AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS OR TOOLS

 

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS

Agricultural imlements

 

Up to the latter part of the 18th century, cultivation of land was mainly carried out by hand, using very crude hand tools. Later, more advanced farm tools were designed to lessen the strain and stress involved in the use of hand and human labour. The farm tools such as the cutlass, hoe, spade, rake and garden fork are used in most developing countries, mainly by small farmers, who are the vast majority in tropical Africa. These farm tools still play a leading role in the cultivation of land but there is an increasing introduction and use of more versatile hand implements. The fishermen also use tools to catch fish from rivers and ponds.

The most common farm tools and implements are described below together with some valuable advice on their correct use and maintenance and can be used without too much cost on the school farm.

Types of Farm Tools

Simple farm tools include cutlasses, hoes, hand fork, garden fork, shears, secateurs, hand trowel, shovel, watering can, harvesting knife, rake, axe, spade, and sickle.

The Cutlass or Matchet

This is the basic tool which is used by almost all African tribes or used by farmers across West Africa. There are two main types. One has a slightly curved blade with a wooden handle, while the other has a straight blade and a long sharpened edge.

The cutlass is used for cutting down and clearing bushes, trees and shrubs when preparing new farm land, trimming the end of poles as well as cutting of sticks. Digging small holes to harvest yam, planting seeds, loosening soil and weeding.

Hoes: The hoe is widely used in West Africa and there is no other tool which is as varied in design as the hoe. Sizes, shapes and weights differ between tribes. Hoes consist of a metal blade made of steel or cast iron fashioned by local blacksmiths to suit the soil type and use. The handle is short and as a result the farmer has to stoop to use it. The hoe can then penetrate deep in the soil and collect a lot of earth at a time. They are used in preparing land for cropping, used for making ridges, mounds, vegetable beds, nursery beds, for burying weeds, weeding and removal of roots.

Forks

These differ from spades in that the blade, unlike the flat broad blade of the spade, is divided into four or five teeth or prongs which are about 5 cm apart and 15–20 cm long. Each tooth becomes narrower towards the tip so that the fork can easily penetrate into the soil. There are two main types, the digging and hand fork.

(i) Digging fork: It is used mainly for loosening soil. It can be used for scattering farmyard manure and also for mixing compost or manure with the top soil.

(ii) Hand fork: This is a very much reduced version of the digging fork, consisting of a very short wooden handle which is fitted to a metal tube to which is attached four prongs. It is used for weeding and loosening the surface soil around seedling, mixing small quantities of soil in general nursery operations.

Mattocks

Is an implement which in some respects is similar to the hoe. This tool consists of a long wooden handle and a metal head with double blades. One blade is shaped to form a short and rather narrow hoe while the other side of the head is shaped into a small narrow axe-like blade. This is very useful for the removal of roots of young trees and shrubs which are difficult to cut with native and long-handled hoes. It is very useful for clearing bush for the preparation of a new farm. Used for digging and uprooting small stumps. Also used for collecting such things as sand, cement and holding soil or rubbish .

Pickaxe

It has a slightly curved metal head into which is inserted a strong wooden handle, oval in shape towards the head. One end of the head is pointed and the other slightly flattened. The length of penetration of the point into the soil depends on the energy employed by the user; it is a fairly heavy tool and requires some skill for effective application. It is used for breaking up heavy soil and digging out tree stumps and roots. It is commonly referred to as a “digger.”

Axe

It is commonly a traditional farm tool. It consists of a strong wooden or metal handle on to which a solid flat heavy metal blade with a sharpened edge is inserted. It is sometimes used for felling large trees for which purpose a cutlass would be unsuitable. It is also used for cutting logs and uprooting big stumps during land preparation.

Trowel

This is a small hand tool consisting of a short wooden handle and a scoop-shaped blade. It is used for making small planting holes and for removing seedlings from nurseries for transplanting. The curved blade makes it possible for a small ball of earth to be carried with the seedling, thus ensuring survival of the plant. The total length of this tool is about 30 cm. It is also used for spreading manure.

Rake

Has a narrow rectangular blade about 30 cm long and 5 cm wide, sliced into about twelve short prongs, evenly spaced. These form the teeth of the rake. The handle is a pole about 2 m long which is attached to the middle of the blade.

The rake is used for levelling garden plots after hoeing or digging, in preparation for planting or sowing. The teeth or prongs can be used for breaking up soil lumps or clods and for removing stones or rubbish from beds. It is used to collect mown grass and removal of uprooted plants.

Shears

It is similar in shape to a pair of scissors but it is much larger. It is used for cutting or trimming hedges. They are also used for light pruning operations. It has metal or wooden handles. They should be sharpened carefully and are not suitable for cutting branches more than about 5 mm in diameter.

Labels in the diagram

• Cutlass or machete
• Spade
• Digging fork
• Digging mattock
• Watering can
• Rake
• West African hoe
• West Indian hoe
• Measuring tape
• Head pan
• Ranging pole
• Hand fork
• Hand trowel
• Sickle
• Shovel
• Garden line
• Pin
• Axe
• Pruning saw
• Budding knife
• Pickaxe
• Dibber
• Secateurs
• Shears
• Wheelbarrow

Secateurs

It is made of highly quality metal and is somewhat similar in general appearance to the garden shears. It is operated by one hand only while the free hand supports the branches to be cut. It is used if woody branches have to be trimmed or pruned. The metal handles are longer than the blades. It is used for pruning operations and for preparing stem-cuttings or hard-wooded plants.

Spade

It has a long wooden handle and a broad metal blade. The edge of the metal blade is sharp so that it can be easily driven into the soil. It is handled by driving the blade into the soil and using the foot to press down on top of the blade until the latter is forced deep into the soil.

It is used for digging holes for planting, digging drains, trenches and foundations. It is also used to move rubbish and stones, removal of soil from pits, weeding, mixing concrete, levelling loose soil and planting fruit trees.

Shovel

Similar to the spade in general construction, but the blade of the shovel is hollow and broad with a rectangular or round edge. The shovel is often broader than the spade. It is used for moving soil and other materials such as stones; it is also used for rough levelling, loading materials from ground level into wheelbarrows and marking garden paths.

Watering Can

It is a water container with a spout to which is fitted a rose or sprinkler. The opposite side of the can bears a handle. Modern cans are made from plastic materials or galvanised iron. Large cans are used where larger quantities of water are applied.

It is used mainly for dry season watering of seed boxes, sprinkling water over young seedlings, freshly transplanted crops and general irrigation during the dry season.

Wheelbarrow

It is a large metal or wooden container, with one wheel at the front, two handles at the rear and below are the two legs supporting the container. The frame which carries the main weight of the materials has raised sides and is attached a front-mounted wheel which may be either solid or rubber tyred.

It is used to carry harvested farm produce, debris, fertilizers and manures. Not commonly found on small-scale farms but used extensively in school gardens and large commercial or governmental farms.

Headpan

It is used for transporting small quantities of soil, compost and seedlings especially in nurseries. It is a container made from metal or galvanised iron to prevent rusting.

Harvesting Knives

Used in harvesting fruits and crops. They have curved metal blades attached to a wooden handle. One type has a handle attached to a metal knife which has one or two cutting edges.

Sickle

The tool is used for hand harvesting of cereals with thin stems such as rice, wheat and okro. It consists of a curved metal blade fitted to a short wooden handle in the shape of a “question mark”. The inner edge of the curved blade is sharpened and used as a cutting edge. It is also used in cutting forage for livestock feeding.

Budding Knife

Consists of a very sharp metal blade attached to a metal or wooden handle that is short. It is used for budding and grafting and is also used for soft wood cutting preparation and for pruning and harvesting operations.

FISHING TOOLS

A number of fishing tools are employed by local fishermen or fish farmers in capturing fish from water. There are modifications of these tools among various tribes.

Hook and Line

Hooks are small curved metal tools. It may be attached to a wooden handle with a line. Earthworms are placed on the hook as bait. The other end of the hook is tied to a long stick. The line has a float which rests on the surface of the water to show when a fish has swallowed the hook under the water. Fish are attracted by the bait, and in trying to swallow it, it is therefore hooked.

Baskets

Fishing basket resembles the ordinary basket used in our homes although it is much deeper and tapered from the open end to the closed bottom. The woven basket is dragged in water with the open end in front. Weeds are raised occasionally to know whether any fish is caught. As the water drains out, fish are left behind in the basket.

Spears

Spears, arrows, and knives are classified under wounding equipment. This fishing gear can be used to wound the fish as they are being caught. They are very useful in killing fish which struggle as they are being caught. The fish can, however, be wounded. Spears, arrows and knives are used to pierce or cut the fish in the water to wound and kill them.

Nets

The use of nets is the most widely used method of catching fish. A net is made from fine cotton or nylon thread. Small weights made of lead attached to the edge of the net help them to sink to the bottom of the water. When the net is pulled up, it encloses many fish which are caught between the holes called mesh, or between scale and industrial fisheries in Nigeria.

They include:

(a) Cast nets
(b) Gill nets
(c) Seine nets
(d) Drag net
(e) Fish net

Fishing Gourds

Fishing gourds are commonly used in the Fishing Festival in Sokoto State, Nigeria. The gourd is made of calabash and used to trap fish in ponds. Also, some fishermen can also use gourd in ponds and shallow lakes.

MAINTENANCE OF FARMING AND FISHING TOOLS

Farm Tools:

1. All farm tools, particularly those with metal parts should always be carefully cleaned or washed and dry after use.

2. A piece of wood can be used to scrape away surplus soil.

3. Coating of oil should be applied to all metal surfaces to avoid rusting.

4. Tools with cutting edge should be regularly sharpened, using a file.

5. Handles of hoes, pickaxes and mattocks often require replacement and so should be regularly checked. This is a normal safety precaution to ensure that the blades or heads are secure.

Fishing Tools:

1. Fishing tools made of iron should be cleaned after use, washed and dried immediately with a rag.

2. Before stored they should be rubbed with some oil or grease to prevent rusting.

3. Tools should always be stored in a dry place, especially nets and protected from the sun and rain.

4. Children should not be allowed to play with fishing tools because they can injure themselves with such tools.

5. Smoke in the kitchen.