Although the burning enriches the soil, it has some detrimental effects. The burning kills any organisms in the topsoil. It also burns up the humus, soil together. Humus is formed from the decayed remains of dead plants. This method of farming reduces the fertility of the soil. Which helps to hold the
Once the plants have exhausted the soil nutrients that came from the burned debris the subsistence farmer would abandon that plot. The soil usually becomes sterile after 2-3 years. The farmer would then travel to another area that would also be prepared using the slash and burn method. Over the years natural vegetation would develop on the vacant property.
Pothole Method
- Pothole Farming is a time-honored technique used in the Bahamas. A practice passed on from generation to generation and initially experienced in Arawak agriculture. Potholes are pockets of fertile black or red soil that are found in rocky limestone areas.
The limestone rock of the Bahamas does not break-up to form a foundation for soil. But, it is dissolved by rainwater causing clearings in the limestone rock called potholes. Soil forms in these pockets of dissolved rock. The soil in the potholes is enriched by corroded plant materials called humus.
Pothole farming does not commonly make use of heavy machinery. Hand held apparatus are more expedient to use in these secluded pockets of soil.
Pothole farming is practiced throughout the Bahamas producing citrus fruits, bananas, cabbage, watermelons, pineapples, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables.
Discuss the marketing / exporting of locally grown crops
The Produce Exchange - The Produce Exchange at the Potter's Cay Dock was built in1967 to ensure a market for locally grown fruits and vegetables. Produce is shipped from the family island to the Produce exchange. The government pays the farmer for his produce and then resells it. The produce exchange markets fruits and vegetables to privately owned wholesale and retail outlets on behalf of the government.
In the mid-80s 75% of the marketing of fruits and vegetables was handled by the produce exchange. By the mid-90s the figure was down to about 40% or less. The reasons for this could be: long delays in payment; prompt payment by non-governmental marketing agencies; and more competitive prices offered. However the Produce Exchange does provide easier access to the capital for the drier islands that produce food staples.
Direct Sales Marketing
Farmers and wholesalers enter into direct sales arrangements wherein a farmer's produce is shipped to Nassau, and the purchasing company collects the items at the dock. The payment is prompt and competitive prices are offered.
Farmers' Market
At a Farmers' Market local farmers sell their produce directly to the local customers. In most cases the produce sold is a result of subsistence farming. Commercial farmer may send produce to the Farmers' market that has been rejected by the packinghouses or produce exchange.
PackingHouses - A number of packinghouses have been established at strategic locations on the producing islands. At the packing house farm produce is processed, graded, packaged, stored and presented.
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Processed - produce is washed and cleaned.
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Graded - produce is divided according to the eminence of the product.
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Packed - processed and graded produce is bagged or placed in boxes.
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Storage - the produce is refrigerated if necessary or placed where the chance of spoilage is reduced.
Packing Houses ensure that there is more grading and better packaging of farm produce; it also greatly reduces the losses incurred by farmers. Produce is shipped from the family island to the main market center New Providence.
Describe the effects and results of poor agricultural practices.
- Problems Affecting Farming in the Bahamas
- The thin and infertile soils.
- Inadequate transportation of agricultural crops to market.
- Inadequate water supplies. There is an uneven distribution of rain and there are no rivers. Some islands have more reliable water sources than others do.
- Negative attitudes of the majority of Bahamians towards farming as an occupation
- Lack of knowledge, equipment and skills.
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On some of the smaller islands, such as Bimini and the Berry Islands, the available space is limited.
The result of poor agricultural practices are many, some of which are very detrimental both in short tern and in the long run.
To much irrigation water: This practice can cause, leaching of nutrients out of the roots zone, water logging of plant roots, and enhances the building up of pathogenic spores.
Poor land preparation: Thus creates poor distribution of irrigation water, increases soil water loss through evaporation, reduces machinery efficiency in the field and disking soil that is to wet which increases compaction.
Explain the value/ significance of modern technology for food production, e.g. powerful farm vehicles, herbicides and pesticides.
Modern technology has allowed scientists to significantly improve the quantity of quality of nutrients in food crops. Modern machinery has made an impact in that its use has reduced manual labour in a few operations by 50%, and in some cases up to 95%. Modern machinery has reduced costs providing lower food costs through efficiency and better economies of scale.
Machines provide faster crop harvest and overall processing time.
Herbicide kills weeds and other plants, which may rob crop of nutrients from the soil. Pesticides kill insects, which may harm crops or spread diseases.
The tractor is one of the technologies we use for food production. It is used for pulling or pushing agricultural machinery or trailers. It is used to perform different tasks when dealing with the farmland itself. It is also used because it is faster and more reliable.
Another modern technology we use for food production is the Herbicide. The herbicides are used to eliminate plants or crops that are unnecessary in the farmer’s farmland. That way you would have live crops growing.
Farmers also use pesticides. Pesticides are used to prevent, destroy, or mitigate or relieve of any pest in the crops.
Discuss the undesirable effects of deforestation and the overuse of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
- Deforestation presents multiple societal and environmental problems. The immediate and long-term consequences of global deforestation are almost certain to jeopardize life on Earth, as we know it. Some of these consequences includes: loss of bio-diversity; the destruction of forest-based-societies; and climatic disruption.
- Fertilizer nitrogen, usually nitrate nitrogen, is very soluble. The water table in most of the Bahamas is close to the soil surface. Therefore, from the misuse of fertilizer, dissolves nitrogen can leach into underground streams which can cause pollution.
- Through the continued used of pesticides, there is a chance of pesticides residues getting into food for human and animal consumption.
The bio-magnification of a chemical as it goes through the food chain is a subtle way of man and livestock being affected by pesticides or heavy metals, which may cause damage or cause cell abnormalities in our bodies.
- Some herbicides use to control weeds are very stable. These stable chemicals last a long time in the soil, which limits the grower’s use of land. Where safety is concerned, through the misuse of chemicals, problems such as severe headaches, respiratory disorders, blood poisoning, infertility and even maybe death.
