AMS 803
Engineering Technology for Precision Farming and Conservation Agriculture (3 Units)
Concepts of precision farming. Farming types, including traditional, organic and mechanized farming methods. Appropriate technology. Soil attributes and crop yield parameters: Soil moisture, crop phrenology, growth, evapotranspiration, nutrient deficiency, crop disease, and weed and insect infestation, etc. Spatial variability of soil fertility and crop conditions. Impact of environment on field crop and soil properties and fertility. Benefits and limitations of precision farming. Site Specific Crop Management (SSCM). The technological tools for precision farming: Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), yield monitor, variable rate technology, and remote sensing. Applications of GPS and GIS for farm management. Adaptation and implementation of precision farming. Concept and philosophy of conservation agriculture. Green house effects in agricultural practices. Conservation agriculture practices in selected West African countries. Tools, machines and machineries for conservation agriculture.