Towards Effective Teaching and Learning of Primary Agriculture: Pot Trials to Validate An Alternative Medium for Demonstrating the Mixed Cropping Concept
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Many factors are associated with teaching and learning of practical agriculture, regardless of the concept to be taught either it is animal or crop production. Notable among them are the pupils attitude to practical aspects that involve manual work, availability of suitable and spacious land area that can serve as the garden or teaching and demonstration farm. The issue of instructional materials that are real objects to facilitate teaching and learning in both classroom and farm cannot be overemphasised in the teaching and learning process. This paper focused on alternative methods designed for teaching the production of some common ephemeral and arable crops using pot or sizable containers that serve as the demonstration portions for the learners. Maize, Bambara groundnut and Celosia were raised in containers (30 cm circumference and 15 cm deep) that can easily be maintained or managed by pupils at Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija, Epe, to demonstrate crop production. Maize and Bambara groundnut were intercropped with Celosia (vegetable) and these crops were also sown as sole crops for growth and yield comparison. Results obtained showed that these cropping systems can be demonstrated practically and effectively before pupils are exposed to the main field, especially in schools with land for practical Agriculture. However, the limitation is plant density per planting medium, especially in land-constrained schools is the determinant factor for practical or demonstration of this con cept of Primary Agriculture.
Author: Ougbemi, Peter Wusu
Institution: Lagos State University of Education
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7208836320