67 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
One factor which differentiates a subsistence from a commercial farmer is that the former produces
Answer: C (for the benefit of his family)
A subsistence farmer grows mainly to feed his own family.
Which of the following land tenure systems encourages the establishment of permanent crops?
Answer: A (freehold system)
A freehold owner holds the land for good, so he can plant long-lived tree crops.
The land tenure system that results in fragmentation of land is
Answer: C (inheritance)
Land is shared among heirs each generation, so plots get smaller and scattered.
The use of land for agriculture is not influenced by
Answer: A (labour)
Climate, topography and population decide land use; labour is an input once land is in use.
Igneous rocks formed within the crust are called
Answer: C (plutonic)
Igneous rocks that cool slowly deep in the crust are plutonic (intrusive).
The chemical reaction in rocks represented by KAlSi3O8 + H2O → HAlSi3O8 + KOH is an example of
Answer: A (hydrolysis)
Water splits and its hydrogen replaces potassium in the feldspar: hydrolysis.
Clay particles are able to attract cations in the soil because they
Answer: B (have excess negative charges)
Clay surfaces carry negative charges, which hold positive ions (cations).
What is the percentage porosity of a soil sample whose volume is 250cm³ when the volume of air is 200 cm³?
Answer: D (80)
Porosity = 200/250 × 100 = 80%.
Which of the following soil water is tightly held to the surface of soil particles?
Answer: A (hygroscopic water)
Hygroscopic water forms a thin film held so tightly that plants cannot use it.
A disadvantage of using organic manure on the soil is that
Answer: B (diseases spread fast)
Manure can carry disease organisms, pests and weed seeds.
Leguminous cover crops do not
Answer: D (reduce the soil microbial population)
Cover crops feed and shelter soil microbes, increasing them.
In the nitrogen cycle, nitrite is oxidized to nitrate by
Answer: A (nitrobacter)
Nitrobacter changes nitrite to nitrate; Nitrosomonas changes ammonium to nitrite.
Which of the following will not lead to loss of nitrogen compounds from the soil?
Answer: C (lodging)
Lodging (crops falling over) does not remove nitrogen from the soil.
Farm drainage does not lead to
Answer: D (reduction of soil alkalinity)
Drainage improves air, warmth and structure; it does not directly change alkalinity.
Which of the following methods of irrigation is best for a farm with an undulating landscape?
Answer: A (sprinkler)
Sprinklers spray water evenly whatever the slope.
The most unreliable source of farm power is
Answer: A (wind)
Wind may not blow when needed.
Water power is harnessed and converted into electrical power by
Answer: C (turbines)
Flowing water turns turbines that drive generators.
A farm implement used for planting grains is the
Answer: A (drill)
A seed drill sows grains in rows.
Which of the following parts of a tractor is most essential in operating a mower?
Answer: C (Power-take-off shaft)
The PTO shaft transfers engine power to drive the mower's blades.
Farm mechanisation in West Africa is not limited by
Answer: A (the large population of farmers)
Many farmers is not a limit; poverty, poor infrastructure and seasonality are.
Mechanisation in West Africa is limited by the following except
Answer: D (labour)
Labour is plentiful; small farms, lack of skill and capital limit mechanisation.
A fruit which will not normally be used in the manufacture of jam is
Answer: C (garden egg)
Garden egg is a vegetable, not used for jam.
The following crops are common staple foods in West Africa except
Answer: A (coconut)
Coconut is a cash/oil crop, not a staple food.
In cassava farming, rapid growth is promoted at the expense of tuber formation by the application of
Answer: B (nitrogen fertilizer)
Too much nitrogen gives leafy growth and fewer, smaller tubers.
Ananas comosus is a
Answer: A (fruit crop)
Ananas comosus is pineapple.
The best way to preserve maize grains on a large scale is by
Answer: D (storing in silos)
Silos hold large quantities safely.
Parboiling is a term associated with the processing of
Answer: D (rice)
Paddy rice is parboiled before milling.
Maize is a very important crop because apart from serving as a staple, it
Answer: C (forms the base of most livestock feeds)
Maize is the main energy ingredient in livestock feeds.
A variety of oil palm is
Answer: B (tenera)
Tenera is an oil palm variety; the others are cocoa varieties.
Andropogon gayanus is commonly called
Answer: C (gamba grass)
Andropogon gayanus is gamba grass.
Pasture crops are best used in preparing hay
Answer: B (just before flowering)
Cut forage for hay at early flowering, when it is most nutritious.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of a good pasture?
Answer: D (high stem to leaf ratio)
Animals want leaves; a stemmy pasture is poor.
Black pod disease of cocoa is controlled by
Answer: D (application of fungicide)
Black pod is fungal, so fungicides (copper sprays) control it.
The side effects of chemical control of diseases and pests include the following except
Answer: D (increased cost of production)
Pollution, poisoning and killing non-target plants are side effects; cost is an economic matter rather than a side effect.
Plant breeders aim at obtaining the following except
Answer: C (adaptation to pollination)
Breeders do not aim at "adaptation to pollination".
Which of the followings are breeds of cattle?
Answer: C (ndama and keteku)
N'dama and Keteku are both cattle; Sahel and Red Sokoto are goats, Ouda is a sheep.
An adult female goat is a/an
Answer: D (doe)
A female goat is a doe (or nanny).
The diagram represents the digestive tract of a farm animal (parts labelled I to VIII). Which of the following animals possesses the illustrated digestive tract?
Answer: A (sheep)
The tract has a stomach with several chambers, as in a ruminant such as the sheep.
The diagram represents the digestive tract of a farm animal (parts labelled I to VIII). The part where gastric juice is secreted is labelled
Answer: B (IV)
IV is the abomasum (true stomach), which secretes gastric juice.
The diagram represents the digestive tract of a farm animal (parts labelled I to VIII). Water is largely reabsorbed in the part labelled
Answer: A (II)
II is the large intestine near the anus (I), where water is absorbed.
The act of parturition in ewe is known as
Answer: C (lambing)
A ewe gives birth by lambing.
The pregnancy hormone in female animals is
Answer: C (progesterone)
Progesterone maintains pregnancy.
Which of the following management practises is specific to dairy farming?
Answer: A (milking)
Milking is done only for dairy animals.
Which of the following is the main reason for not keeping birds meant for commercial egg production under the extensive system of management? Birds
Answer: B (waste a lot of productive energy roaming about)
Energy used walking about is lost to egg production.
Newcastle disease is caused by
Answer: A (virus)
Newcastle disease is viral.
A viral disease of ruminants in which the affected animal shows symptoms of high fever and blood stained diarrhoea is likely to be
Answer: B (rinderpest)
Rinderpest is viral and causes fever and bloody diarrhoea.
The following are practical measures of controlling trypanosomiasis except
Answer: D (vaccinating against trypanosomes)
There is no vaccine against trypanosomes.
The following factors are necessary for siting fish ponds except
Answer: D (climatic conditions)
Climate is the same over the area; water, soil and slope decide the site.
The method of fish preservation in which most of the moisture is lost is
Answer: C (drying)
Drying removes most of the water.
Which of the following statements is not true of agricultural production?
Answer: D (availability of land is more important than its quality)
Land quality (fertility) matters as much as how much there is.
The functions of a farm manager include the following except
Answer: D (financing agricultural projects)
Finance comes from banks and investors; the manager plans and supervises.
In the event of increased government subsidies, the farmer's production cost
Answer: A (falls, hence supply increases)
Subsidies cut costs, so farmers produce and supply more.
The curve for unitary elasticity of supply for maize flour is given by (see the graphs labelled A to D)
Answer: A (Graph A)
A straight supply line through the origin has unitary elasticity.
The equilibrium price of rice is the price at which
Answer: C (its supply equals demand)
Equilibrium is where supply equals demand.
Which of the following activities is not correct about extension agents?
Answer: C (training school leavers to become professional farmers)
Formal training of school leavers is done by schools and colleges.
One of the functions of agricultural extension is
Answer: C (organization and coordination of credit sources)
Extension links farmers to sources of credit.
Why would an extension officer prefer the use of television to radio when introducing a new technology to farmers?
Answer: B (the farmer can observe the various steps involved)
Television shows the steps, so farmers can see how it is done.
(a) State four effects of feed shortage on animal production.
(b) List four areas of specialization in agriculture and state two contributions of each to agricultural development.
(a) Any four: low birth weight and slow growth; poor production of milk, eggs and meat; delayed puberty and maturity; poor fertility/reproduction; greater susceptibility to diseases; loss of weight and death; low income
(b) Any four with two contributions each: crop production (agronomy) – food, raw materials, improved varieties; animal production – meat, milk, eggs, hides; soil science – fertility management, soil conservation; agricultural economics and farm management – planning, records, marketing, credit; agricultural extension – teaches farmers new methods, links research and farmers; agricultural engineering – machines, irrigation, processing equipment; forestry – timber, environmental protection; fisheries – fish protein, income; crop protection – pest and disease control
Two contributions under each area chosen.
(a) State eight reasons why agriculture has not been fully mechanized in West Africa.
(b) List four characteristics of each of (i) subsistence agriculture; (ii) commercial agriculture
(a) Any eight: small, scattered holdings; land tenure problems; high cost of machines and spare parts; lack of capital/credit; lack of skilled operators and mechanics; poor maintenance facilities; unsuitable topography and tree stumps; illiteracy; poor roads/infrastructure; seasonality leaving machines idle; high fuel costs; cheap available labour
(b)(i) Subsistence: small farm size; family labour; simple tools; low yields; produces mainly for family; low capital and inputs; mixed cropping
(ii) Commercial: large farms; hired labour; mechanised; high capital and input use; produces for sale/profit; often specialised (monoculture); high yields
Eight reasons, then four contrasting characteristics.
(a) Define land.
(b) State two major classifications of land based on uses and give two examples in each case.
(c) List six factors that influence the availability of land for agricultural production and explain two of the factors.
(a) Land is the earth's surface and all natural resources on and beneath it (soil, water, minerals, vegetation); a natural factor of production
(b) Agricultural uses – crop farming, livestock/grazing, forestry, fish farming, wildlife; non-agricultural uses – housing, industry, roads, mining, schools, recreation
(c) Any six: population pressure; land tenure system; topography; soil type/fertility; climate; government policy (e.g. Land Use Act, reserves); urbanisation and industrialisation; erosion/degradation; cost of land
Two explained, e.g. population pressure – more people need land for houses and roads, leaving less for farming; topography – steep, rocky or swampy land is hard to farm
Two classes with examples; six factors, two explained.
(a) State three methods of irrigating a small nursery.
(b) Enumerate three factors to be considered in the choice of each of (i) surface irrigation method; (ii) subsurface irrigation method
(c) State two advantages of subsurface irrigation
(d) Enumerate five ways by which the build-up of diseases could be reduced on an irrigated farm.
(a) Any three: watering can; hose pipe; small sprinklers/overhead mist; drip; bucket and cup; furrow/basin
(b)(i) Surface (any three): level or gently sloping land; soil that is not too sandy (moderate infiltration); plentiful water supply; crop type; cost of land levelling
(ii) Subsurface (any three): soil with good capillarity and an impermeable layer below; high-quality water (low salts); capital for pipes; type of crop/rooting depth; water table level
(c) Any two: little water lost to evaporation; soil surface stays dry, reducing weeds and diseases; does not interfere with field operations; no erosion
(d) Any five: good drainage to prevent waterlogging; avoid over-irrigation; crop rotation; resistant varieties; clean water free of pathogens; sanitation (remove infected plants); control weeds that host pests; spray fungicides/pesticides; correct spacing for air movement; control snails and mosquitoes (bilharzia, malaria)
Answer every part separately.
Discuss the following practices in crop production:
(a) transplanting
(b) shading;
(c) supplying/filling-in;
(d) nursery.
(a) Transplanting: moving seedlings from nursery to field; water the nursery before lifting, lift with a ball of soil, transplant in the evening or on cool days, plant at the same depth, water and shade after
(b) Shading: providing shade for young or shade-loving crops (cocoa, nursery seedlings) using palm fronds, shade trees or plantain/cocoyam; reduces heat, water loss and scorching
(c) Supplying/filling-in: replanting missing stands where seeds failed or seedlings died, soon after germination, to keep the correct plant population
(d) Nursery: a small specially prepared area where seedlings are raised before transplanting; gives care (watering, shading, weeding, pest control) and only healthy, vigorous seedlings are transplanted; types: beds, boxes, polythene bags
Explain what each practice is, how and why it is done.
(a) Define the terms budding and grafting
(b) List four materials required for budding.
(c) Give two reasons why the improvement of crops by selection may not produce the desired results.
(d) State four disadvantages of asexual reproduction and four advantages of sexual reproduction in crop plants.
(a) Budding: inserting a bud from a desired plant (scion) under the bark of a rootstock so they unite and grow as one plant. Grafting: joining a shoot/stem piece (scion) of a desired plant onto a rooted stock so they grow together
(b) Any four: budding knife; budwood (scion) from the desired plant; rootstock seedling; budding tape/polythene strip/raffia; grafting wax; secateurs; sharpening stone
(c) Any two: selection only uses existing variation and cannot create new characters; the desired trait may be due to environment, not genes; traits may not be passed on (heterozygous plants segregate); it is slow
(d) Asexual disadvantages (any four): no new variation; diseases carried in planting material; bulky planting materials hard to store and transport; overcrowding near the parent; plants may be less vigorous; needs skill (budding/grafting)
Sexual advantages (any four): variation for breeding new varieties; seeds easy to store and transport; seeds can stay dormant; hybrid vigour; seeds are usually disease-free; large numbers produced
Clear definitions, then lists.
(a) Enumerate three major organs in each of the thoracic and abdominal cavities of farm animals.
(b) State two functions of the nervous and one function of the reproductive systems.
(c) Explain the importance of the following systems in farm animals: (i) circulatory system; (ii) respiratory system; (iii) digestive system
(a) Thoracic: heart, lungs, trachea, oesophagus, thymus; abdominal: stomach, liver, intestines, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, uterus/ovaries, bladder
(b) Nervous (any two): coordinates body activities; receives stimuli and responds; controls movement; controls involuntary activities (heartbeat, breathing); memory/learning. Reproductive (any one): produces gametes (sperm/ova); produces hormones; carries the developing young; ensures continuity of the species
(c)(i) Circulatory: transports nutrients, oxygen, hormones and antibodies to cells and removes wastes; regulates temperature
(ii) Respiratory: takes in oxygen and removes carbon dioxide; helps cooling (panting) in animals
(iii) Digestive: breaks down food into absorbable nutrients; absorbs nutrients into the blood; removes undigested waste
Three organs in each cavity; one importance per system at least.
(a) Describe the construction of a fish pond
(b) State eight measures necessary for the efficient operation of an egg incubator.
(a) Choose a suitable site (water supply, clay soil, gentle slope); clear and survey/peg the site; dig the pond to the required depth (about 1–1.5 m), sloping the bottom towards the outlet; build strong dykes (embankments) with compacted clay; install inlet and outlet pipes/monk with screens; make a spillway; plant grass on dykes to prevent erosion; lime and fertilise, then fill with water before stocking
(b) Any eight: keep temperature at about 37.5–38 °C; keep relative humidity at about 60–70% (higher at hatching); good ventilation; turn eggs several times a day (stop 3 days before hatch); use clean, fertile eggs of good size and shell; candle eggs to remove infertile ones; clean and fumigate the incubator; reliable power supply/stand-by; place in a draught-free room; keep records
Describe the pond construction step by step; eight incubator measures.
(a) Discuss the effects of rural-urban migration on agricultural production
(b) Explain how: (i) demand affects agricultural production given that supply is constant; (ii) supply affects agricultural production when demand is constant
(c) State two effects of (i) demand on farmers' income when price is constant. (ii) supply on farmers' income when demand is constant.
(d) State five roles expected of a farm manager in a farm enterprise
(a) Shortage and high cost of farm labour; ageing farming population; less food produced/food shortage and higher prices; abandoned farms; slower adoption of innovations; but remittances may fund farms, and fewer people share land
(b)(i) When demand rises with supply fixed, prices rise, encouraging farmers to produce more; when demand falls, prices fall and production is discouraged
(ii) When supply rises with demand fixed, prices fall, which may discourage production; when supply falls, prices rise
(c)(i) At constant price, higher demand means more is sold so income rises; lower demand means less sold and income falls
(ii) With constant demand, an increase in supply lowers prices and can reduce farmers' income (glut); a fall in supply raises prices and may raise income
(d) Any five: planning; organising resources; decision making; coordinating and supervising workers; record keeping; marketing produce and buying inputs; controlling and evaluating; risk bearing
Use the laws of demand and supply in (b) and (c).
(a) State two methods of calculating depreciation of farm machines
(b) List four roles of capital in agricultural production
(c) Explain five major roles played by middlemen in the marketing of agricultural produce
(a) Any two: straight-line method; reducing (declining) balance method; sum-of-the-years'-digits method; revaluation method
(b) Any four: buys land and inputs (seeds, fertilizer, feed); buys machines and equipment; pays wages; builds farm structures; makes expansion possible; allows adoption of new technology
(c) Any five: buy produce in bulk from scattered farmers (assembling); transport produce to markets; store produce till needed; grade, process and package; give credit/advance payment to farmers; provide market information; bear risks of price changes and losses; distribute to retailers and consumers
Name two methods; explain each middleman role.