<h3>Stages of Crop Production</h3><p>Producing a food crop follows an orderly process:</p><ul><li><strong>Land preparation</strong> — clearing, ploughing and harrowing to make a fine seedbed.</li><li><strong>Planting</strong> — sowing clean seed or transplanting seedlings at correct spacing and depth.</li><li><strong>Crop care</strong> — weeding, watering, thinning, controlling pests and diseases, and maintaining soil fertility.</li><li><strong>Harvesting</strong> — gathering the crop at the right stage of maturity.</li></ul><h3>Organic Gardening</h3><p><strong>Organic gardening</strong> grows crops without synthetic (factory-made) fertilisers or pesticides. Instead it relies on <strong>compost</strong>, <strong>farmyard manure</strong>, <strong>crop rotation</strong>, <strong>mulching</strong> and natural pest control such as companion planting and botanical sprays made from plants like neem.</p><h3>Benefits of Organic Methods</h3><ul><li>Builds healthy, living soil rich in <strong>organic matter</strong>.</li><li>Produces food free of harmful chemical residues.</li><li>Saves money spent on bought inputs.</li><li>Protects beneficial insects, water and the environment.</li></ul><div class="callout"><strong>Kenyan context:</strong> Many urban families in Nairobi and Kisumu grow sukuma wiki (kale), spinach and tomatoes in <em>multi-storey kitchen gardens</em> made from sacks filled with soil and compost. These organic gardens use little space and little water, yet supply fresh vegetables and can be sold to neighbours for extra income via M-Pesa.</div>
Audio narration — reads aloud, works offline
What is the correct first stage of crop production?