

Market

Answer 10

Only the excess/surplus is sold to local markets (the rest is subsistence).

Question 11

Define the following:

Mulching

Answer 11

This is the addition of wood chips and tree scraps to the surface of the soil to prevent soil moisture loss.

Question 12

Composting

Answer 12

waste can be obtained from various sources, such as grass, leaves, and manure. As these decompose, they form compost that can be applied to the soil which adds nutrients to the soil and increases fertility. This leads to high yields in vegetable production.

Question 13

Crop Rotation

Answer 13

many farmers alternate the crops that they grow in a particular area to help maintain soil fertility and the soil is given a chance to replenish its
nutrients. This aids in reducing/preventing soil exhaustion.

Question 14

Intercropping

Answer 14

Intercroppingis growing two or more crops next to each other at the same time. It is very important not to have crops competing with each other for space, nutrients, water, or sunlight.

Question 15

What are 3 benefits of small-scale agriculture

Answer 15

It uses land resources with fewer consequences on the environment, provides food for locals, employs persons within the community and peasant farming also utilizes organic means of soil conservation