Friday, September 19, 2008

Animal Husbandry

Book Review: Animal Husbandary

Title: Animal Husbandry for Senior High Schools of West Africa
Author: Paul Kwadwo Addo
Publisher: Akaddo Company Limited
Pages: 252
Reviewer: Emmanuel Bonney

Many nations are working to develop agricultural education programmes and institutions. However, the importance of agricultural education has not been given the needed attention. In other cases, the importance of human resource development is recognised, but nations lack agricultural personnel who can plan and implement these programmes at all levels.
Civilisation began with agriculture. When our nomadic ancestors began to settle and grow their own food, human society changed. For most of history, society's connection to the land was intimate. Human communities, no matter how sophisticated, could not ignore the importance of agriculture.
In modern times, however, many in the urban world have forgotten this fundamental connection. Insulated by the apparent abundance of food that has come from new technologies for the growing, transportation and storage of food, humanity's fundamental dependence on agriculture is often overlooked.
To enable the agriculture sector to play the role expected of it, the required human resource is needed for the sector. Students would have to be groomed and given the knowledge required to move the sector forward. This can only be possible when they have the right materials at their disposal.
Animal Husbandry for Senior High Schools of West Africa is a textbook designed to equip students of agriculture with knowledge, skills, and desirable attitudes towards commercial animal production and to view agriculture as a business that they can depend on for their livelihood, especially after school.
It is aimed at laying a solid foundation for students to apply principles of managing animal enterprises effectively and efficiently.
The book also aims at providing the necessary and needed information in animal husbandry for students of agriculture, especially those preparing for the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The book follows strictly the syllabus for Animal Husbandry of WASSCE. The language use is simple for better understanding. Pictures, diagrams, illustrations and tables have been used to aid self-learning and understanding.
The contents include introduction to animal husbandry, anatomy and physiology of farm animals, introduction to animal nutrition, animal health, animal improvement, monogastric production, ruminant production and cattle production.
Animal Husbandry for Senior High Schools of West Africa concludes with an epilogue aimed at equipping students with 10 key points to assist them to cultivate the habit of starting their own agribusiness after school. They include developing a business plan, raising capital for business, good record keeping and customer satisfaction.
The book contains past questions and answers from the WASSCE. This is to give the student a fair idea of the kind of questions to expect in the examination.
The writer is the Executive Director of Akaddo Company Limited. He is a product of the University of Education, Winneba where he graduated with Bachelors and Masters degrees in Agriculture Science and Educational Administration and Management respectively.
He obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration from GIMPA, and a certificate in Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising from the Ghana Institute of Journalism. He was trained as a teacher at the Atebubu Teacher Training College after which he practised for about a decade.
He is currently a Test Administrator at the National Board for Professional and Technicians Examinations (NABPTEX).

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