Level: JHS, Basic 8 | Subject: Integrated Science | Strand: Systems | Topic: Farming Systems (Factors Affecting the Choice of a System)
Curriculum reference: B8.3.4.1 Evaluate the socio-economic importance of different agricultural systems. Indicator B8.3.4.1.1: Analyse factors that influence the choice of a farming system. All the exemplars are merged into one set of notes.
1. What is a Farming System?
A farming system is the way a farmer organises land, crops, animals, labour and money to produce food and other goods. Common systems in Ghana are shifting cultivation, bush fallowing, crop rotation, mixed cropping, mixed farming, monocropping, organic farming, plantation farming and nomadic herding.
2. Main Farming Systems at a Glance
| System | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shifting cultivation | Farm a piece of land, then move to a new one when it loses fertility | Forest areas of Ghana |
| Bush fallowing | Farm a plot for some years, then leave it to rest and regain fertility | Many villages |
| Crop rotation | Grow different crops in turn on the same land | Maize, then beans, then cassava |
| Mixed cropping | Grow two or more crops on the same plot at the same time | Maize and cassava together |
| Mixed farming | Grow crops and keep animals on the same farm | Maize with goats and fowls |
| Monocropping | Grow only one crop on a plot | Large cocoa or oil palm farm |
| Organic farming | Farm without chemical fertilizers and pesticides | Using compost and manure |
| Plantation farming | Large farms for one cash crop | Rubber, oil palm |
3. Factors that Influence the Choice of a Farming System
Economic factors
- Capital: a farmer with little money may choose small mixed cropping, while a rich farmer can run a plantation.
- Market demand and price of products.
- Cost of labour, seeds, fertilizer and machines.
- Availability of roads and storage to reach the market.
Environmental factors
- Climate: rainfall, temperature and sunshine decide which crops can grow.
- Soil type and fertility.
- Size and slope of the land.
- Pests, diseases and risk of erosion.
Social factors
- Land ownership and land tenure in the community.
- Family size and labour available.
- Culture, traditions and the food people like to eat.
- Level of education and knowledge of the farmer.
- Government policies, such as support for farmers.
4. Merits and Demerits (Examples)
| System | Merits | Demerits |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed cropping | Spreads risk, makes good use of land, gives food all through the year | Hard to use machines, crops compete for nutrients |
| Monocropping | Easy to use machines and to manage | Pests spread fast and the soil loses fertility |
| Organic farming | Safe food and a clean environment | Lower yields at first and more labour |
| Shifting cultivation | Cheap and needs little capital | Needs large land and destroys forests |
5. Choosing Wisely
A good farmer looks at the land, the climate, the money and labour available, and the market, then picks the system that gives good yield without spoiling the soil.
Remember: Economic, environmental and social factors all affect the system a farmer chooses.
Ready to practise?
Education Always (education.inspiringalways.com). Original notes written to follow the NaCCA Basic 8 Integrated Science curriculum.