ZERAKI ACHIEVERS EXAMINATIONS 13.

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OF TERM EXAM-2024
FORM TWO EXAM
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. (K.C.S.E)
Agriculture
443
Marking scheme
1. List two activities that make agriculture to be regarded as an art. (1mk)
i) Tilling of land
ii) Construction of farm structures
iii) Harvesting of crops
iv) Measuring of distances
v) Machine operations
vi) Feeding and handling of livestock animals
vii) Marketing of agricultural produce
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
2. Give the meaning of the following terms as used in agriculture. (1mk)
i) Crop pathology
- Study of crop diseases and their control
(½ x 1 = ½mark)
ii) Agricultural engineering
- Deals with use and maintenance of farm tools, machinery and farm structures
(½ x 1 = ½mark)

3. List two characteristics of extensive farming system. (1mk)

i) Requires large tracts of land
ii) Low capital investment
iii) Low labour per unit area
iv) Low yield per unit area
(½ x 2 = 1mark)

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4. List two benefits of practicing mixed farming. (1mk)
i) Mutual benefit between crops and livestock
ii) Acts as an insurance against total loss by farmer
iii) Maximum utilization of resources (like labour)
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
5. State two limitations of practicing shifting cultivation. (1mk)
i) Not applicable where land is a limiting factor
ii) Farm planning is difficult
iii)Difficult to obtain credit facilities
iv) Lack of soil and water conversation measures
v) Not possible to grow perennial crops
vi) Low output per unit area due to poor farming methods
vii) Where fire is used to clear land organic matter is lost/exposes land to soil erosion
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
6. State two factors that determine the number of times secondary cultivation is done. (1mk)
i) Size of the planting materials. Big seeds require a fairly rough seedbed while small ones require a fine
one thus more times.
ii) Slope of the land. On hilly land, very fine seedbed could encourage soil erosion thus reduce the number
of secondary operations
iii) The moisture content of the soil. In dry soils, fewer operations are preferred so as to conserve the
available moisture
iv) Condition of the land after primary cultivation. Where there is plenty of trash, more secondary
operations are carried out to incorporate most of the trash in the soil.
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
7. Give one reason why each of the following tertiary operations is carried out
i) Rolling (½mk)
i) Prevent small seeds from being carried away by wind
ii) Prevents soil erosion by compacting loose soil
iii) increases seed soil contact
(½ x 2 = 1mark)

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ii) Levelling (½mk)
i) Promote easy germination of small seeded crops
ii) Facilitates uniform germination of seeds
8. Give two reasons for carrying out minimum tillage. (1mk)
i) To reduce the cost of cultivation by reducing the number of operations
ii) To control soil erosion by Mulching and cover cropping that greatly reduce the chances of soil erosion
iii) To maintain soil structure by avoiding continuous cultivation which destroys soil structure.
iv) To conserve moisture. Continuous cultivation exposes the soil to the heat of the sun thus enhancing
evaporation of available moisture
v) To prevent exposure of humus to adverse conditions such as the sun’s heat that cause volatilization of
nitrogen/nutrients
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
9. Give two reasons for treating water before use. (1mk)
i) To remove excess chemicals such as fluoride
ii) To kill disease causing microorganisms
iii) To remove solid sediments
iv) To remove bad taste and smell (½ x 2 = 1mark)
10. Give two reasons why farmers choose seeds over vegetative materials during planting. (1mk)
i) Seeds are easy to treat against soil borne pests and diseases
ii) They are not bulky and thus are easy to store
iii) Are easy to handle during planting making operation faster
iv) Easy to use machines like planters and drillers
v) Possible to apply manure and fertilizer together with seeds during planting
vi) Possible to develop new crop varieties due to cross pollination
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
11. Define the following terms as used in crop production
i) Intercropping
- Growing two or more types of crops on the same piece of land/plot at the same time (½ x 1 = ½ mark)
ii) Mixed cropping
- Growing two or more types of crops in the same piece of land at the same time but in different
sections/plots
(½ x1 = ½ mark)

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12. Give the terms used to describe the young one of the following livestock. (1mk)
Rabbit – kindling
(½ x 1 = ½ mark)
Goat – kid
(½ x 1 = ½ mark)

13. State two importance of keeping livestock healthy. (1mk)

i) To increase productive life of livestock
ii) Healthy animals produce high quality produce
iii) They are less expensive to keep/ reduce cost of production/ economic to keep
iv) Healthy animals give maximum production/ high yeilds
v) To prevent spread of diseases
vi) They breed regularly
vii) Fetch high market prices
viii) To increase work output (½ x 2 = 1m
k)
14. State two conditions that necessitate the handling of farm animals. (1mk)
i) During treatment
ii) When spraying or hand dressing
iii) When milking
iv) When performing some management practices e.g. dehorning/hoof trimming/ indetification
v) When inspecting animals for any signs of a disease (½ x 2 = 1mark)
15. Give two characteristics of an effective acaricide? (1mk)
i) Able to kill ticks
ii) Harmless to both human beings and livestock
iii) Stable – remains effective even after contamination by dung, mud or hair (½ x 2 = 1mark)
16. Describe two uses of water in the animal’s body. (1mk)
i) Part of body fluids e.g. blood
ii) Medium of excretion e.g. urine
iii) Fills the body cells to make them turgid/firm and gives them shape
iv) Cools the animal’s body
v) Form part of animals products e.g. milk
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vi) Medium of biochemical reactions in the cell cytoplasm
vii) Softens food for digestion to take place
viii) Transport digested food substance i.e. glucose, amino acids, fatty acids/ glycerol from their
absorption sites into the blood stream
ix) Dilutes other body chemicals to optimum concentrations e.g. hydrochloric acid in the stomach
x) Lubricant to expel waste from the animals (½ x 2 =
1mark)
17. Name two complementary tools that are used together in the livestock production. (1mk)
i) Trocar and canula
ii) Bull ring and lead stick
iii) Hypodermic needle and syringe
iv) Elastrator and rubber ring (½ x 2 =
1mark)
18. State two reasons of maintaining farm tools. (1mk)
i) Increase tool efficiency
ii) Prevent injuries
iii) Reduce replacement costs
iv) Avoid damage to the tool
v) Increase durability (½ x 2 = 1mark)
19. State two conditions when opportunity cost is zero in diary production. (1mk)
i) When there are no alternatives in inputs used
ii) When the inputs used are free
iii) When the resources are unlimited/ abundant (½ x 2 = 1mark)
20. State the importance of the following in manure preparation using the pit method. (1mk)
a) Ash – to add mineral nutrients (½ x 1 = ½ mark)
b) Soil – to introduce microorganisms/ decomposers ` (½ x 1= ½ mark)

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21. Name two aspects of light that affect agricultural production. (1mk)
i) Light duration
ii) Light intensity
iii) Light wavelength (light quality)
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
22. State two advantages of overhead irrigation. (1mk)
i) Water is evenly distributed
ii) Less water is wasted in comparison to flood irrigation
iii) Can easily be practiced in sloppy land
iv) Foliar fertilizers can be applied in the water
v) Sprinkler system can easily be moved (½ x 2 = 1mark)
23. Name two types of soil structures. (1mk)
i) Single grained
ii) Granular
iii) Platy
iv) Blocky
v) Columnar/ prismatic
vi) Crumby
(½ x 2 = 1mark)

24. Name the intermediate host of the following parasites. (1mk)

i) Tapeworm – pig/cattle
(½ x 1= ½ mark)
ii) Liver fluke – mud snail/ water snail
(½ x1 = ½ mark)
25. State two characteristics of nitrogenous fertilizers. (1mk)
i) Highly soluble
ii) Easily leached/ low / short residue effect
iii) Highly volatile
iv) Highly hygroscopic
v) Highly corrosive (½ x 2 = 1mark)

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26. State two methods of breaking seed dormancy. (1mk)
i) Mechanical method
ii) Heat treatment method
iii) Chemical treatment
iv) Soaking in water to soften the seed coat
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
27. State two characteristics of a good grain store. (1mk)
i) Rat proof
ii) Well ventilated
iii) Easy ro load and offload
iv) Pest free
v) Leak proof
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
28. Outline two soil constituents. (1mk)
(½ x 2 = 1mark)
i) Mineral matter
ii) Soil water
iii) Air
iv) Living organism
v) Organic matter (½ x 2 = 1mark)
29. State two characteristics of plants used as green manure. (1mk)
i) Highly vegetative
ii) Fast growth
iii) High nitrogen content
iv) Should be hardy
v) Capable of rotting quickly (½ x 2 = 1mark)
30. Outline four reasons of practicing minimum tillage. (1mk)
i) To reduce cost of cultivation
ii) To control soil erosion
iii) Maintain soil structure
iv) To conserve moisture (½ x 2 = 1mark)

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 SECTION B
31.i) To investigate soil porosity / soil water holding capacity (1×1 = 1mark)

ii) A- sand soil (1×½=½mk)

B- Loam soil (1×½=½mk)
iii) - addition of organic matter / manure
- Addition of lime
- Sub soiling
-Drainage of excess water (1×3= 3marks)
32.i) Chitting /sprouting. (1x1 = 1mk)
ii) - Humidity /moist environment
- Diffuse light.(NB Avoid dark room). (1x2= 2mks)
iii) - Ensure uniform growth after planting.
- To ensure growth commences immediately after planting.
- To break seed dormancy. (2x1 2mks)

33a) 20:- 20kg of Nitrogen in 100kgs of fertilize

10:- 10kgs of phosphorous pentoxide in 100 kgs of fertilizer
10:- 10kgs of potassium oxide in 100 kgs of fertilizer (1×3=3mks)
b) Complete / compound fertilizer (1×1= 1mk)
c) 20kgs of Nitrogen in 100kgs of fertilizer/ 100kgs ×400kgs=80kgs of Nitrogen
34.

35.a) milk fever (parturient paresis) (½×1=½)

b) i) Q – low level of calcium and phosphorous in lactating cow (1×1=1 mk)
ii) R – manganese deficiency in diet (1×1=1mk)
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c) Paralysis/ inability to move
Stiffness of the body
Muscular twitching / tremor
Head turned backwards
Working in staggering manner
Unconsciousness
Stomach content drain into the mouth (1×2 =2mks)
d) Partial milking (½×1 =1mks)
Calcium and phosphorous injection
36.i) - dairy cattle
- It is triangular in shape (1×2 =2mks)
ii) Well-developed udder
Prominent milk veins
Large stomach
Less muscular / lean body
Prominent pin bones (1×3 =3mks)

37. (a) List five factors that are considered when choosing the type of irrigation to use in
the farm (5 mks)

(i) Capital availability. Some irrigation methods requires expensive installation thus
may not be affordable to small scale farmers with limited capital.
(ii) Topography. On steep slopes surface irrigation methods may be expensive to install
due to need to establish dykes and level land.
(iii) Water availability. A surface irrigation method requires a lot of water therefore
plenty of water must be available.
(iv) Types of soils. Some methods like surface irrigation requires soils that can hold wate r
for a long time hence clay soil is ideal for such methods while sub surface method
requires soil with high capillarity.
(v) Type of crop to be irrigated. Paddy rice requires flooded conditions throughout its
growing period hence only irrigation is applicable to such crops.

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 (1x5= 5mks)
(b) Explain five reasons for draining water-logged soils. (5mks)
(i) It increases soil aeration: excess water around the root zone retards plant growth
because it fills the air spaces restricting air movements.
(ii) To increase soil volume: amount of soil around the root zone from which roots can
easily get nutrients easily is increased.
(iii) To raise soil temperate: Improves the rate at which soil warms up for better plant
growth.
(iv) To increase microbial activities: micro-organism in the soil increase the number due
to proper aeration. Help to improve soil structure and make plant food more readily
available.
(v) To reduce soil erosion: Well drained soils have high water holding capacity which
helps to reduce run-off and increase infiltration rate.
(vi) To remove toxic substances: due to waterlogging, soluble salts increases in
concentration to levels that are toxic to plants. Drainage removes such salt from the
soil.

(1x5= 5 marks
c. Give ten uses of farm records. (10mks)
Records help to compare the performance of different enterprises within a farm or other
farms.
(i) They show the history of the farm.
(ii) Guide a farmer in planning and budgeting of farm operation.
(iii) Help to detect losses or theft on the farm.
(iv) Help in the assessment of income tax to avoid over or under taxation.
(v) Helps to determine the value of the farm or to determine the asserts and liabilities of
the farm.
(vi) Make it easy to share profits and losses in partnerships.
(vii) Help in settling disputes among heirs to the estate when a farmer dies without leaving
a will.
(viii) Records help to show the farm business is making losses or profits. Helps the farm to
obtain credit.
(ix) Help in supporting insurance claims on death, theft and fire of farm assets.
(x) Provide labour information like terminal benefits like NSSF dues.
(xi) They help the farmer in selling certain assets like farm animal, machinery.
(1x10=10marks)

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38. a) Explain five factors affecting the rooting of cuttings.
(i) Temperature. Warm temperature are required in the root zone while cool
temperature are required in aerial part.
(ii) Relative humidity. High humidity is required to lower transpiration rate and
increase leaf turgidity by using a greenhouse nor spraying the soil around the unit
with water to keep it moist.
(iii) Light intensity. Soft wood cuttings need high light intensity to produce roots while
hardwood cuttings root well in dark conditions. Soft wood cuttings require light to
promote photosynthesis while hardwood cuttings have enough stored carbohydrates.
(iv) Oxygen supply. Oxygen is required for root formation. Rooting medium used should
allow proper aeration.
(v) Chemical treatment. Involve use of rooting hormones to promote production of roots.
(vi) Leaf area. Soft wood cuttings require a lot of leaves while hardwood cuttings will
produce roots better without leaves. Soft cuttings requires leaves for photosynthesis.
(1x5=5marks)

b). Describe five methods that help to control livestock diseases. (5 mks)
(i) General farm hygiene /cleanliness of houses/ equipment, proper carcass disposal:- to
destroy pathogens.
(ii) Isolation of sick animals- avoids spread of diseases.
(iii) Drenching/deworming- controls internal parasites
(iv) Vaccination-creates resistance to diseases in animal.
(v) Control of vectors-avoids disease transmission.
(vi) Prophylactic approach/use of drugs avoids prevents infection.
(vii) Proper feeding/balanced ration-prevents nutritional disorders slaughtering
frequently sick animal prevents.
(viii) Spread of contagious diseases
(ix) Proper breeding controls breeding diseases.
(x) Quarantine-avoids introduction of diseases/prevents spread of disease
(xi) Foot trimming-minimizes occurrence of foot root.
(xii) Proper housing- avoids predisposing animals to diseases.
(1x5=5marks
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c). Describe the life cycle of a three host tick. (10Mks)
(i) Eggs on the ground hatch into larvae. (1mk)
(ii) Larvae climb onto first host, (1mk)
(iii) Feeds on blood and become engorged. (1mk)
(iv) Larvae drop to the ground to moult (1mk) nymph (1mk)
(v) Nymph climbs to the second host (1mk) feed on blood become engorged (1mk) and
drop to the ground to moult into adult (1mk) (1mk)
(vi) Adult climbs the third host feed on blood. (1mk)
(vii) Mate (1mk)
(viii) Drop to the ground to lay eggs (1mk)

END

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