Agriculture Studies Paper 1
Name: …………………………………………………………… Index no ……..………………………………..
School: ……………………………………………………….…. Candidate’s sign ……………………….
Date: ……………………………………………………………
AGRICULTURE
PAPER 1
TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
- Write your name and index number in the spaces provided.
- Sign and write the date of the examination in the spaces provided above.
- This paper consists of three section A,B and C
- Answer all the questions in section A and B
- Answer any two questions in section
- Answers should be written in the spaces provided in this booklet.
For Examiner’s Use Only:
SECTION | QUESTIONS | MAXIMUM SCORE | CANDIDATES SCORE |
A | 1-18 | 30 | |
B | 19-22 | 20 | |
C | 23- 25 | 20 | |
20 | |||
TOTAL | 90 |
This paper consists of 7 printed pages. Candidates should check to ascertain that all papers are printed as indicated and that no questions are missing
SECTION A: (30MARKS)
Answer all questions in this section in the spaces provided.
- State four factors which determine the farming systems adapted by farmers. (2mks)
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- Give four reasons for limited use of organic manures in large scale crop production. (2mks)
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- Name two types of inventories used in the farm. (1mk)
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- Give four reasons for subsoiling in a maize field. (2mks)
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- State four factors to consider before deciding on the type of irrigation to use in crop
production. (2mks)
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- Give four conditions which make is necessary to use a nursery in crop establishment. (2mks)
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- State two factors that determine the amount of fertilizer to be used as a topdress in forage
crops. (1mk)
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- State four effects of late defoliation. (2mks)
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- State four benefits of agro-forestry trees on terraces. (2mks)
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- Name four different ways of classifying weeds. (2mks)
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- State two causes of land fragmentation in Kenya since independence. (1mk)
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- State four charges that would indicate improvement of labour effecieicny in a farm. (2mks)
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- Give four general symptoms shown by crops infected by viral disease. (2mks)
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- What would happen to the price of a commodity if the supply of the commodity decreases
without the demand changing. (1mk)
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- What are complementary products? (1mk)
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- State four reasons for practicing crop rotation. (2mks)
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- Differentiate between thinning and pricking out. (2mks)
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- What is the effect of low pH is silage making. (1mk)
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SECTION B: (20 MARKS)
Answers all questions in this section in the spaces provided.
- (a) A farmer was advised to apply 2 00 kg/ha of calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) while
topdressing sorghum. CAN contains 21%N. calculate the amount of nitrogen that he would
apply in one hectare. (2mks)
(b) Why is nitrogenous fertilizer used as topdress and not during planting. (1mk)
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(c) Name four methods of fertilizer application. (2mks)
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- The diagram below illustrates a vegetative propagation material. Study it carefully and answer the
questions that follow.
(a) Identify the organ. (1mk)
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(b) Label the party X and Y. (1mk)
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(c) Name the method that was used in preparing the above vegetative for planting. (1mk)
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(d) Name one environmental condition that are necessary for the success of this method of
preparing the plant materials. (1mk)
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- (a) What is opportunity cost in agricultural economics? (1mk)
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(b) A farmer has a piece of land on which he can produce maize and barley. The yield and
selling prices of the crops are as shown below.
Yield ( 90kgs bags) | Selling price ( ksh/kg) | |
Maize | 2500 | 800 |
Barley | 2000 | 1500 |
The farmer decides to produce maize. Assuming the cost of producing any of the crops is the same.
(i) Calculate the farmer’s opportunity cost. Show your working. (2mks)
(ii) Which crop should the farmer grow. (1mk)
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(iii) Give one circumstance under which opportunity cost may not arise. (1mk)
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- The diagrams below illustrate some types of soil structure. Study and answer the questions that
follow.
(a) Identify the types of soil structure illustrated in diagrams J and K. (2mks)
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(b) Name parts labeleld (i) and (ii) in the diagram K (2mks)
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(c) State two effects of soil structured labeled J in crop production. (2mks)
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SECTION C (40 MARKS)
Answer any two questions in this section in the spaces provided after question. 23
- (a) State the four questions a farm manager formulates in preparing a partial budget. (4mks)
(b)Under what conditions is partial budget an appropriate tool for planning. (4mks)
(c) A farmer has 160 hectares of arable land, 60 ha of which is under wheat,
32 ha under maize, 12 ha under fodder crops and the rest under pasture. He wishes to know
whether replacing 12 ha of maize with Irish potatoes the following year would be worth while.
The fertilizer rate would have to be increased from 5 bags per ha for maize to 7 bags per ha for
Irish potatoes.An extra 100 man — days of casual labour per ha will be necessary as a result of
the change. The average yield of maize and Irish potatoes is 45 and 115 bags / ha respectively.
The prices are 1400/= per bag for maize and 1200/= per bag for Irish potatoes. Seed costs are
2500/= per ha for maize and 30,000/= per ha for Irish potatoes.
Fertilizer costs are 1300/= per bag. Labour is paid at 150/= per man day.
Draw up a partial budget and indicate the effects of the change. (l2mks)
- (a) Explain the cultural methods of soil and water conservation. (10 mks)
(b)Give five advantages of overhead irrigation. (5 mks)
(c)List five types of micro catchments. (5 mks)
- (a)State the factors that influence the process of weathering. (4mks)
(b)Describe the functioning of the following agents of weathering in soil formation.
(i)Physical agents. (8 mks)
(ii)Biological agents (8 mks)