69 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
To facilitate mechanical harvesting of cereals, it is better to
Answer: C (ensure they all have uniform height.)
A harvester cuts at one height, so crops of uniform height are harvested cleanly.
One of the problems facing agricultural development in West Africa is
Answer: A (inadequate financing.)
Most farmers lack capital and credit to expand and modernise.
Which of the following are advantages of the communal land ownership system?
I. Every member of the community has a piece of land on which to farm.
II. Co-operative farming is possible under this system.
III. Large scale farming is encouraged.
IV. Land can be used as a security for loans.
Answer: A (I and II only.)
Every member gets land and members can farm together; but the land is fragmented and cannot be pledged.
A socio-economic factor which affects the availability of land for agricultural use in West Africa is
Answer: B (population growth.)
Population growth is a human (socio-economic) factor; soil and rainfall are physical.
Which of the following cropping systems would lead to continuous sustenance of soil fertility?
I. Crop rotation.
II. Land rotation.
III. Monoculture.
IV. Monocropping.
Answer: A (I and II only.)
Crop rotation and land rotation let the soil recover; growing one crop continuously exhausts it.
Which of the following factors affects the onset of flowering in crops?
Answer: C (Day length.)
Day length (photoperiod) controls when many crops flower.
Marble is a metamorphic rock formed from
Answer: A (limestone.)
Heat and pressure change limestone into marble.
Which of the following statements best describes sedimentary rocks?
Answer: D (Rocks formed from breaking, deposition and re-cementation of pre-existing rocks.)
Sedimentary rocks are made of particles of older rocks laid down in layers and cemented.
The rock weathering process involving the equation; CaCO3 + H2CO3 → Ca(HCO3)2 is called
Answer: A (carbonation.)
Carbonic acid (H2CO3) reacts with limestone, which is carbonation.
When compost is added to sandy soil, it
Answer: C (increases water-holding capacity of the soil.)
Humus holds water like a sponge, which sandy soils lack.
Soils can become acidic as a result of the continuous application of
Answer: B (sulphate of ammonia.)
Ammonium in sulphate of ammonia is converted to nitrate, releasing acid into the soil.
Which of the following species of bacteria lives symbiotically in root nodules of legumes?
Answer: D (Rhizobium.)
Rhizobium lives in legume root nodules and fixes nitrogen.
Plant nutrients are restored during the fallow period through
Answer: B (accumulation of soil organic matter.)
Leaves and plant remains build up and decompose, returning nutrients.
The processes by which animals release carbon dioxide into the air are
Answer: A (respiration and decay.)
Animals breathe out CO2, and their bodies release CO2 when they decay.
Which of the following practices leads to land degradation in the savanna zones of West Africa?
I. Constant annual bushfires
II. Overgrazing of grassland
III. Application of cattle manure.
IV. Cutting of woody species for fuel wood
Answer: B (I, II and IV only.)
Burning, overgrazing and cutting trees leave the soil bare; manure improves the soil.
A 100kg NPK 15 : 15 : 15 compound fertilizer has a filler make-up weight of
Answer: D (55kg.)
Nutrients = 15 + 15 + 15 = 45 kg, so filler = 100 − 45 = 55 kg.
One of the main disadvantages of mechanical tillage is the
Answer: C (use of heavy equipment leading to soil compaction.)
Heavy tractors press the soil down, damaging its structure.
Which of the following factors affect the work rate of draught animals?
I. Feed intake
II. Breed of animal.
III. Harness for hitching.
IV. Height of animal.
Answer: D (I, II, III and IV.)
Feeding, breed, harness and size all affect how much work an animal can do.
Which of the following features would lead to wrong reading on a prismatic compass?
Answer: D (Magnetic attraction.)
Iron objects or magnetic fields pull the compass needle off north.
Which of the following steps gives a correct sequence for surveying a farmstead?
Answer: A (Reconnaissance → preliminary survey → mapping.)
First walk round the site (reconnaissance), then take measurements (preliminary survey), then draw the map.
The characteristic of draught animals which does not influence traction effort is
Answer: D (meat quality.)
Meat quality has nothing to do with pulling power.
The branch of horticulture that deals with the production of vegetables is called
Answer: B (olericulture.)
Olericulture = vegetables; pomology = fruits; floriculture = flowers.
Pruning is carried out to
I. control the size of the plants
II. obtain clean and attractive fruits
III. ensure correct spacing of trees
Answer: A (I and II only.)
Cutting off branches controls plant size and lets light in for better fruits; it does not change tree spacing.
Which of the following characteristics is not true of tree species used in alley cropping?
Answer: A (Shallow rooting system.)
Hedgerow trees should be deep-rooted, fast-regrowing and nitrogen-fixing.
Insect damage to crops takes the form of
Answer: D (chewing, sucking and piercing.)
Insects chew, or pierce and suck, plant tissues.
One disadvantage of vegetative propagation is that
Answer: B (viral diseases are transferred to offspring.)
Viruses in the parent's tissues pass on to the new plants.
Which of the following factors should be considered when sowing seeds in the field?
I. Time of sowing.
II. Plant density.
III. Depth of sowing.
IV. Method of sowing.
Answer: D (I, II, III and IV.)
Time, density, depth and method of sowing all affect establishment.
Which of the following groups of crops requires winnowing during processing?
Answer: B (Cereals.)
Winnowing separates grain from chaff after threshing cereals.
A farmer who plants African Marigold between his crops has the intention of controlling
Answer: D (nematodes.)
Marigold is a nematode-repelling plant used as an intercrop.
If the spacing of a crop is 3.6m x 4.5m, determine the crop population per hectare.
Answer: B (617.)
Area per plant = 3.6 × 4.5 = 16.2 m²; 10,000 ÷ 16.2 ≈ 617 plants.
An example of a piercing and sucking insect-pest of crops is a
Answer: A (mealy bug.)
Mealybugs pierce plant tissue and suck sap.
If rows are spaced 1.0m apart with one plant per stand, determine the spacing between stands in order to obtain a plant population of 40,000/ha.
Answer: A (0.25m.)
Area per plant = 10,000 m² ÷ 40,000 = 0.25 m²; 0.25 ÷ 1.0 m = 0.25 m.
Calculate the number of yam setts planted at a spacing of 1.0m by 1.0m on a hectare of land.
Answer: D (10,000 setts.)
Each sett takes 1 m²; 10,000 m² ÷ 1 m² = 10,000 setts.
Some plants are suitable for decorating living rooms because of their
Answer: A (ability to endure low light intensity.)
Indoor plants must survive with little light.
Capping and staking are important cultural practices in the cultivation of
Answer: C (yams.)
Yam mounds are capped with grass to protect setts, and the vines are staked.
An important function of mulching is that it
Answer: C (conserves moisture in the soil.)
Mulch covers the soil and reduces evaporation.
The removal of shealth on maize cob is referred to as
Answer: C (dehusking.)
Dehusking strips the leafy husk off the cob; shelling then removes the grains.
Which of the following sequences describes the steps in making hay?
Answer: A (Cut, dry and bale.)
Grass is cut, dried in the field and then baled for storage.
One disadvantage of using bamboo troughs as waterers for poultry is that they
Answer: B (are susceptible to algal growth.)
Bamboo stays damp and is hard to clean, so algae grow on it.
The characteristic odour in billy goats can be removed through
Answer: B (castrating.)
The smell of a billy goat is due to its male hormones, which castration removes.
A cattle breed in West Africa tolerant to trypanosomiasis is
Answer: C (N'dama.)
N'Dama (and Muturu) can live in tsetse areas because they tolerate trypanosomes.
A consequence of pasture littered with polythene materials is that
Answer: B (the alimentary canal of farm animals could be blocked.)
Animals swallow the polythene, which blocks the gut.
Which of the following statements about colostrum is false? It is
Answer: A (an evaporated milk.)
Colostrum is fresh first milk, not evaporated milk.
Meat obtained from cattle of less than one year old is called
Answer: C (veal.)
Veal is calf meat; beef is from older cattle.
Which of the following characteristics is not important in beef cattle production?
I. Increased butter-fat percentage.
II. High feed conversion efficiency.
III. High yield of lean meat.
Answer: A (I only.)
Butter-fat matters in dairy cattle, not beef cattle.
The following are systems of mating in farm animals:
I. stud mating
II. artificial insemination.
III. pen mating
IV. herd mating
Answer: C (I, II, III and IV.)
All four are recognised mating systems.
A disease of rabbit caused by a protozoan is
Answer: B (coccidiosis.)
Coccidiosis is caused by Eimeria, a protozoan, and is common in rabbits.
The common name of Axonopus compressus is
Answer: A (carpet grass.)
Axonopus compressus is carpet grass.
Which of the following groups of cattle are tropical breeds?
Answer: B (N'dama, Sokoto Gudali and Muturu.)
Friesian and Jersey are temperate breeds; N'Dama, Sokoto Gudali and Muturu are tropical.
The following substances are excretory products in farm animals except
I. blood
II. sweat
III. urine
Answer: A (I only.)
Sweat and urine are excreted; blood is a body tissue.
The following are signs of ill-health in farm animals except
Answer: D (increased appetite.)
Sick animals usually lose their appetite.
Which of the following factors should be considered when building a rabbit hutch?
I. Safety and comfort of rabbits
II. Ease of maintenance and cleaning.
III. Day length.
Answer: A (I and II only.)
A hutch must keep rabbits safe and comfortable and be easy to clean.
Heat in farm animals can be detected by the following signs except
Answer: B (low body temperature.)
Body temperature rises slightly, not falls, during heat.
Which of the following organs forms a barrier between an animal and its external environment?
Answer: D (Skin.)
The skin covers and protects the body from the outside.
Demand is said to be price elastic, if the absolute value of price elasticity of demand is
Answer: A (greater than one.)
Elastic demand means quantity changes by a bigger percentage than price, so elasticity is above 1.
Which of the following activities are functions of agricultural marketing boards in West Africa?
I. Price stabilization within seasons.
II. Harvesting of the farm produce.
III. Grading and standardization of produce.
IV. Market research for produce
Answer: D (I, III and IV only.)
Marketing boards stabilise prices, grade produce and research markets; they do not harvest.
The table below shows the supply schedule for soyabean by three producers.
Price per kg (₦) / Adamu (kg) / Koffi (kg) / Koroma (kg):
5,000.00: 37,500.00; 22,500.00; 17,500.00
4,000.00: 35,000.00; 20,000.00; 15,000.00
3,000.00: 30,000.00; 15,000.00; 10,000.00
2,000.00: 20,000.00; 10,000.00; 5,000.00
1,000.00: 5,000.00; 2,000.00; 1,000.00
Determine the market supply when the price is ₦4,000.00
Answer: B (70,000kg.)
Market supply = 35,000 + 20,000 + 15,000 = 70,000 kg.
The table below shows the supply schedule for soyabean by three producers.
Price per kg (₦) / Adamu (kg) / Koffi (kg) / Koroma (kg):
5,000.00: 37,500.00; 22,500.00; 17,500.00
4,000.00: 35,000.00; 20,000.00; 15,000.00
3,000.00: 30,000.00; 15,000.00; 10,000.00
2,000.00: 20,000.00; 10,000.00; 5,000.00
1,000.00: 5,000.00; 2,000.00; 1,000.00
Calculate the percentage change in the total quantity supplied if the price decreases from ₦5,000.00 per kg to ₦3,000.00 per kg.
Answer: D (29%.)
Total at ₦5,000 = 77,500 kg; at ₦3,000 = 55,000 kg. Change = 22,500 ÷ 77,500 × 100 ≈ 29%.
The most important objective of agricultural extension education is to
Answer: B (help farmers to produce more efficiently.)
Extension teaches farmers better methods so they produce more efficiently.
(a) State four benefits of agriculture to the economy of West African countries.
(b) Enumerate four functions of agro-services centers in your country.
(c) Outline four routine tractor maintenance practices.
(d) State two functions of each of the following parts of the farm tractor: (i) three-point linkage; (ii) hydraulic lever.
(a) Any four: food for the population; raw materials for industries; employment; foreign exchange from exports; income for farmers; revenue for government; market for industrial goods; feed for livestock.
(b) Any four: supply seeds, fertilizers and agrochemicals; sell or hire out tools and machines; supply spare parts and repair machines; supply vaccines and drugs; give technical/extension advice; sell inputs at subsidised rates.
(c) Any four: check and top up engine oil, radiator water and battery electrolyte daily; check tyre pressure; grease moving parts; clean the air cleaner; change engine oil and filters at set hours; adjust fan belt; clean tractor after use and park it in a shed.
(d)(i) Three-point linkage: attaches mounted implements to the tractor; raises and lowers them; controls working depth; transfers implement weight to the rear wheels for better grip.
(ii) Hydraulic lever: controls raising and lowering of implements; holds an implement at a set position/depth; operates external hydraulic equipment such as tipping trailers and loaders.
Maintenance points should be specific actions, not general statements.
(a) Explain the term farm mechanization.
(b) Mention three advantages and three disadvantages of farm mechanization.
(c) Give two merits of the use of draught animals in farm operations.
(d) Outline three roles of science and technology in agricultural development under the following headings: (i) pest and disease control; (ii) meteorology and climatology.
(a) The use of machines and equipment (tractors, harvesters, etc.) in place of human and animal power to carry out farm operations.
(b) Advantages (three): more output and larger farms; reduces drudgery; work is done quickly and on time; reclaims difficult land; improves processing and quality. Disadvantages (three): high cost of machines and maintenance; displaces labour/unemployment; soil compaction and erosion; needs skilled operators; spare parts scarce; pollution; difficult with mixed cropping or small farms.
(c) Any two: cheaper than tractors; provide manure; can work on slopes and wet or small fields; easy to handle; do not compact soil much.
(d)(i) Development of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides; vaccines and drugs for animals; breeding resistant varieties and breeds; study of pest life cycles; spraying equipment; easier diagnosis of diseases.
(ii) Weather forecasting to plan planting and harvesting; warnings of floods, drought and pest outbreaks; measurement of rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind; guidance on crop choice and irrigation; cloud seeding.
Three points under each heading in (d).
(a) Mention two sources of irrigation water.
(b) Enumerate two advantages and two disadvantages of irrigating farmlands.
(c) List two ways by which the soil loses nutrients.
(d) Give two reasons for manuring in crop production.
(e) State two ways by which each of the following environmental factors affect agricultural production: (i) temperature; (ii) soil microorganisms; (iii) wind
(a) Any two: rivers and streams; lakes/ponds; dams and reservoirs; wells and boreholes; rain water harvesting.
(b) Advantages: all-year cropping; higher yields; makes dry land usable; can carry fertilizer. Disadvantages: costly to install and run; waterlogging; salt build-up; spreads water-borne diseases/weeds; erosion if poorly managed.
(c) Any two: leaching; erosion; crop removal (harvesting); burning; volatilisation/denitrification.
(d) Any two: supply nutrients; improve soil structure and water holding; increase soil organisms; buffer soil pH.
(e)(i) Temperature: affects germination, growth and flowering; affects distribution of crops and animals; high temperature causes heat stress and evaporation; affects rate of photosynthesis and respiration.
(ii) Soil microorganisms: decompose organic matter and release nutrients; fix nitrogen; some cause diseases of crops; improve soil structure.
(iii) Wind: disperses pollen and seeds; causes lodging of crops; increases evaporation and transpiration; causes wind erosion; spreads pests and diseases; drives windmills.
Two effects for each of the three factors in (e).
(a) List three edaphic factors that influence crop growth.
(b) Explain the following terms as used in soil and water conservation: (i) gravitational water; (ii) hygroscopic water.
(c) State two deficiency symptoms of each of the following nutrient elements in crops: (i) nitrogen; (ii) phosphorus; (iii) potassium.
(d) State three benefits derived from draining farmlands.
(a) Any three: soil texture; soil structure; soil pH; soil water; soil air; soil temperature; nutrient content; soil organisms; topography.
(b)(i) Gravitational water: excess water that drains down through large pores under the pull of gravity after heavy rain or irrigation; not held by the soil and not available to plants for long.
(ii) Hygroscopic water: a very thin film of water held tightly around soil particles; plants cannot absorb it.
(c)(i) Nitrogen: yellowing of older leaves; stunted growth.
(ii) Phosphorus: purple/reddish colour of leaves; poor root growth; delayed maturity.
(iii) Potassium: scorching of leaf margins; weak stems/lodging; poor quality fruits.
(d) Any three: improves aeration; allows deeper root growth; raises soil temperature; reduces toxic substances; makes early tillage possible; increases activity of useful organisms.
Two symptoms for each nutrient.
(a) Define the term nursery as used in crop production.
(b) Give three reasons for establishing a nursery in crop production.
(c) Mention three characteristics of weeds that make them difficult to control.
(d) List two methods of controlling weeds.
(e) State three ways by which diseases are spread among crops.
(f) Mention three effects of diseases on crops.
(a) A nursery is a specially prepared place where seeds are sown and seedlings raised and cared for before transplanting to the field.
(b) Any three: small seeds need special care; easier to water, shade and protect young plants; only healthy, vigorous seedlings are transplanted; saves seed; gives the crop a head start in the season.
(c) Any three: produce many seeds; seeds stay viable/dormant for long; spread by many means; grow fast and compete strongly; deep roots or underground stems/rhizomes; resistant to drought and trampling; resemble crops.
(d) Any two: manual/mechanical (hoeing, slashing, hand-pulling); chemical (herbicides); cultural (mulching, cover crops, rotation); biological.
(e) Any three: wind; water/rain splash; insects (vectors); infected planting materials; farm tools and man; soil; animals.
(f) Any three: reduce yield; reduce quality and market value; death of plants; increase cost of production; reduce photosynthesis; make produce unsafe.
Weeds are hard to control because of their seeds and roots – explain both.
(a) List four cereal crops grown in West Africa.
(b) State three benefits of forests to the economic development of your country.
(c) With the aid of a diagram, describe the life cycle of the variegated grasshopper.
(d) List three cultural methods of controlling crop pests.
(e) Give two uses of oil palm.
(a) Any four: maize; rice; sorghum (guinea corn); millet; wheat; acha (fonio).
(b) Any three: timber and wood products for industry and export; employment; foreign exchange; raw materials (pulp, gum, latex); tourism (game reserves); fuel wood; medicinal products.
(c) Diagram: incomplete metamorphosis egg → nymph (several moults) → adult. Description: adults mate and lay egg pods in the soil at the start of the dry season; eggs hatch at the start of the rains into nymphs (hoppers) that look like small wingless adults; nymphs feed and moult about five to six times, growing wings; they become adults which feed on crops, mate and lay eggs.
(d) Any three: crop rotation; early planting/harvesting; field sanitation and burning residues; use of resistant varieties; trap crops; proper spacing; tillage to expose pests.
(e) Any two: palm oil for cooking; palm kernel oil for soap and margarine; palm wine; fronds for brooms and thatch; kernel cake for animal feed.
The grasshopper has no pupal stage: egg, nymph, adult.
(a) Give three reasons why fish farming is important.
(b) State three factors that influence the choice of a suitable site for a fish pond.
(c) Mention two sources of each of the following feed nutrients: (i) water; (ii) proteins; (iii) carbohydrates; (iv) vitamins.
(d) Mention two ways by which roundworm infestation is of economic importance in livestock production.
(a) Any three: cheap source of animal protein; income and employment; uses land unsuitable for crops; raw materials (fish meal, oil); foreign exchange; recreation.
(b) Any three: reliable water supply; soil that holds water (clay/loam); gentle topography; freedom from flooding and pollution; accessibility and security; nearness to market.
(c)(i) Water: drinking water, succulent forage, metabolic water. (ii) Proteins: fish meal, blood meal, groundnut cake, soyabean meal, legumes. (iii) Carbohydrates: maize, sorghum, cassava, rice bran. (iv) Vitamins: green forage, fish liver oil, vitamin premix, fruits.
(d) Any two: reduce growth and weight gain; cause anaemia, diarrhoea and weakness; block the intestine and may kill animals; increase cost of treatment; reduce milk/meat production; condemnation of organs.
Two sources for each of the four nutrients.
(a) What is animal improvement?
(b) Give three aims of animal improvement.
(c) Define each of the following terms as used in animal reproduction: (i) parturition; (ii) gestation period.
(d) Name three systems in the body of farm animals.
(e) Mention four advantages of castration in animal production.
(a) The process of producing animals with better qualities (higher productivity, resistance, adaptation) than their parents, through breeding, selection and better management.
(b) Any three: higher yield of meat, milk or eggs; fast growth/early maturity; disease and pest resistance; better feed conversion; adaptation to local climate; higher fertility.
(c)(i) Parturition: the act of giving birth to young at the end of pregnancy.
(ii) Gestation period: the length of time from conception (fertilisation) to birth.
(d) Any three: digestive; reproductive; respiratory; circulatory; nervous; excretory; skeletal; muscular.
(e) Any four: prevents unwanted breeding/controls inbreeding; makes animals docile and easy to handle; faster fattening and better meat quality; removes male odour (in goats); allows males and females to be kept together; reduces fighting.
Keep definitions short and exact.
(a) Define the term balance sheet.
(b) The financial data of Omega Dairy Farms Ltd. as at December 31st, 2012 are shown below:
Cash at bank ₦200,000.00; Cash in hand ₦70,000.00; Dairy cattle ₦5,000,000.00; Milk ₦300,000.00; Loans ₦3,000,000.00; Initial capital ₦4,000,000.00; Interest on loan payable ₦600,000.00; Account receivable ₦1,000,000.00; Taxes payable ₦500,000.00; Milking machine ₦1,500,000.00; Animal feed ₦100,000.00.
Use the data to prepare a balance sheet for Omega Dairy Farms Ltd. as at December 31st, 2012.
(c) State two ways in which the balance sheet is important.
(d) Is the farm credit-worthy? Give a reason for your answer.
(a) A balance sheet is a statement showing the assets and liabilities (and net worth) of a business at a particular date.
(b) Title: Balance sheet of Omega Dairy Farms Ltd. as at 31st December 2012.
Assets: cash at bank 200,000; cash in hand 70,000; dairy cattle 5,000,000; milk 300,000; accounts receivable 1,000,000; milking machine 1,500,000; animal feed 100,000. Total assets = ₦8,170,000.
Liabilities: loans 3,000,000; interest on loan payable 600,000; taxes payable 500,000. Total liabilities = ₦4,100,000. Initial capital (owner's equity) 4,000,000.
Net worth = total assets − total liabilities = 8,170,000 − 4,100,000 = ₦4,070,000.
(c) Any two: shows the financial position/net worth of the farm; shows whether the farm is solvent; helps in getting loans; helps planning and decision making; used for tax assessment.
(d) Yes: total assets (₦8,170,000) are about twice total liabilities (₦4,100,000), so the farm has a positive net worth and can repay its debts.
List assets and liabilities in separate columns with totals.
(a) Define the following terms as used in agricultural economics: (i) Assets; (ii) Liabilities.
(b) Mention three problems encountered by farmers in obtaining agricultural credits.
(c) Enumerate four roles of an agricultural extension agent.
(d) Outline five roles of farmer co-operative societies in agriculture.
(a)(i) Assets: everything of value owned by the farm business (land, buildings, animals, machines, cash, debts owed to it).
(ii) Liabilities: debts and obligations the farm owes to others (loans, unpaid bills, taxes payable).
(b) Any three: lack of collateral; high interest rates; cumbersome procedures and paperwork; illiteracy; delays in releasing loans; few lending institutions in rural areas; small farm size.
(c) Any four: teach farmers improved practices; demonstrate new techniques; link farmers with research; help farmers obtain inputs and credit; organise farmers' groups; advise on marketing and record keeping.
(d) Any five: give loans to members; supply inputs at lower cost; joint marketing for better prices; provide storage and processing facilities; educate members; hire out machines; bargain with government and buyers; encourage savings.
Five distinct roles in (d).