AGRICUTURE QUESTION & ANSWERS :REVISION QUESTIONS FROM EVERY TOPICS [FORM 1 TO FORM 4

​ ​FORM​ ​ONE​ ​TOPICS.

1. a).​ ​ ​What​ ​is​ ​Agriculture?
The​ ​art​ ​and​ ​Science​ ​of​ ​crop​ ​and​ ​livestock​ ​production.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​b).​ ​ ​State​ ​the​ ​roles​ ​played​ ​by​ ​agriculture​ ​in​ ​national​ ​development
- Food​ ​supply
- Source​ ​of​ ​raw​ ​materials​ ​for​ ​industries
- Employment​ ​opportunities
- Foreign​ ​exchange​ ​earnings
- Source​ ​of​ ​capital​ ​for​ ​development
- Market​ ​for​ ​industrial​ ​goods.

c).​ ​ ​State​ ​the​ ​forms​ ​of​ ​employment​ ​in​ ​Agriculture
i. Primary​ ​employment
-​ ​ ​ ​ ​Working​ ​on​ ​farms
ii. Secondary​ ​employment
-​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​In​ ​agriculture​ ​–​ ​based​ ​industries
iii. Tertiary​ ​employment
- In​ ​distribution​ ​of​ ​farm​ ​produce.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​d).​ ​ ​i)​ ​ ​Briefly​ ​outline​ ​the​ ​problems​ ​that​ ​have​ ​hindered​ ​agricultural​ ​development
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​in​​ ​Kenya.
- Lack​ ​of​ ​capital​ ​for​ ​investment
- Pests​ ​and​ ​diseases​ ​of​ ​crops​ ​and​ ​livestock
- Unpredictable​ ​climatic​ ​conditions
- Fluctuation​ ​of​ ​market​ ​prices
- Inadequate​ ​or​ ​poor​ ​storage​ ​structure​ ​leading​ ​to​ ​heavy​ ​lose
- Inadequate​ ​technical​ ​know-how
- Population​ ​pressure​ ​hence​ ​over-use​ ​of​ ​land
- Poor​ ​communication
- Perishability
- Bulky​ ​commodity​ ​prices

ii)​ ​ ​Suggest​ ​ways​ ​in​ ​which​ ​these​ ​problems​ ​can​ ​be​ ​alleviated
- Proper​ ​food​ ​preservation
- Improved​ ​communication​ ​network
- Industries​ ​located​ ​near​ ​bulky​ ​products
- Extension​ ​services/​ ​advice
- Provide​ ​good​ ​seeds
- Credit​ ​facilities
- Pest​ ​and​ ​disease​ ​control
- Irrigation
- Proper​ ​storage​ ​facilities
- Government​ ​price​ ​control.

2. a)​ ​i)​ ​ ​What​ ​are​ ​the​ ​characteristics​ ​of​ ​shifting​ ​cultivation?
- Limited​ ​capital​ ​for​ ​investment
- Use​ ​of​ ​rudimentary​ ​tools​ ​and​ ​equipment

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, - Small​ ​land​ ​usually​ ​cultivated
- Slash​ ​and​ ​burn​ ​technique​ ​of​ ​clearing
- Crops​ ​not​ ​properly​ ​managed.

ii)​ ​ ​State​ ​the​ ​problems​ ​associated​ ​with​ ​shifting​ ​cultivation​.
- A​ ​wasteful​ ​method​ ​of​ ​farming
- Slow​ ​rate​ ​of​ ​regeneration​ ​of​ ​vegetation​ ​allowing​ ​soil​ ​erosion​ ​to​ ​take​ ​place
- No​ ​incentive​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​land
- No​ ​permanent​ ​structures​ ​are​ ​put​ ​up​ ​hence​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​time​ ​wasted​ ​in​ ​moving​ ​or​ ​travelling​ ​to
the​ ​homestead
- A​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​time​ ​wasted​ ​in​ ​moving​ ​from​ ​one​ ​place​ ​to​ ​another.

b) What​ ​is​ ​pastoralism?
- A​ ​major​ ​system​ ​of​ ​keeping​ ​livestock​ ​and​ ​moving​ ​with​ ​them​ ​from​ ​place​ ​of​ ​search​ ​of
better​ ​pasture​ ​and​ ​water​ ​for​ ​livestock.

c) State​ ​the​ ​factors​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​in​ ​choosing​ ​a​ ​type​ ​of​ ​farm
- Type​ ​of​ ​enterprise​ ​itself
- Environmental​ ​factors
- Knowledge​ ​and​ ​skills​ ​of​ ​the​ ​farmer​ ​about​ ​the​ ​enterprise
- Available​ ​resources​ ​e.g​ ​labour​ ​and​ ​capital
- Cultural​ ​factors/​ ​social​ ​factors
- Governmental​ ​policy
- Type​ ​of​ ​market​ ​he​ ​is​ ​producing​ ​for.

d) What​ ​is​ ​arable​ ​farming?
- Growing​ ​of​ ​crops​ ​only.

e) i)​ ​State​ ​the​ ​limitations​ ​of​ ​mixed​ ​farming
- The​ ​farmer​ ​will​ ​obtain​ ​sustainable​ ​income​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​year
- The​ ​farmer​ ​will​ ​never​ ​experience​ ​total​ ​loss
- Animals​ ​contribute​ ​manure​ ​to​ ​crops​ ​while​ ​crops​ ​contribute/​ ​provide​ ​crop​ ​residues​ ​fed​ ​to
animals.
- Labour​ ​is​ ​utilized​ ​efficiently​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​year
- Animals​ ​can​ ​be​ ​used​ ​to​ ​do​ ​work​ ​in​ ​the​ ​farm​ ​e.g​ ​oxen​ ​ploughing

ii)​ ​ ​State​ ​the​ ​limitations​ ​of​ ​mixed​ ​farming
- Lack​ ​of​ ​enough​ ​land​ ​for​ ​more​ ​enterprises
- Lack​ ​of​ ​enough​ ​capital
- Lack​ ​of​ ​specialisation.

f) i)​ ​Give​ ​the​ ​types​ ​of​ ​farming​ ​practised​ ​by​ ​small​ ​scale​ ​farmers
- Arable​ ​farming
- Pastoralism
- Mixed​ ​farming

ii) Name​ ​the​ ​types​ ​of​ ​large​ ​scale​ ​farming
- Plantations
- Ranching


iii) Why​ ​does​ ​the​ ​Kenya​ ​government​ ​put​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​emphasis​ ​on​ ​ranching?

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, - Because​ ​arable​ ​land​ ​is​ ​becoming​ ​smaller
- Ranching​ ​will​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​higher​ ​production​ ​of​ ​livestock​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​high​ ​demand​ ​for​ ​meat

iv) State​ ​the​ ​common​ ​features​ ​of​ ​ranching​ ​as​ ​a​ ​farming​ ​system:
- Done​ ​in​ ​marginal​ ​areas​ ​with​ ​poor​ ​pasture
- System​ ​is​ ​extensive
- Extension​ ​services​ ​provided
- Improved​ ​pastures
- Selective​ ​livestock​ ​breeding
- High​ ​level​ ​livestock​ ​management.

g) i)​ ​ ​State​ ​the​ ​advantages​ ​of​ ​plantation​ ​farming
- Provision​ ​of​ ​employment
- Revenue​ ​to​ ​government
- High​ ​outputs
- Foreign​ ​exchange​ ​earner
- Economies​ ​of​ ​large​ ​scale​ ​production
- Other​ ​activities​ ​done​ ​e.g​ ​processing.

ii) State​ ​the​ ​disadvantages​ ​of​ ​plantations.
- Overdependence​ ​on​ ​one​ ​enterprise
- High​ ​initial​ ​capital​ ​required.

iii) State​ ​the​ ​major​ ​characteristics​ ​of​ ​plantation​ ​farming.
- Most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​work​ ​is​ ​mechanised
- Requires​ ​skilled​ ​and​ ​qualified​ ​personnel
- Large​ ​tracts​ ​of​ ​land​ ​used
- Sometimes​ ​run​ ​by​ ​a​ ​company​ ​or​ ​the​ ​government​ ​or​ ​individuals
- The​ ​aim​ ​is​ ​to​ ​produce​ ​enough​ ​for​ ​local​ ​consumption​ ​and​ ​export​ ​market.
- Provides​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​employment
- High​ ​output​ ​and​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​products
- Enjoys​ ​the​ ​economies​ ​of​ ​large​ ​scale​ ​production
- Scientific​ ​methods​ ​of​ ​farming​ ​used
- High​ ​investments​ ​of​ ​capital.

3. a)​ ​ ​List​ ​the​ ​ecological​ ​factors​ ​affecting​ ​agriculture.
- Rainfall
- Humidity
- Soil
- Temperature
- Wind
- Light
- Topography

b) Mention​ ​the​ ​aspects​ ​of​ ​rainfall​ ​which​ ​are​ ​important​ ​in​ ​crop​ ​production
- Reliability
- Distribution
- Intensity​ ​of​ ​rainfall
- Amount​ ​of​ ​rainfall

c) i)​ ​ ​What​ ​is​ ​optimal​ ​temperature?
- Temperature​ ​at​ ​which​ ​plant​ ​growth​ ​is​ ​at​ ​its​ ​best.
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, ii)​ ​State​ ​the​ ​effects​ ​of​ ​temperature​ ​on​ ​crop​ ​production.
- Photosynthesis
- Respiration
- Flowering​ ​and​ ​ripening
- Quality​ ​of​ ​the​ ​products.

d) State​ ​the​ ​effects​ ​of​ ​wind​ ​to​ ​crops.
- Physical​ ​damage
- Stress​ ​through​ ​evaporation​ ​/​ ​chilling
- Spread​ ​of​ ​pests,​ ​weeds,​ ​diseases
- Soil​ ​erosion
- Increase​ ​of​ ​water​ ​and​ ​mineral​ ​uptake​ ​by​ ​increasing​ ​transpiration.

4. a).​ ​i.​ ​ ​Define​ ​the​ ​term​ ​soil.
- A​ ​collection​ ​of​ ​natural​ ​unconsolidated​ ​body​ ​covering​ ​the​ ​earth’s​ ​crust,​ ​where​ ​plants​ ​grow

ii).​ ​ ​Name​ ​the​ ​ways​ ​in​ ​which​ ​soil​ ​is​ ​important​ ​to​ ​growing​ ​plants.
- Provides​ ​enchorage/​ ​support​ ​for​ ​the​ ​plant
- Provides​ ​nutrients
- Provides​ ​moisture

b).​ ​ ​i)​ ​ ​State​ ​the​ ​factors​ ​which​ ​influence​ ​the​ ​soil​ ​forming​ ​process
- Climatic​ ​factors​ ​e.g​ ​rainfall
- Biotic​ ​factors​ ​e.g​ ​plants
- Type​ ​of​ ​parent​ ​materials
- Topography​ ​of​ ​land
- Time​ ​taken​ ​by​ ​the​ ​process.

ii).​ ​ ​What​ ​biological​ ​agents​ ​influence​ ​the​ ​speed​ ​of​ ​the​ ​soil​ ​forming​ ​process?
- Movement​ ​of​ ​animals​ ​in​ ​large​ ​groups
- Man’s​ ​activities​ ​e.g​ ​cultivation,​ ​mining,​ ​road​ ​and​ ​railway​ ​construction.
- Micro-organisms​ ​ie.​ ​Decomposing​ ​plant​ ​and​ ​animal​ ​remains​ ​and​ ​adding​ ​to​ ​soil
- Earth​ ​worms,​ ​termites,​ ​moles​ ​etc​ ​mix​ ​up​ ​soil
- Roots​ ​of​ ​higher​ ​plants​ ​force​ ​their​ ​way​ ​through​ ​the​ ​rock​ ​cracks​ ​and​ ​further​ ​break​ ​them
physically.

c) i)​ ​ ​Define​ ​the​ ​term​ ​soil​ ​Profile
- The​ ​vertical​ ​arrangement​ ​of​ ​soil​ ​layers


ii)​ ​ ​How​ ​does​ ​soil​ ​profile​ ​influence​ ​plant​ ​growth?
- Availability​ ​of​ ​plant​ ​nutrients
- Anchorage​ ​of​ ​plant
- Root​ ​penetration​ ​into​ ​soil
- How​ ​long​ ​soil​ ​moisture/​ ​its​ ​availability
- Type​ ​of​ ​crop​ ​to​ ​be​ ​grown



d) i)​ ​List​ ​the​ ​constituents​ ​of​ ​a​ ​fertile​ ​soil
- Soil​ ​water
- Soil​ ​air

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