WAEC Agricultural Science 2000 Past Questions

(a) Name six Government and four Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that are involved in the improvement of agricultural production in West Africa.

(b) Mention five ways in which Non-Governmental Organisations contribute to agricultural productivity in West Africa.

(c) Explain briefly six ways by which the application of science and technology last helped to boost crop production in your country.

(a) Describe briefly the Gunters' chain.

(b) A farmer surveyed his triangular farmland with a base length of 2 km and a perpendicular length of 1200m. Calculate the area of the farm.

(c) State four necessary precautions that should be taken in order to eliminate errors when chaining a farmland.

(d) List four factors required in choosing a site for a new school garden.

(a) In a tabular form, briefly discuss the following plant nutrients: (i) Potassium; (ii) Phosphorus; (iii) Calcium. Under the following headings: (i) form in which it is absorbed; (ii) three functions; (iii) one deficiency symptom.

(b) Give two examples of nitrogenous fertilizers. 

(a) Define: (i) Taungya farming, (ii) Crop rotation.

(b) State four advantages of taungya farming.

(c) State four principles underlying the choice of a crop rotation system

(d) Enumerate four advantages of crop rotation.

(e) Under what situations would you recommend to a farmer to embark on crop rotation?

(a) State four ways in which ornamental plants are important. [4 marks]

(b) Give two examples each of (i) ornamental trees, (ii) ornamental shrubs. (c) Explain the following: (i) pasture, (ii) forage. (d) State four roles of legumes in agriculture. 

(a) Discuss seven economic importance of insect pests in crop production.

(b) Name two hosts of cotton stainer.

(c) List two soil-dwelling insect pests of crops and state five general control measures of insect pests of crops.

Discuss briefly: (a) Temperature; (b) Relative humidity; (c) Light; in relation to poultry production and state two ways of controlling the effect of each.

(a) Write short notes on the following systems of breeding: (i) In-breeding; (ii) Line-breeding; (iii) Cross-breeding

(b) State three methods of collecting semen from a proven male for use in artificial insemination.

(a) State the law of diminishing returns as it applies to agricultural production. [2 marks] Study the table below and use it to answer questions (b) and (c).

(b) Complete the table above. (c) Draw a graph from the provided data and use it to explain the law of diminishing returns

An agricultural research organisation categorised farmers in village X according to the rate of adoption of new ideas and came up with the following: Innovators 10, Early adopters 15, Late adopters 70, Never adopters 25

(a) Calculate the percentage of early adopters and state the implication of this percentage on the extension system.

(b) Suggest four ways of encouraging the innovators.

(c) State four possible reasons for the high number of late adopters.

(d) State two merits of the print media as a channel for agricultural extension.