Page 76 - Agriculture_Form_3

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Activity 5.1
Visit a nearby local market and farmers and carry out the following tasks:

1. Observe and identify different varieties of dry beans sold at the market.
Discuss with the sellers on sources of common bean varieties. their popularity
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over other pulses and the reasons for their popularity.

2. Ask the farmers about the types of beans they produce, the purpose of
producing them, challenges faced and strategies used to solve them. Then,
write a report and keep it in your portfolio.

Exercise 5.1

You are a member of a school’s projects committee. The school wants to start
growing crops, but the committee is not sure which crop to choose. Outline points
you would use to convince the committee that a common bean is a good choice.

Principles and practices of common bean production

Successful common bean production depends on adherence to the principles and
practices of producing the crop, which include good planning and proper care of
the crop. Production starts with the selection of a suitable site, proper and timely
land preparation. Choosing a suitable common bean variety for the local area is
also important. Common beans must be sown using correct spacing. They need
optimum water and nutrients to grow healthy. Weeds, pests, and diseases must
be timely controlled to avoid damage to the plants. After harvesting, beans must
be threshed, dried, cleaned and stored properly to avoid losses. Proper marketing
strategies help to ensure that beans are sold at the right time and fetch good prices.

Activity 5.2
1. Using the knowledge learnt in Chapter One on planning, create a production
calendar and budget for producing common beans in your school farm.

2. Summarise your findings and all the work in your portfolio.

Site selection and land preparation
Common beans grow best in well-drained loamy or sandy soils with moderate
fertility. Heavy clay soils and waterlogged areas are not recommended, as they

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