New Curriculum First Term Agricultural Science examination for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: First Term
Subject: Agricultural Science
Time: 2 hours
Total Marks: 70

SECTION A: OBJECTIVES (40 Marks)
Instruction: Answer all 40 questions. Choose the most appropriate answer. Each question carries 1 mark.

1. A state designates adjoining areas for crop plots, grazing and forest protection. What is being planned?
   (a) Classification of agricultural agencies by headquarters    (b) The design of a school laboratory    (c) Agricultural land use for different productive and conservation purposes    (d) A market survey of packaged food
2. A government agricultural project trains growers and helps them adopt improved practices in their villages. Which programme model best fits?
   (a) A factory-only manufacturing subsidy    (b) A wildlife census with no farm services    (c) A commodity exchange with no technical outreach    (d) Agricultural Development Programme with extension support
3. Which activity most clearly indicates arable farming?
   (a) Raising cattle solely for milk    (b) Managing commercial fish ponds    (c) Cultivating land mainly for field crops    (d) Running a livestock auction
4. A farmer needs evidence of rights to use a plot before investing in a perennial crop. Which policy area is most relevant?
   (a) Seasonal seed germination tests    (b) Land ownership and land-use arrangements    (c) Classification of plant tissues    (d) Value addition through packaging alone
5. Which effect best illustrates agriculture's contribution to a national economy?
   (a) Eliminating every need for manufacturing    (b) Restricting rural markets to barter only    (c) Preventing the movement of farm products    (d) Creating employment and supplying raw materials to related industries
6. A packer needs guidance about product quality and standards rather than direct crop cultivation. The most appropriate Nigerian body among these is ____.
   (a) National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA)    (b) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)    (c) FAO's headquarters in Rome    (d) A family farmers' cooperative
7. ________ involves cultivating crops, rearing livestock and managing productive farm resources.
   (a) Manufacturing only    (b) Retail distribution alone    (c) Mining alone    (d) Agriculture
8. A programme claiming success reports more jobs but no change in food supply. What should evaluators examine next?
   (a) Output, access to food and other indicators besides employment    (b) Only the number of official programme posters    (c) The colour of newly constructed offices    (d) Whether farmers know the programme's slogan
9. Which situation best illustrates a disadvantage of highly specialised commercial crop farming?
   (a) Farming must always provide food for the grower's family    (b) A commercial farm cannot use mechanisation    (c) Access to large markets is always impossible    (d) Failure of its single market crop may severely reduce farm income
10. A farmer can buy seed on credit but cannot deliver the resulting harvest. What does this show about farm-development constraints?
    (a) financing helps production while roads, storage and markets help turn output into usable income    (b) access to credit automatically repairs public roads    (c) storage has no effect on returns from farm output    (d) roads always substitute for money spent on seed
11. Which factor does NOT represent a common barrier to agricultural output?
    (a) Damage by pests and diseases    (b) Reliable roads connecting farms and markets    (c) Inadequate storage facilities    (d) Difficulty obtaining production loans
12. A project concentrates on developing agricultural land for productive use. Which Nigerian agency is especially relevant?
    (a) WHO    (b) UNICEF    (c) SON    (d) NALDA
13. A grower plants crops on land needed by herders for seasonal movement. The main reason a land-use plan matters is to ____.
    (a) guarantee that crop and animal needs never overlap    (b) make livestock grazing unnecessary in all regions    (c) reduce competing claims and promote coordinated use of the area    (d) abolish the need for land administration
14. All of these may be advantages of integrating livestock and crops EXCEPT ____.
    (a) guaranteed elimination of all pest and disease outbreaks    (b) Using animal manure to support crop fertility    (c) Diversifying the farm's output and income    (d) Using crop residues as part of livestock feeding
15. A programme distributes inputs, yet farmers cannot take harvests to market. Which explanation best accounts for limited impact?
    (a) all rural farmers lack an interest in farming    (b) input distribution automatically causes market collapse    (c) production support was not matched by transport and market infrastructure    (d) increased yield is impossible without foreign workers
16. The correct step for a local group seeking to improve farmers' access to credit is to ____.
    (a) conceal production costs from prospective lenders    (b) borrow without any plan for repayment    (c) organise verifiable records and approach a suitable lending scheme    (d) withdraw from all farmer associations immediately
17. All of these could be used to evaluate an agricultural development programme EXCEPT ____.
    (a) changes in participating farmers' yields    (b) access to extension services    (c) changes in post-harvest losses    (d) the number of unexplained ceremonial visits by dignitaries
18. Which initiative was launched in Nigeria in 1976 to encourage increased food production?
    (a) Green Revolution programme of 1980    (b) Land Use Act of 1978    (c) River basin authority legislation    (d) Operation Feed the Nation
19. ________ describes a farming enterprise producing mainly for the family's direct consumption.
    (a) Commercial plantation farming    (b) Subsistence farming    (c) Export-oriented production    (d) Contract cash-crop processing
20. An early farming settlement uses handheld stone implements mainly to feed its households. Which change best illustrates the transition toward modern agriculture?
    (a) Mechanised cultivation supported by scientific farm management    (b) Replacing all stored seed with wild collection    (c) Restricting production permanently to immediate household needs    (d) Abandoning planned planting for chance gathering
21. Which role is LEAST closely linked to a food-security programme supported by FAO?
    (a) Supporting improved agricultural knowledge    (b) Setting unrelated school examination pass marks    (c) Advising on food and agricultural development    (d) Facilitating discussion of food-security challenges
22. Operation Feed the Nation was primarily intended to encourage ____.
    (a) exclusive reliance on imported staples    (b) greater domestic food production and participation in farming    (c) closure of smallholdings throughout Nigeria    (d) replacement of all farming with industrial employment
23. A cooperative pools money to purchase crop-storage equipment. What problem is it most directly trying to reduce?
    (a) Seasonal changes in daylight length    (b) Post-harvest loss from inadequate storage    (c) Classification of crop and animal enterprises    (d) The scientific naming of crops
24. The ________ is the 1978 Nigerian law associated with the administration and allocation of land rights.
    (a) Operation Feed the Nation    (b) Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme    (c) Land Use Act    (d) Green Revolution programme
25. A project promises higher output but reports no baseline data. The correct step in evaluating progress is to ____.
    (a) establish comparable initial and follow-up measures    (b) declare a precise increase without evidence    (c) count posters instead of farm activities    (d) ignore changes outside the main demonstration plot
26. A farm combines maize production with goats on one holding. How should its system be classified?
    (a) arable farming only    (b) pastoral farming only    (c) mixed farming    (d) plantation farming without animals
27. Why might a mixed enterprise face less risk than a crop-only enterprise?
    (a) every animal and crop has identical market prices    (b) income need not depend on a single category of farm product    (c) mixed farms never experience unfavourable weather    (d) each activity automatically doubles the other activity's output
28. A farmer cannot buy improved seed despite having suitable land. The ________ problem is most relevant.
    (a) excessive mechanisation    (b) complete absence of markets    (c) unlimited agricultural insurance    (d) limited access to credit
29. Which comparison is supported by the history of agriculture?
    (a) Modern farming generally uses more specialised equipment and knowledge than Stone Age farming    (b) Stone Age farmers routinely operated tractor fleets    (c) Modern production never requires human labour    (d) Ancient farmers had no knowledge of planting seasons
30. A land-use arrangement allocates a tract to grazing while excluding crop cultivation. Which farm activity benefits most directly?
    (a) Intensive cultivation of irrigated vegetables    (b) Processing harvested cassava flour    (c) Livestock husbandry needing pasture    (d) Seed sorting after harvest
31. Which feature would best distinguish a working agricultural development programme from an announcement alone?
    (a) A large banner displayed at the state office    (b) Repeated public speeches without farm contact    (c) A programme name printed on unused forms    (d) Documented farmer access to training, inputs or useful services
32. Which of these organisations has an explicitly international role in food and agriculture?
    (a) National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA)    (b) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)    (c) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)    (d) A state Agricultural Development Programme office
33. Irrigation and better roads are provided to farmers. Why might employment increase as a result?
    (a) improved roads automatically make all crops immune to disease    (b) irrigation eliminates the need for farm workers in every enterprise    (c) market access prevents any fluctuation in prices    (d) more reliable production and market access support expanded activity
34. A village produces enough yams but loses much after harvest because roads are poor. What is the most direct agricultural constraint?
    (a) Lack of knowledge of agricultural history    (b) Absence of a suitable farm classification    (c) Weak transport infrastructure    (d) Overuse of mixed farming as a concept
35. The main reason agriculture changed from subsistence methods to more organised production was the ____.
    (a) disappearance of the need for food    (b) growing need for reliable output and improved efficiency    (c) elimination of all risks in crop production    (d) ban on using specialised farm tools
36. Which statement about agricultural reforms is NOT defensible?
    (a) A reform automatically solves every farmer's credit and land problems    (b) Reforms may seek clearer rules for using farm land    (c) Credit interventions can reduce financing constraints    (d) Programmes may try to raise national food production
37. A household sells nearly all its vegetable harvest to retailers. Which feature most strongly points to commercial farming?
    (a) Production is organised primarily for sale and income    (b) Crops are necessarily grown without tools    (c) Labour is always unpaid family labour    (d) Farm output cannot be measured
38. Which response best addresses weak participation in an agricultural development programme?
    (a) Consult farmers about their constraints and adjust delivery to their needs    (b) Continue the same design without checking results    (c) Exclude local farmers from planning meetings    (d) Focus only on the number of official vehicles purchased
39. The most appropriate land use for sustainably managing a protected tree reserve is ____.
    (a) forestry with conservation controls    (b) unregulated permanent bush burning    (c) continuous open-pit removal of soil    (d) unrestricted annual clearing of all trees
40. A farmer has little land and few inputs but needs food for the family. Which advantage of subsistence farming is most relevant?
    (a) It guarantees high export earnings every season    (b) It requires a national distribution network before planting    (c) It can supply household food with relatively modest capital    (d) It eliminates seasonal food shortages entirely

SECTION B: THEORY (30 Marks)
Instruction: Answer Question 1 and any other TWO questions. Each question carries 10 marks. Show your reasoning and use labelled diagrams where appropriate.

Question 1 (10 marks)
(a) Contrast subsistence and commercial farming using their main objectives and typical scale of sales. (4 marks)
(b) A household has two hectares and wants both food security and some cash income. Explain three reasons a mixed crop-and-livestock holding may be appropriate or challenging. (6 marks)

Question 2 (10 marks)
(a) Identify two constraints to farm output or income commonly faced by Nigerian farmers. (4 marks)
(b) Suggest three connected interventions and explain how each addresses a named constraint. (6 marks)

Question 3 (10 marks)
(a) State the name and year of two Nigerian agricultural laws or programmes taught this term. (4 marks)
(b) Explain how land-use administration and access to agricultural finance can affect a farmer’s willingness and ability to invest in long-term production. (6 marks)

Question 4 (10 marks)
(a) Distinguish the roles of an agricultural land-development agency and an international food-agriculture organisation, giving examples. (4 marks)
(b) A programme trains 200 farmers but has no records of production before training. Outline three items of evidence needed to assess whether the programme improved local farming. (6 marks)

Objective Marking Scheme
Question 1 – ✅ (c) Agricultural land use for different productive and conservation purposes
Question 2 – ✅ (d) Agricultural Development Programme with extension support
Question 3 – ✅ (c) Cultivating land mainly for field crops
Question 4 – ✅ (b) Land ownership and land-use arrangements
Question 5 – ✅ (d) Creating employment and supplying raw materials to related industries
Question 6 – ✅ (b) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)
Question 7 – ✅ (d) Agriculture
Question 8 – ✅ (a) Output, access to food and other indicators besides employment
Question 9 – ✅ (d) Failure of its single market crop may severely reduce farm income
Question 10 – ✅ (a) financing helps production while roads, storage and markets help turn output into usable income
Question 11 – ✅ (b) Reliable roads connecting farms and markets
Question 12 – ✅ (d) NALDA
Question 13 – ✅ (c) reduce competing claims and promote coordinated use of the area
Question 14 – ✅ (a) guaranteed elimination of all pest and disease outbreaks
Question 15 – ✅ (c) production support was not matched by transport and market infrastructure
Question 16 – ✅ (c) organise verifiable records and approach a suitable lending scheme
Question 17 – ✅ (d) the number of unexplained ceremonial visits by dignitaries
Question 18 – ✅ (d) Operation Feed the Nation
Question 19 – ✅ (b) Subsistence farming
Question 20 – ✅ (a) Mechanised cultivation supported by scientific farm management
Question 21 – ✅ (b) Setting unrelated school examination pass marks
Question 22 – ✅ (b) greater domestic food production and participation in farming
Question 23 – ✅ (b) Post-harvest loss from inadequate storage
Question 24 – ✅ (c) Land Use Act
Question 25 – ✅ (a) establish comparable initial and follow-up measures
Question 26 – ✅ (c) mixed farming
Question 27 – ✅ (b) income need not depend on a single category of farm product
Question 28 – ✅ (d) limited access to credit
Question 29 – ✅ (a) Modern farming generally uses more specialised equipment and knowledge than Stone Age farming
Question 30 – ✅ (c) Livestock husbandry needing pasture
Question 31 – ✅ (d) Documented farmer access to training, inputs or useful services
Question 32 – ✅ (b) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Question 33 – ✅ (d) more reliable production and market access support expanded activity
Question 34 – ✅ (c) Weak transport infrastructure
Question 35 – ✅ (b) growing need for reliable output and improved efficiency
Question 36 – ✅ (a) A reform automatically solves every farmer's credit and land problems
Question 37 – ✅ (a) Production is organised primarily for sale and income
Question 38 – ✅ (a) Consult farmers about their constraints and adjust delivery to their needs
Question 39 – ✅ (a) forestry with conservation controls
Question 40 – ✅ (c) It can supply household food with relatively modest capital

Theory Marking Scheme

Question 1:
(a) Subsistence mainly household consumption and limited market surplus (2); commercial mainly production for sale and income at market-oriented scale (2). (4 marks)
(b) Any three developed points 2 marks each: diverse produce/income; crop residues feed stock; manure returns fertility; management skill/labour demands; disease and feeding costs. (6 marks)

Question 2:
(a) Poor transport/storage infrastructure (2); lack of affordable credit, pests or disease (2). (4 marks)
(b) Two marks each for credible links such as rural roads to market access, cooperative finance to input purchase, storage to reduced spoilage, extension/pest management to yields. (6 marks)

Question 3:
(a) Land Use Act (1978) (2); Operation Feed the Nation (1976) OR Green Revolution (1980) with correct name/year (2). (4 marks)
(b) Land security/recognised rights improve investment confidence (2); credit enables inputs and equipment (2); consequences of insecure tenure or costly finance developed (2). (6 marks)

Question 4:
(a) NALDA supports agricultural land development in Nigeria (2); FAO focuses on food and agricultural development cooperation internationally (2). (4 marks)
(b) Baseline and follow-up output/yield measurements (2); evidence of adoption/services and participation (2); context such as weather, land, credit, costs or post-harvest losses (2). (6 marks)
Accept scientifically correct equivalents. Award method marks for valid reasoning; do not award a mark twice for the same point.