Factors Influencing Agriculture: Sub-Topics

Sub topics of Factors Influencing Agriculture

Human factors

Levels of education and technology

Health - HIV/AIDS and health in general

Economy (include liberalization)

Transport and communication

Market forces (local and international)

Government policy

Cultural and religious beliefs

Biotic Factors

• Pests
• Parasites
• Decomposers
• Pathogens
• Predators
• Pollinators
• Nitrogen fixing bacteria

Climatic Factors

• Rainfall
• intensity
• reliability
• quantity
• distribution

Temperature

•  How topography and altitude affect temperature
•  How temperature influences crop and livestock

Wind

• Evapotranspiration
• Lodging
• Pollination
• Seed dispersal
• Soil erosion (note section 21.2.1) 

Light

• Intensity
• Duration - long, neutral and short day plants
• Wavelength

Note: Each factor to be discussed with respect to the following:

• Land potentiality
• Crop production
• Livestock production
• Crop and livestock distribution in Kenya

Edaphic factors

Definition of soil

Soil formation

Soil profile

• Definition
• Characteristics of different soil layers
• Difference between soil formed in situ and depositions
• Soil depth and its influence on crop production

Soil constituents

• Constituents (demonstrate presence of each)
• importance of each constituent

Physical properties of soil

i) Soil structure

• Definition
• Types
• Influence on crop production

ii) Soil texture

• definition
• soil textural classification
• influences on crop growth and production, porosity, capillarity, drainage and water retention capacity.

iii) Soil colour

Chemical properties of soil

• Soil pH
• pH influence on crop growth and production
• Effects of pH on mineral availability

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