Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 1
ECONOMIC PRODUCTION OF CROPS
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ECONOMIC PRODUCTION OF CROPS
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Subject: Agricultural Science
Class: SHS 1
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 13
Grade code: 2.2.1.LI.3
Strand code: 2
Sub-strand code: 1
Content standard code: 2.2.1.CS.1
Indicator code: 2.2.1.LI.3
Theme: FARMING FOR JOBS AND INCOMES
Subtheme: ECONOMIC PRODUCTION OF CROPS
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Welcome, future agri-preneurs! In Ghana, we are blessed with fertile land that allows us to grow many crops like maize, cassava, yam, and groundnuts. However, simply growing a crop is only half the journey. A significant portion of what our hardworking farmers produce is lost after harvesting because it is not handled, stored, or processed correctly. Furthermore, many farmers do not get the best price for their produce because they lack effective marketing skills. This lesson is about turning your harvest into cash ("cedis").
This lesson is divided into two main parts: what you do with the crops after harvesting (Post-Harvest Practices) and how you sell them for money (Marketing). Part A: Post-Harvest Practices: Protecting Your Investment
What is "Post-Harvest"? Post-harvest refers to all the activities and operations that take place from the moment a crop is removed from the ground or plant until it reaches the final consumer.
Why are Post-Harvest Practices So Important? To Reduce Losses: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that up to 40% of food produced in developing countries is lost after harvest. Imagine growing 10 bags of maize and losing 4 of them to insects, rot, or spillage! Proper practices prevent this. To Maintain Quality: Good practices keep the crop fresh, nutritious, and looking good (e.g., preventing yams from bruising, or tomatoes from getting squashed). High-quality produce fetches a higher price. To Increase Shelf Life: Proper drying and storage allow you to keep crops for longer. This means you can wait to sell when prices are higher, instead of selling immediately at a low price during the peak harvest season. To Add Value: Some practices, like processing cassava into gari or groundnuts into kulikuli, transform the raw product into something more valuable, which can be sold for more money.
Key Post-Harvest Practices for Ghanaian Crops