Why is water harvesting important for farmers and communities?

To ensure reliable access to water for irrigation and livestock watering

To encourage algae growth in natural water bodies

To increase water pollution in rivers and streams

To deplete groundwater sources faster

What is the benefit of harvesting rainwater from road drains?

To increase the water table and store the water for later use

To dry out the soil along the roads

To prevent water from collecting in the drains

To encourage water runoff into rivers and streams

What is the main purpose of water harvesting?

Collecting rainwater and storing it for later use

Releasing water into rivers and streams

Increasing water evaporation rates

Preventing animals from accessing water sources

What is the purpose of making pits and open reservoirs for water harvesting?

To collect rainwater and allow it to seep into the ground to raise the groundwater level

To encourage evaporation of rainwater

To attract animals to drink from the reservoirs

To prevent rainwater from being stored for later use

How can rainwater be harvested from rock outcrops for storage?

Removing the rocks to access the water

Diverting the water into rivers and streams

Leaving the water to evaporate on the rocks

What is the purpose of building reservoirs for water storage?

To reduce evaporation and protect water from algae

To prevent water from being stored for later use

To attract insects and bacteria to the water

To increase water evaporation and encourage algae growth

Water harvesting and storage  Water is very important for life on earth.  People, plants and animals all need water to live.  There is always not enough water in rivers and streams for farmers to use.  Water harvesting is collecting rain water and storing it to be used later.  We can divert rivers and build structures such as dams and tanks to store water. METHODS OF WATER HARVESTING 1.Harvesting from rooftops: Rainwater that fall on roofs, roads and pavements can be collected, instead of letting it run into the ditches. One way to do this is to use water storage tanks. Rain runs off the roof into the gutter and then into the water tank. 2. Damming rivers.  Farmers may also build dams to store water to use to irrigate their crops and water their livestock.  Some communities block rivers to harness water.  The water might be pumped into tanks  They can then use the water to water their crops and animals to drink 4. Making pits and open reservoirs •If water tanks are too expensive, people can dig big pits and make open reservoirs. •These reservoirs not only collect rainwater, but also allow rainwater to seep into the ground and raise the ground water level. 5. Road drains Rain water can be harvested from roadside drains then led to storage tanks or encouraged to sink into the soil to increase the water table 5. Harvesting rain water from rock outcrops Rain water can be harvested from the rock outcrops by constructing a small wall to block the water and lead it to the tanks WATER STORAGE FACILITIES  1. Tanks – stores water to reduce evaporation and protect it from algae  2. Reservoirs – also reduces evaporation and algae  3. Ponds

Water harvesting methods and storage facilities

• Agriculture is growing of crops and keeping of animals. • People who practice agriculture are called farmers. • Agriculture is very important to the family. Benefits to the family • It provides food. • It provides money. • Agriculture gives us medicine. • It provides jobs. • Agriculture gives us transport and power. • It helps most families become self sufficient. • Farm tools are instruments used on farms to make work easier. • They are usually handheld and are used frequently when practicing agricultural activities. • Farm tools are light in weight, easy to handle and are suited to the strength of the farmer Name of tool Picture Use Watering can For fine watering of seed beds bucket Carrying manure, fertilizer,seed and ripe crops Name of tool Picture Use Sickle Cutting grass and harvesting of cereals like rice and wheat Slasher Cutting down tall grass and weeds USES OF FARM TOOLS Name of tool Picture Use Garden trowel Transplanting seedlings and making planting holes Hand fork Shallow cultivation of soil Aerating the soil USES OF FARM TOOLS Name of tool Picture Use Shovel Loading and offloading soil or manure into a wheelbarrow, scotch cart or truck Spade Digging and turning over of moist soil USES OF FARM TOOLS Name of tool Picture Use Garden fork Loosening and turn soil Garden line Marking straight ridges and garden beds USES OF FARM TOOLS Name of tool Picture Use wheelbarrow Moving items around the farm Items such as soil, mulch, animal feed. Etc Knapsack sprayer Spraying pesticides and herbicides Spraying fertilizers on crops. • An inventory is a record of the things that you have. • This is a list of tools issued out and tools received back and from whom Inventory of farm tools Inventory record sheets Created by Date Name of tool Sheet Tool numbenumber Description r Location Quantity Spade 1/15 Black,wooden handle Store room 2 SAFETY IN AGRICULTURE • Agricultural activities can be dangerous. • Hazards involved results in injury, disability and death of people and animals. • The hazards are usually caused by physical injury and chemical poisoning. Common hazards in Agriculture 1. physical injury These include: • Injury caused by accidents during use of farm tools, equipment and machinery. • Misuse and improper storage of farm tools and equipment. • Being kicked by animals. • Drowning in farm pond, pool or dam. Common hazards in Agriculture 2 . Chemical poisoning These include: • Spraying without protective clothing. • Eating or smoking when spraying chemicals. • Dumping toxic chemical left overs on land and in water. • Eating agriculture produces without prior permission from adults. • Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pollute water sources and kill animals. Chemical poisoning Ways of preventing common agricultural hazards 1. Wear protective clothing such as gloves, gumboots, respirator, hat and overalls. 2. Do not eat, drink or smoke when spraying. 3. Dispose off all chemical remains safely. 4. Bury or burn empty chemical containers and chemical left overs. 5. Wash thoroughly with running water and soap after using chemicals. 6. Do not spray during windy days. 7. Handle tools the right way. 8. Fence farm ponds and dams. Ways of preventing common agricultural hazards Climate and Landuse Seasons of Zimbabwe Seasons of Zimbabwe Definition of terms • A season is a time of the year with almost the same weather patterns. • Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular time at a particular place. • it is the daily condition of air around us. • Seasons are determined by rainfall and temperature. Seasons of Zimbabwe • There are four seasons in Zimbabwe , which are: 1.The rain season 2.Post rain season 3.Cool dry season 4.Hot dry season Seasons of Zimbabwe 1.The rain season ( summer) • It is also called the hot- wet season. • The season begins in mid November to mid March. • The period is rainy and hot. • Dams and rivers fill up. Seasons of Zimbabwe 2 . The post rain season ( autumn ) • It starts mid March – May • The days are bright and sunny. • The leaves change from green to red, orange, yellow or brown before falling. • In addition, there is less sunlight because the days are shorter. • It is the harvesting period of most crops. Seasons of Zimbabwe 3. The cold dry season ( winter ) • It begins mid May – mid August • The mornings, evenings and nights are very cold. • Has short days and long nights. Seasons of Zimbabwe 4 . The hot season (spring ) • It begins mid August – mid November. • The days are very hot with cool nights. • A season for trees to develop new shoots. Summer Activities Agricultural activities done during the rain season includes: • Ploughing and planting of summer crops for example maize, cotton. • Weeding • Pest and disease control • Applying fertilizers. • Weekly dipping of animals because ticks, lice and mites would be many. • Harvesting of summer crops • Preparing fireguards. A fireguard is a fire break. • Beginning of the planting of wheat, barley and oats. Winter Activities • Planting of winter crops such as wheat, barley and oats. • Harvesting and selling of summer crops continues. • Constructing frost barriers for frost sensitive crops such as tomatoes. • Vaccinating animals against blackleg. • Supplementary feeding of grazing animals. • Dosing of animals to kill internal parasites. Spring Activities • Shelling and threshing of grain crops. • Dry planting of summer crops. • Carrying manure to fields. • Ploughing and harrowing. • Making planting holes Soil Components •Soil is made up of 4 components: 1)Mineral matter 2)Organic matter 3)Soil water 4)Soil air

• Landscape management A landscape is the evident factor of a land, its landforms, and the combined features of natural or artificial elements. Landscape management includes maintenance and integration of physical elements, water bodies, land cover, indigenous vegetation, human elements, such as structures and buildings, and climatic conditions. • Soil Preparation In the list of farming practices, soil preparation is placed second because of its importance for seed germination. Before a crop is grown, the soil is leveled and plowed a bit deeply to prepare it for the sowing of seed. After plowing, the soil loosens and develops proper aeration in the soil. • Sowing Seed selection from good quality varieties is the principal step of sowing. After preparing the soil, seeds are spread over the field, called sowing. Manual and mechanical (seeders) methods of sowing can be used. Some plants, such as rice, are first grown as seedlings in a small space and later transplanted to fields. • Manuring Plants need nutrients for their growth and fruit/seed production. Therefore, nutrients must be consumed at even intervals. Fertilization is the stage at which nutrients are introduced into the lands. These nutrients can be natural manure or artificial fertilizers. Decomposed products and waste of plants and animals are used as manure because of their nutrient richness. • Irrigation Irrigation means supplying water to plants. Water sources can be dams, ponds, wells, canals, etc. Excessive irrigation can damage crops and lead to waterlogging. The irrigation interval and frequency must be monitored, as they vary with the crop. • Weeding Unwanted plants grown alongside field crops are known as weeds. These plants are removed with the help of weed killers (weedicides), manually plucking with hands. Several weeds can be removed with better soil preparation techniques. • Integrated Pest Management • IPM – Integrated Pest Management, is a successful and ecologically sensitive technique to manage pests using combined sustainable practices. IPM is a series of methods including pest assessment, decision, and control techniques • Integrating Crops and Livestock Integrating crops and livestock increases the diversity and environmental sustainability of both sectors. In the meantime, it will offer opportunities to increase overall agricultural production and profitability. • Storage/Selling In the end steps of agricultural practices, the resulting grains are stored in warehouses for later use and selling purposes. Therefore, better plant protection methods must be used to protect grains from rodents and insect pests. The stores should be cleaned, dried, well-fumigated, etc., before storing grains. • Harvesting Among steps of farming practices, harvesting needs significant care otherwise it will result in yield reduction. When the crop reaches maturity, the cutting starts, and the produce will be stored in a dry place. This process is known as harvesting. After harvesting, manual or mechanical thrashing is done to separate grains from the plants.

Water Pollution and Rain water Harvesting

Rainwater Harvesting and Grey Water Reuse

Singapore, a city-state that imports most of its food from other countries, started experimenting with vertical farming to scale up local food production as early as 2009. Having limited land but a large population, Singapore has expanded upward by building high-rise “farm walls,” which allow plants to grow up, rather than across the land. With a population of 23 million, Taiwan should follow Singapore’s example and develop vertical farming because this farming method can address issues such as limited land, water, and agricultural workers. 2 First, the rainwater-driven rotary system in vertical farms makes better use of land and, therefore, may help deal with the farmland issue in Taiwan. Taiwan has lost a lot of agricultural land to industrial and domestic use. This land issue can be addressed by the rotary system, which allows farmers to move racks of plants—one by one—as high as nine meters up in the air to get enough sunlight. Each vertical farm in Singapore has more than 20 racks of rotating plant-growing containers, providing an efficient way to make the most of limited land space. 3 Second, aside from the efficient use of land, the rotary system helps save water, which can prevent a lack of water during water rationing. Despite the fact that Taiwan has a lot more annual rainfall than the world average, much of it quickly flows down steep mountains into the sea, which makes collecting rainwater difficult. In vertical farms, plants are watered by recycled rainwater precisely where they need to be when the racks are rotated down to the micro-sprinklers. Singapore’s urban farming has proved that this sustainable irrigation method allows plants to be grown with only 5% of the water used in traditional agriculture. 4 Third, the operation of vertical farms relies greatly on machines and thus may ease the problem of having a declining number of agricultural workers. Low pay, long hours, and tough working conditions on traditional farms mean most young people would rather choose other careers, which results in an age gap in agriculture with many more older workers than younger ones. Such a negative impact could be reduced by the highly-computerized work on vertical farms. Mostly operated by machines, the work on vertical farms is lighter. As a result, fewer workers are needed on vertical farms. 5 Given these points, vertical farming appears to be the perfect solution for Taiwan, and we are technologically prepared for this new farming method. One biotechnology company in Taiwan has been working with a Danish partner since 2020, and they have successfully run a vertical farm in Copenhagen. If we can build more vertical farms in Taiwan, many agricultural issues can be dealt with, and city citizens may be able to start growing and harvesting food sustainably at the touch of a button.

Ornamental horticulture is growing of plants for decorative and beauty purposes. •There many different types of flowers such as, daisies, roses and lilies. Establishment of flower beds •Choose the best place or site for your flower bed. •The site should get enough sun and have fertile soil. •After choosing the site, dig the area to a depth of 20- 30 cm. •Remove any large stones or rubbles as you dig. •Use a rake to level the prepared bed. This will also break up any big lumps of soil. varieties of flowers ✓Flame lilly ✓Rose ✓Marigold ✓Lavender star Propagation of flowers • Flowers can be grown from seeds or cuttings, tubers and bulbs. From seeds From cuttings From tubers and bulbs Petunia roses Flame lilly Dahlia Elephant ear Lavender marigold Planting time • Flowers can be planted all year round depending on the suitable varieties. •In winter they can be planted in pots, beds and greenhouses. •Varieties which need a lot of water should be grown during the rainy season. Management of flowers 1. weeding: ensure that the flower beds are weed free. •Weeds are removed by hand pulling with the help of a hand fork. 2. watering: watering should be done regularly during the dry season and less frequently during the rainy season. •make sure the beds are moist but avoid waterlogging. 3. fertilizing: soil should be well fertilized with super phosphate at planting. •Flowers should not be top dressed with ammonium nitrate as this will affect flower production. 4. pruning: use a pair of secateurs or very sharp knife to remove weak shoots and dead or diseased parts of the plant. •Pruning also encourages new growth and controls the height of the flowers. Harvesting •Cut the flowers in early bloom. •Allow 30cm stems, grade and remove lower leaves. •Tie in bundles •label accordingly, cure by setting 20cm of the stem in boiling water for 20 minutes. (this will make the flowers last longer) •Store the flowers in cool conditions Marketing • Flowers need fast transport to the market. • Flowers can be sold in bundles, boxes or in pots. • Flowers are sold in bouquets at a local market or are packed in boxes for export market. • They are bought for different occasions such as weddings, funerals and parties.

Importance of temperature •Warmth is needed for germination. •Crops grow fast as temperature rises. •Animals also need adequate temperature. •High temperature is needed to dry crops after harvesting. Effects of High temperature •Causes crops to wilt. •Some animals like chickens and pigs can die because of high temperature. •Water evaporates fast from the soil. Low temperature •Causes young animals to die of cold. •Some crops die because of frost. •Some crops grow slowly.

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