FARM BUILDINGS AND THEIR USES
For the proper functioning of the farm, a number of buildings are required. Farm buildings can be very expensive and, therefore, a lot of planning is necessary before putting them up. Farm building can make large increases in production possible, thereby, indirectly increasing the farm profits. Since most large scale farms are not near or close to villages, They therefore need many paid person (labourer) to operate them. Farm houses of varying sizes can be found there for the different types of workers like labourers, supervisors and managers. In addition, offices, stores, market centres, tractor/equipment sheds and workshop for repairing the machines are also built. Buildings are also required for keeping farm animals. Farm buildings are very useful because:
(a) They are a convenient means for caring for farm animals.
(b) They protect animals and farm workers from the weather.
(c) They provide a hygienic system for processing and storing farm products.
(d) They protect farm supplies, products, animals and farm workers from thieves and harmful animals.
Types of farm buildings.
There are usually two main types of buildings on a farm. These are:
(a) Temporary and
(b) Permanent buildings
They can also be classified according to their uses, viz
(a) Living houses
(b) Production houses
(c) Storage houses
(d) Farm office
Temporary farm buildings - These are simple buildings constructed from cheap or locally available materials from the farm. They are abandoned soon after the farmer has completed using them. They are also called makeshift buildings, and those commonly constructed on farms include:
(i) Storage sheds for keeping machines, equipment and tools which are being used on site, nurseries for raising seedlings e.g. cocoa seedling
(ii) animal pens,
(iii) construction sheds and garages for machines
Materials used for such buildings are bamboo or sorghum stalks, wood, oil palm, coconut or raffia palm fronds and mud. These materials need frequent care or such materials like wood, sorghum stalks and bamboo can be attacked by termites and beetles which destroy these buildings. They should also be protected against insects and fire, since they burn very easily and wood got rotten, as such should be changed regularly.
Permanent farm buildings
These are solid or strongly constructed buildings normally constructed to last for a very long time. The walls and floor are usually constructed from.
(i) Cement (iii) Stones
(ii) Sand (iv) Gravels
Wood, corrugated iron sheets, aluminium or asbestors are used for the roof. Permanent buildings include the following:
a. Farm office
It is a simple building with many rooms for the use of the different categories of staff. The administration of the farm is effected from there. The office is a central holding place for input/output record of the farm. The farmer's link in communication with the business world outside, is based there. Conveniences such as toilets and conference rooms are provided in the farm office
b. Stores
These are always located close to the farm office. There are two types of stores.
(i) Those for dry goods e.g. stationery, fertilizer, improved seeds, spare parts for machines and equipments, sacks for storing maize, beans etc.
(ii) Cold stores - for fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and poultry products awaiting evacuation and marketing.
c. Living houses
Living houses are buildings that provide accommodation to the farmer and his farm workers. For a successful farm operation, it is necessary for the most important staff to live on the farm. So, residential houses for the
(i) Farm Manager
(ii) Assistant Farm Manager
(iii) Accountant
(iv) Clerk/Typist
(v) Store Keeper and
(vi) Farm Mechanization Officer,
(vii) Operators of farm machines and equipment.
(viii) Some permanent daily paid labourers is advisable and important.
This arrangement, minimises the time spent in moving from home to farm, and crops and animals are more efficiently looked after. The houses should need one another but located away from the office, stores, and workshops, so as to reduce the cost of provision of infrastructure and basic amenities such as roads, portable water and electricity.
d. Production houses
Production houses are those for running farm production projects. Such as (i) Poultry houses, (ii) Poultry hatchers and (iii) Pens for sheep, goats and pigs.
There are different types of poultry houses:
(i) Layers
(ii) Broilers and
(iii) Brooders
Layers are kept in cages where they cannot move about as they like, while brooders and broilers are kept in an open house called the 'deep litter system.'
e. Workshops
This is a simple structure located not too far from the farm office, but nearer the Tractor/Equipment sheds. It has offices for the workshop manager and his assistants, there is a large open area with an inspection pit for the plant mechanics. This is where farm machines e.g. tractors are examined, serviced and repaired. It has space for vulcanizing of tyres, pumping, gauging and changing of tyres, battery charging and an electrical section for the auto-electrician.
f. Tractor/Equipment shed
This is located near the workshop. The shed is made of timber or metal poles with corrugated iron sheets as its roof. It is divided into many compartments for the
(i) Tractor
(ii) Trailer
(iii) Ploughs
(iv) Harrows
(v) Planters and
(vi) Boom Sprayers.
This allows each item to be separately kept and stored.
Permanent buildings are expensive to construct but they do not require frequent maintenance like temporary buildings. Roofs and concrete walls should be examined for leaks and cracks respectively. Flowers should be planted all around farm houses where farm workers live to make the environment more attractive.
0 Comments