KCSE Past Papers 2010 Agriculture Paper 1 (443/1)

1. Disadvantages of intensive system of farming.

i) Requires high initial capital/Expensive ii) Is labour expensive iii) Requires high level of management/skilled labour (2 x 1/2 = 1 mark)

2. 4 methods of farming.

i) Shifting cultivation ii) Nomadic pastoralism iii) Organic farming iv) Mixed farming v) Agroforestry (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks) 3. a) Nitrogen fixation

- Process in which atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrates for plant uptake. (1 x 1 = 1 mark) b) Phosphorous fixation

- Process in which phosphorous combines with other elements to form compounds that cannot be absorbed by plants. (1 x 1 = 1 mark)

4. 4 reasons for keeping livestock health records.

i) Help in calculation of treatment and health costs ii) Help in culling/selecting livestock iii) Help in future diagnosis treatment and control measures iv) Help determine the common diseases and parasites/prevent diseases and parasites v) Help to support livestock insurance claims (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

5. Relationship between scarcity and choice.

- Scarcity is where production resources are limited in supply relative to demand; therefore a choice has to be made on which enterprise(s) to allocate the limited resources. (2 marks - mark as a whole)

6. 2 reasons for land fragmentation.

i) Buying/selling/paying debts/compensation ii) Inheritance iii) Settlement and resettlement iv) Gift/donations v) Shifting cultivation (2 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

7. Advantages of individual tenure system.

i) Easy to acquire credit. ii) Land disputes are minimized iii) Long term investment is encouraged iv) Incentive to conserve and improve land v) Easy to plan and make decisions vi) Easy to sell/lease whole or part of the land. (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

8. 4 features for choosing powers

i) Durability ii) Strength/ability to withstand pressure/thickness of the wall of the pipe iii) Diameter/size of the pipe iv) Workability/manoeverability of the pipe v) Colour (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

9. 4 reasons for treating water.

i) Remove chemical impurities/softening of water ii) Kill disease causing organisms/kill germs/pathogens iii) Remove bad smells and taste iv) Remove impurities of solid particles (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

10. 4 Statutory Boards

i) Kenya Sugar Board/Authority (KSB/KSA) ii) Kenya Tea Development Authority/Agency/Tea board of Kenya (KTDA, TBK) iii) National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) iv) Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK) v) Pyrethrum Board of Kenya (PBK) vi) Cotton Lint and Seed Marketing Board/Cotton Board of Kenya (CLSMB, CBK) vii) Horticultural Crop Development Authority (HCDA) viii) Kenya Sisal Board (KSB) (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

11. 4 marketing functions of KCC

i) Buying and assembling milk/collection ii) Processing milk iii) Market research iv) Advertisement/promotion of milk/milk products v) Strategic storage of milk products vi) Distribution of milk/transportation vii) Selling milk viii) Marketing and packaging ix) Risk bearing x) Financing - related to marketing function xi) Grading/standardization Rej: Marketing alone (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

12. i) Increases seed soil contact ii) Compacts soil/seed to protect it against agents of erosion iii) Crushing large soil clods iv) Soil levelling (2 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

b) Levelling

i) Ensures uniform depth of planting/uniform germination/uniform fertilizer application ii) Ensures uniform water level in paddy iii) Rice fields iv) To remove depression which collect water leading to rotting of seeds.(2 x 1/2 = 1 mark)

13. 3 activities in clearing land

i) Tree felling ii) Stumping/removal of stumps/destumping iii) Slashing/mowing (3 x 1/2 = 11/2 marks)

14. 5 Advantages of zero grazing

i) Requires little land ii) Quick accumulation of manure iii) Easy to control diseases and parasites iv) Less wastage of feeds v) Has high stocking rate vi) High milk yield vii) Efficient use of fodder (5 x 1/2 = 21/2 marks)

15. 4 factors determining stage of crop harvesting.

i) Intended use of the crop ii) Chemical concentration of the produce/stage of maturity/change in colour iii) Prevailing weather conditions iv) Market demand for the produce/market price (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

16. a) Growth Cycle

i) Annual weeds ii) Biennual weeds iii) Perennial weeds (2 x 1/2 = 1 mark)

b) i) Broad leaved weeds ii) Narrow leaved weeds (2 x 1/2 = 1 mark)

Section B (20 marks)

17. a) Weed

- Couch grass/Digitaria scalarum (1 x 1/2 = 1/2 mark)

b) Why its difficult to control.

- Presence of underground stems/rhizomes which are difficult to control/underground storage structure (1 x 1 = 1 mark)

c) 4 control

i) Uprooting ii) Cultivation iii) Slashing iv) Use of herbicides v) Mulching Rej: Rogueing (4 x 1/2 = 2 marks)

18. a) Soil Sample with highest acidity

- Sample S1 (1 x 1/2 = 1/2 mark)

b) Lowering pH

i) Application of acidic fertilizers: Accept S/A; ASN; DAP; MAP Rej: Nitrogenous fertilizers

ii) Application of sulphur (2 x 1/2 = 1 mark)

c) Soil sample suitable for tea growing

i) S2 ii) S3 iii) S4

19. i) Extraction to remove seeds from pods/fruits

ii) Drying to reduce seed moisture content iii) Testing to verify seed quality iv) Treatment to break dormancy/helps improve germination/soaking in water v) Seed dressing to control pests and diseases vi) Seed innoculation to improve nitrogen fixation vii) Washing/cleaning to remove mucilage (4 x 1 = 4 marks)

20. a) i) Correct pruning

- B

NB: Wrong identity

Wrong reason

(1 x 1/2 = 1/2 mark)

ii) Reason

- Slant cut is a few centimetres above the bud/leaf (1 x 1 = 1 mark)

b) 2 how pruning controls diseases

i) Removes diseased parts ii) Creates unfavourable conditions/environment for disease agents iii) Facilitates penetration of chemical sprays. (2 x 1/2 = 1 marks)

21.

21. • Correct labelling of expenditure and receipt columns 1 x 1/2 = 1/2 mark

• Correct entries by dates 9 x 1/2 = 41/2 marks

• Balancing 1 x 1/2 = 1/2 mark

Closing balance

Cash at hand i.e 141,000

22. a) Figures 18:46 on a fertilizer bag mean

i) 18% Nitrogen (NO ii) 46% phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5) iii) 10% Potassium oxide (K2O) (3 x 1/2 = 11/2 marks)

b) Filler material

= 100 - (18 + 46 + 10) = 100 - 74 = 26kg or 26% Ignore working Mark answer only i.e 26 Unit must be therefore a score. 1 x 1 = 1 mark

Section C (40 marks)

23. a) 8 Factors that encourage soil erosion.

i) Lack of ground cover exposes soil to agents of soil erosion/removal of cover crops ii) Steep slopes increase the speed of surface run-offs hence erosive power of water iii) Light/sandy soils are easily carried away by agents of soil erosion. iv) Shallow soils are easily saturated with water and carried away v) High rainfall intensity on bare ground/leads at detachment of soil hence run off vi) Frequent cultivation/over cultivation pulverizes the soil making it easy to detach and carry away. vii) Overstocking leads to overgrazing which destroys ground cover exposing it to agents of erosion. viii) Burning/deforestation destroys vegetation cover and exposes soil to agents of erosion. ix) Ploughing up and down the slope creates channels which speed up and increases the erosive it to agents of water. x) Cultivation of river banks destroys riverine (Viparia) vegetation & destroys soil structure exposing it to agents of erosion. xi) Cultivating the soil when too dry destroys soil structure making it easy to be eroded. xii) Long slopes increases volume speed of run off hence increasing erosive power of water. Question if filter not qualified = No mark

Factor & effect

xiii) High rainfall amount increase saturation of soil hence increase in soil erosion.

b) i) Mulching to conserve moisture ii) Erection of shade to minimize evapotranspiration iii) Weed control to reduce competition with seedlings for nutrients, light, space etc iv) Pest and disease control to ensure healthy and vigorously growing seedlings v) Pricking out/thinning to minimise competition for growth elements vi) Fertilizer application to supplement nutrients in the soil vii) Watering to ensure adequate moisture supply viii) Hardening off/removing shade/reducing watering to acclimatize the seedling to conditions in the field. ix) Removal of mulch immediately after germination NB: Correctly stated (7 x 1 = 7 marks)

c) 5 soils factors that determine a crop growth in an area.

i) Soil drainage/rate of water infiltration and percolation through the soil ii) Soil structure/arrangement of soil particles or aggregates/water holding capacity iii) Soil nutrient content/variety and quantity of mineral nutrients in the soil/Soil fertility iv) Soil profile/soil depth/depth and arrangement of soil horizons in relation to the rooting systems of the crop v) Soil pH/chemical properties of the soil/degree of acidity or alkalinity of the soil solution vi) Soil borne pests and diseases/the prevalent pests/diseases in the soil vii) Water holding capacity 5 correctly stated (5 x 1 = 5 marks)

24. a) 5 effects of high temperature

i) Increases incidences of some pests/parasite and diseases ii) Improves quality of certain crops e.g fruits, pineapples, papaws’ iii)Lowers quality of certain crops e.g pyrethrum iv) Increases rate of evapotranspiration/wilting in plants v) Increases rate of growth for early maturity in crops vi) Limits distribution of exotic livestock breeds vii) Lowers production in livestock viii) Influences design of farm buildings and structures ix) Lowers labour productivity (5 x 1 = 5 marks)

b) 4 precautions observed in cotton harvesting

i) Sisal bags/gunny bags should not be used to prevent mixing of lint and sisal fibres which causes ginning problems ii) Hands should be cleaned to avoid staining of the lint iii) Picking should be done when the lint is dry to prevent fibres from sticking together iv) Use clean containers for picking v) Use different containers for AR (Safi) and BR (fifi) gardens of cotton to ensure quality/separation vi) Picking should be done immediately the bolls open/split to prevent staining by dust/dirt vii) Avoid picking leaves & twigs to avoid (containers) 1 x 4 = 4 marks

b) Sugar cane harvesting

i) Harvest at the correct age / 13 -22 months for plant crop/ 12 - 18 months for rotation ii) Take sugar can samples of testing to determine maturity. iii) Cut the mature cane at the base/near the ground iv) Cut off the green tops v) Strip off green leaves/burn the cane vi) Deliver the cane to the factory within 48 hours/immediately after cutting vii) Use a cane harvesting machete. (6 x 1/2 = 3 marks)

c) 8 factors considered in farm planning

i) Risk and uncertainties: enterprises should be analysed to determine the risks and uncertainties involved. ii) Security: enterprises which require more security should be sited near the farm house/provision of adequate security iii) Land size: a large number of enterprises can be established on a large scale compared to a small scale farm. iv) Current trends in labour market: to determine availability and cost of labour especially during peak period. v) Farmers objectives and preferences: to ensure the farmer who is the operator has a sense of ownership of the plan and brings about motivation vi) Current market trends and prices of outputs: to ensure consideration of enterprises with high profits returns. vii) Availability and cost of farm inputs: to identify enterprises that are affordable and whose inputs are readily available. viii) Government policy/regulation: to seek permission for enterprises undertaken on quota system e.g coffee growing and avoid enterprises and farming systems prohibited by the government ix) Environmental factors: soil, climate and topography should be analysed to determine livestock crop enterprises that are suitable to the local ecological conditions. x) Communication and transport facilities and facilitate movement of outputs to the market and supply of inputs. Also helps in conveying improved methods of farming and market trends. xi) Availability of capital: to acquire farm inputs xii) Possible production enterprises: should be identified and analysed so that suitable and profitable enterprises are selected - Wrong factor Award for explanation 1/2 mk - stating the factor = 1/2 x 8 = 4

25. a) 6 physical methods of controlling crops pests i) Trapping/picking and killing the pests ii) Use of lethal temperature to kill the pests iii) Flood the suffocate and kill the pests iv) Use of physical barriers e.g fences, rat guards, etc to keep the pests away from the crop/produce v) Proper drying to make penetration difficult vi) Use of explosive to destroy breeding grounds and the kill the pests vii) Suffocation: carbon dioxide build up to suffocate pests in stores especially cyprus bins. (6 x 1 = 6 marks)

b) Field management of bulb onions i) Weed control through shallow cultivation to avoid damage to the shallow inion roots ii) Remove excess soil around the roots gradually to facilitate bulb expansion iii) Water regularly at the early stages to ensure adequate moisture supply iv) Top dress with nitrogenous fertilizer at appropriate rates v) Control pests e.g thrips using appropriate pesticides vi) Control diseases e.g rusts, mildews using appropriate method. (4 x 1 = 4 marks) c) Harvesting of bulb onions i) Is done 4 -5 months after planting/when leaves wither/turn brown ii) Cut break and bend this tops at the neck iii) Harvesting is done by lifting/pulling/digging out the crop iv) Leave the bulbs on the ground/undershade to dry for 3 days and turn frequently to ensure uniform drying. 3 x 1 = 3 marks

c) 7 factors influencing seed rate

i) Intended use of the crop e.g fodder maize requires high seed rate than grain maize. ii) Germination percentage - high speed rate is required for seeds with low germination percentage iii) Method of planting: Broadcasting requires high seed rate than row planting. iv) Number of seeds per hole: two or more seeds per hole requires more seed rate than one seed per hole. v) Soil fertility: poor/infertile soils require low seed are because crops are widely spread compared to fertile soils. vi) Growth characteristics of the crop: tall/tillering/indeterminate varieties require low seed rate compared to short/less tillering/determinate varieties vii) Spacing: High sped rate is required in closer spacing than wider spacing viii) Seed purity: Impure seed/containing chaff and foreign materials will lead to high seed rate compared to pure seed ix) Pure/mixed stand High seed rate for pure stand and low seed rate for mixed stand. 1/2 mk for stated factor = 1/2 x 7 = 31/2 mk 1/2 mk for explanation given = 1/2 x 7 = 31/2 mk