66 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
The most important contribution of agriculture to mankind is the provision of
Answer: D (food)
Above all, agriculture feeds people; food is a basic need of every human being.
An advantage of commercial agriculture is that it
Answer: C (produces high returns)
Commercial farming is done on a large scale for sale, so it brings in high returns (profit).
Agricultural land use is negatively affected by
Answer: C (increase in population)
As population increases, more land is taken for houses, roads and industries, and farm holdings are split into smaller pieces. This reduces the land available for agriculture.
The practice of growing both food and forage crops simultaneously on the same piece of land is called
Answer: B (ley farming)
Ley farming combines arable crops and pasture (forage) on the same land, so the land supports both crops and livestock.
The use of land for agricultural purpose involves the following except
Answer: C (road construction)
Road construction is a non-agricultural (engineering) use of land.
The natural grasslands of West Africa are generally located in the
Answer: B (guinea savanna)
The Guinea savanna is the main natural grassland belt; forests and mangroves are tree-covered.
The following processes in soil formation are caused by biotic factors except
Answer: D (soil disintegration by dehydration)
Dehydration (drying out) is a physical, non-living process; the others are done by living things.
Which of the following rocks is not formed from pre-existing rocks?
Answer: B (Granite)
Granite is an igneous rock formed from cooled magma; limestone and shale are sedimentary and marble is metamorphic.
Chemical weathering is fastest in
Answer: B (hot weather)
Heat speeds up chemical reactions, so rocks weather chemically fastest in hot, humid weather.
It is not advisable to apply fresh farmyard manure because
Answer: A (its heat of decomposition may cause scorching of plants)
Fresh manure heats up as it decomposes and can burn (scorch) young plants; it should be allowed to rot first.
Magnesium deficiency in crops can be corrected by the application of
Answer: A (dolomite)
Dolomite is calcium magnesium carbonate, so it supplies magnesium.
The atmosphere gains carbon dioxide through the following ways except
Answer: C (photosynthesis in plants)
Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the air; the others release it.
Controlled burning has the advantage of
Answer: B (inducing re-growth of pasture grasses)
Burning old, dry grass makes the pasture sprout fresh, tender re-growth for livestock.
Which of the following fertilizers should be applied for good plant growth after prolonged use of sulphate of ammonia on a neutral soil?
Answer: B (Lime)
Sulphate of ammonia makes the soil acidic over time; lime neutralises the acidity.
Which of the following statements indicate advantages of sub-surface irrigation?
I. Low operating cost once established
II. Does not disturb the movement of implements
III. Permits efficient use of water
IV. Easily floods the field
Answer: A (I, II and III only)
Water is delivered under the soil, so it is cheap to run, leaves the surface clear for machines and wastes little water.
The removal of excess water from the sub-soil is known as
Answer: B (drainage)
Drainage removes excess water from the soil.
The best source of farm power for agricultural production is
Answer: C (mechanical power)
Machines such as tractors do much more work, faster, than people or animals.
The greatest disadvantage of using a bulldozer in land clearing is that it
Answer: A (removes the fertile top soil along with the vegetation)
A bulldozer scrapes away the fertile topsoil together with the bush.
Mechanization is difficult to practise where the
Answer: A (land is fragmented)
Small scattered plots make it hard to move and use machines efficiently.
Which of the following equipment is not used in farm surveying?
Answer: D (Pick axe)
A pick axe is a digging tool; the others are surveying equipment.
Farm surveying is important because it determines
Answer: B (size of farmland)
Surveying measures the boundaries and area of the farm.
Bush fallowing is necessitated by
Answer: B (reduction in soil fertility)
Land is left to rest (fallow) because cropping has reduced its fertility.
A well fermented and dried coffee seed is said to be
Answer: A (parched)
After fermenting and drying, coffee beans are known as parchment coffee; grading comes later.
A bag of fertilizer had a ratio of 0:10:0 written on it. This means that the fertilizer contains
Answer: C (0 kg of nitrogen, 10 kg of phosphate and 0 kg of potash)
The figures are always in the order N : P : K, so 0:10:0 means only phosphate (10 kg per 100 kg).
In crop rotation, deep-rooted crops should follow shallow-rooted crops because deep-rooted crops
Answer: C (feed from different soil layers)
Deep roots use nutrients lower down that the shallow-rooted crop did not use.
If a crop is planted at a spacing of 100cm x 50 cm, calculate the plant population required for an hectare of farm land.
Answer: D (20,000)
Each plant takes 1 m × 0.5 m = 0.5 m²; 10,000 m² ÷ 0.5 m² = 20,000 plants.
The term hermetic storage of grains means keeping grains in
Answer: A (air-tight containers)
Hermetic means air-tight; without oxygen, insects in the grain die.
Which of the following statements about mulches is true? They
Answer: A (include paper and polythene sheets)
Mulch can be plant material or artificial covers such as paper and polythene; mulch suppresses weeds.
Which of the following crops is best harvested using a combine harvester?
Answer: A (Maize)
A combine harvester cuts and threshes grain crops such as maize, rice and wheat.
Which of the following crops produces latex?
Answer: C (Rubber)
Latex is the milky sap tapped from the rubber tree.
What will be the effect of establishing a grass with centrosema spp. in a pasture? The
Answer: D (forage yield will be high)
Centrosema is a legume that fixes nitrogen, so a grass–legume mixture gives more and better forage.
Which of the following is not an economic importance of forests? They serve as source of
Answer: D (domestic animals)
Domestic animals are reared on farms, not obtained from forests.
The twisting, wrinkling and mottling of leaves are symptoms of
Answer: B (viral diseases)
Mosaic (mottling), leaf curl and wrinkling are typical virus symptoms.
An example of biological control of pests is
Answer: A (using lady bird beetles to feed on cytoplasm)
Biological control uses living natural enemies, such as ladybird beetles that eat aphids.
Edible seeds with sticky covering and hooks are most likely to be dispersed by
Answer: C (animal)
Hooks and sticky coats cling to animals' fur, and edible fruits are carried by animals that eat them.
Embryonic membranes do not include
Answer: A (uterus)
The uterus is the mother's organ; chorion, allantois and amnion are membranes around the embryo.
The digestion of plant fibre in non-ruminant herbivores takes place in the
Answer: B (caecum and colon)
Animals such as rabbits and horses digest fibre with microbes in the caecum and colon.
Which of the following hormones is responsible for the relaxation of the pelvic ligaments and cervix during parturition?
Answer: D (Relaxin)
Relaxin, as its name says, relaxes the birth canal before birth.
The signs of heat in animals include the following except
Answer: D (increased appetite)
An animal on heat usually eats less, not more.
Which of the following is not an abiotic condition that affects livestock production?
Answer: D (Predators)
Predators are living (biotic) factors.
Cows should not be allowed to eat plenty of young fresh pasture because they will
Answer: B (develop bloat)
Lush young pasture, especially legumes, ferments fast and traps gas in the rumen (bloat).
In commercial egg production, the most effective management system is
Answer: C (battery)
Battery cages hold many layers in little space, keep eggs clean and make records easy.
Which of the following statements is true of a pig which has only one testis?
Answer: B (It can still produce viable sperm)
One working testis can still make live sperm, so the boar is fertile though not ideal for breeding.
The ingredient which is not a major source of minerals in animal feeds is
Answer: D (palm kernel meal)
Palm kernel meal mainly supplies energy and protein; the others are rich in minerals.
If a soyabean meal contains 45% crude protein, what quantity of it should be provided to laying flock to supply 5.00 kg of protein?
Answer: A (11.11kg)
Quantity of meal = 5.00 kg ÷ 0.45 = 11.11 kg.
The following are common grasses in the rangeland except
Answer: B (Calopogonium mucunoides)
Calopogonium is a legume, not a grass.
Diseases of animals that can also be transferred to humans are
Answer: C (zoonotic)
Zoonoses, e.g. rabies and anthrax, pass from animals to people.
Poultry showing difficulty in breathing and loss of appetite are under the attack of
Answer: B (aspergillosis)
Aspergillosis is a fungal lung disease of birds that causes gasping and loss of appetite.
Which of the following statements about a good fish pond is true?
Answer: C (It must have low concentration of dissolved salts)
Good pond water is near-neutral, clear, rich in oxygen and low in dissolved salts.
The mechanical introduction of semen into the vagina of a female animal is termed
Answer: C (artificial insemination)
Placing semen into the female with instruments instead of mating is artificial insemination.
The most important input contributed by the farm family is
Answer: C (labour)
Family members mainly supply their work (labour).
Demand is said to be elastic when a percentage change in price
Answer: B (results in an increase in quantity demanded)
When demand is elastic, a price change causes a bigger change in quantity demanded (a fall in price raises demand a lot).
The law of diminishing returns helps in
Answer: A (determining the proportion of production factors to combine)
It shows the point beyond which adding more of one input gives less extra output, so it guides the best combination of inputs.
How would an individual proposing to start a farm obtain estimates of yields, prices and cost needed in preparing a budget?
Answer: C (From agricultural officers or local farmers)
A new farmer has no records, so he should ask extension officers and nearby farmers.
Farm gate price is the price at which
Answer: C (producers sell to the middlemen)
The farm gate price is what the farmer receives when buyers collect produce at the farm.
The methods of disseminating new farming techniques to farmers include the following except
Answer: D (organising symposia)
Extension uses demonstrations, radio and TV to reach farmers; symposia are for experts.
(a)(i) What is an agricultural system? (ii) List five agricultural systems practised in West Africa.
(b) State four ways in which non-governmental organisations contribute to agricultural production.
(c) Give one function of each of the following components of an incubator: (i) counter; (ii) thermostat; (iii) hygrometer; (iv) egg tray; (v) heater.
(a)(i) A method of farming that a community has developed to get the best returns from its land and animals for food, clothing and income while keeping the soil productive.
(ii) Any five: shifting cultivation; bush fallowing; mixed farming; mixed cropping; monocropping; crop rotation; pastoral/nomadic farming; ranching; taungya; agro-forestry; alley cropping; ley farming.
(b) Any four: fund research into improved crop varieties and livestock breeds; provide extension services and training; give loans, grants or inputs to farmers; build rural infrastructure (water, roads, health centres); promote pest and disease control; organise farmers into co-operatives.
(c)(i) Counter: records the number of days of incubation (or eggs/turns).
(ii) Thermostat: keeps the temperature at the set level.
(iii) Hygrometer: measures the humidity inside.
(iv) Egg tray: holds the eggs in position.
(v) Heater: supplies the heat (warmth) for incubation.
Give clearly separate points; one function per incubator part is enough.
(a) Enumerate six factors that limit food production in West Africa.
(b) State three advantages and three disadvantages of solar energy as a source of farm power.
(c) List four tractor-coupled implements.
(a) Any six: subsistence, small-scale farming; use of simple tools/little mechanisation; lack of capital/credit; poor infrastructure (roads, storage, processing); poor extension services and low education; high cost and short supply of inputs; pests and diseases; poor marketing and pricing; land tenure problems; inconsistent government policies; drought and other natural hazards; rural–urban migration of youths.
(b) Advantages (three): free and renewable, low running cost; does not pollute the environment; can be stored in batteries; panels last long.
Disadvantages (three): high initial cost; depends on weather/available only in daytime; cannot power heavy machines; needs special skills to install and maintain; batteries cause pollution when disposed.
(c) Any four: plough; harrow; ridger; planter/seed drill; sprayer; cultivator; harvester; mower; baler; fertilizer distributor.
List distinct factors; don't repeat the same idea in different words.
(a) State four characteristics of clay.
(b) Mention four effects of drought on plant growth and development.
(c) List two symptoms of phosphorus deficiency in crops.
(d) State three ways in which each of the following soil properties is important in crop production: (i) soil reaction; (ii) soil temperature.
(a) Any four: very fine particles (below 0.002 mm); high water-holding capacity; poor drainage and aeration; sticky and plastic when wet, hard and cracked when dry; high nutrient and cation exchange capacity; heats and cools slowly.
(b) Any four: wilting; reduced leaf area and stunted growth; delayed flowering or flower/fruit drop; poor germination and crop establishment; reduced photosynthesis; low yield or death of plants.
(c) Any two: stunted growth; purple or reddish leaves; poor root development; delayed maturity; poor fruit and seed formation.
(d)(i) Soil reaction (pH): affects availability of nutrients; affects activity of soil micro-organisms; decides which crops grow well; very low pH makes some elements (Al, Mn) toxic.
(ii) Soil temperature: affects seed germination; affects root growth and nutrient uptake; affects activity of micro-organisms and decomposition; affects evaporation of soil water.
Part (d) needs three points for each of the two properties.
(a) List four soil conservation practices that can be used to control erosion on a gentle slope.
(b) Explain how each of the practices you have listed in 4(a) can be used to conserve the soil.
(a) and (b), any four with explanation:
Contour ploughing/ridging: ridges across the slope slow down run-off and trap soil.
Strip cropping: alternate strips of crops and cover crops/grass check the flow of water and hold soil.
Cover cropping: plants cover the soil and protect it from raindrop impact.
Mulching: a layer of material shields the soil and slows run-off.
Terracing: step-like levels break the slope and reduce the speed of water.
Planting grass barriers/hedges (alley cropping) along contours: roots bind soil and catch eroded soil.
Minimum tillage: leaves soil structure and residues in place.
Each practice in (a) must be matched by how it works in (b).
(a) State four aims of crop improvement.
(b) Give four conditions necessary for seed germination.
(c) State the importance of conducting a germination test.
(d) Discuss briefly three problems associated with the use of poor quality planting materials.
(a) Any four: higher yield; better quality produce; resistance to pests and diseases; tolerance of drought or poor soils; early maturity; uniform growth and ease of harvesting; better storage quality.
(b) Water (moisture); oxygen (air); suitable temperature; a viable seed (live embryo, dormancy broken).
(c) It shows the percentage of seeds that will grow (viability), so the farmer knows the seed rate to use and whether to buy the seed.
(d) Any three explained: poor or uneven germination, giving gaps and low plant population; weak plants that grow slowly and yield little; introduction of pests and diseases to the farm; extra cost of replanting; non-uniform maturity.
In (d), say what each problem does to the crop, not just name it.
Discuss the production of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) under the following headings:
(a) land preparation;
(b) climatic requirements;
(c) planting;
(d) one disease.
(a) Choose deep, well-drained loamy forest soil; clear the bush, leaving some shade trees; stump, and line out and peg the field; plant temporary shade such as plantain or cocoyam.
(b) High rainfall of about 1,250–2,500 mm well distributed; temperature about 21–32 °C; high relative humidity; shade when young; protection from strong wind.
(c) Raise seedlings in nursery (polythene bags) for 4–6 months; transplant at the start of the rains; spacing about 3 m × 3 m (or 2.5 m × 2.5 m); seeds may also be sown at stake.
(d) Any one disease with details, e.g. black pod disease: caused by the fungus Phytophthora palmivora; pods show brown/black patches and rot; spread by rain splash and wet conditions; control by removing infected pods, spraying copper fungicides and regular harvesting. (Or swollen shoot virus: swollen stems, spread by mealybugs; control by cutting out infected trees and controlling mealybugs.)
For the disease give the cause, symptoms and control.
(a)(i) Define the term brooder as used in poultry production. (ii) List four characteristics of a good layer.
(b) State four reasons for providing suitable housing for livestock.
(c) Give the scientific names of three fish species commonly stocked in a pond.
(d) State three qualities of a good pasture plant.
(a)(i) A brooder is a warm house or device in which day-old chicks are kept and given artificial heat until they can keep themselves warm.
(ii) Any four: bright red, moist comb and wattles; wide space between pelvic bones; large, soft, moist vent; alert and active; bleached shanks and beak; good appetite.
(b) Any four: protects animals from bad weather; protects them from predators and thieves; makes feeding, watering and management easy; helps disease control; prevents animals from damaging crops; makes record keeping easy.
(c) Any three: Clarias gariepinus (catfish); Oreochromis niloticus / Tilapia spp.; Heterotis niloticus; Cyprinus carpio (carp); Heterobranchus spp.
(d) Any three: high yield and nutritive value; palatable; fast regrowth after grazing; persistent and resistant to trampling; drought and disease resistant; easy to establish.
Write scientific names with genus and species.
(a)(i) Define the term culling in poultry production. (ii) Mention three benefits derived from culling.
(b) State four ways of preventing diseases in a sheep flock.
(c) Discuss the practice of paddocking as a way of improving rangeland.
(d) State three fishery regulations.
(a)(i) Culling is the removal of unproductive, sick, old or weak birds from the flock.
(ii) Any three: reduces feed cost; raises overall productivity of the flock; prevents spread of disease; makes room for better birds; brings in income from sale of culled birds.
(b) Any four: vaccination; regular deworming and dipping/spraying; clean, well-ventilated housing; isolating sick animals; rotational grazing; balanced feeding and clean water; quarantine of new animals.
(c) The range is fenced into sections (paddocks) which are grazed in turn; while one is grazed the others rest and regrow; this prevents overgrazing, breaks parasite cycles, allows even grazing and keeps the pasture productive.
(d) Any three: use of nets with a minimum mesh size; ban on poisons and explosives for fishing; closed seasons; ban on catching undersized fish; licensing of fishermen; restricted fishing areas.
For paddocking explain how resting sections improves the pasture.
(a)(i) What is an inventory record? (ii) State the four steps involved in the process of taking inventory. (iii) State two ways in which inventory record is important in farm business.
(b) Mention four objectives of agricultural extension.
(c) Explain the following agricultural extension teaching methods: (i) news bulletin; (ii) agricultural shows.
(a)(i) A record of all the assets (property) of the farm, such as land, buildings, equipment, animals and stock, with their values, at a given date.
(ii) Count/list all items; describe them; value them (cost, depreciation); record and total the values.
(iii) Any two: shows the net worth of the farm; helps in getting loans; shows depreciation and when to replace items; helps in tax assessment and insurance; prevents theft and loss.
(b) Any four: pass new research findings to farmers; help farmers raise production and income; teach better farming methods; improve rural living standards; carry farmers' problems back to research; encourage co-operatives.
(c)(i) News bulletin: short printed or broadcast information on new farming practices sent out regularly to farmers.
(ii) Agricultural shows: exhibitions where improved crops, animals and machines are displayed and demonstrated to farmers, often with prizes for the best produce.
Inventory steps: count, describe, value, record.
(a)(i) Explain the term marketing channel. (ii) Outline the marketing channels for cocoa.
(b) State three characteristics of land.
(c) List three agricultural extension programmes in West Africa.
(d) State four advantages of using demonstration as an extension teaching method.
(a)(i) The route or chain of people through which produce passes from the farmer to the final consumer.
(ii) Cocoa farmer → local buying agent/co-operative → licensed buying company (or formerly the marketing board) → exporter → processors abroad → consumers.
(b) Any three: fixed in supply; immobile; varies in fertility and quality; can be improved or degraded; a free gift of nature.
(c) Any three: Agricultural Development Projects (ADP); Fadama projects; Operation Feed the Nation; Green Revolution; Farm settlement schemes; River Basin Development Authorities; school farm/young farmers' clubs; Root and Tuber Expansion Programme.
(d) Any four: farmers learn by seeing and doing; it convinces farmers because they see results; reaches illiterate farmers; encourages questions and discussion; farmers can copy the practice easily; builds trust in the extension worker.
The cocoa chain should run from farmer to consumer.