All 50 questions from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Agricultural Science 2022 Objective paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
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To reduce rural-urban migration, the government should
Providing social infrastructure (roads, electricity, water, schools, hospitals) in rural areas makes rural life more attractive and reduces the incentive for young people to migrate to cities.
The establishment of cooperative farming is encouraged by governments because it
Cooperative farming allows farmers to pool their resources together, which enables individual farmers — who might not qualify alone — to access loans and acquire capital collectively.
A non-governmental organization involved in agricultural development in West Africa is
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a non-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations; the other options are government-run programmes/authorities.
The diagram below illustrates a farm implement. Use it to answer questions 4, 5 and 6. The illustrated farm implement is used for
The implement shown is a disc plough. Its main function is initial soil turning and breaking up of soil into clods/rough furrows, ahead of finer tilling operations.
The part of the illustrated farm implement which enables it to roll over obstacles is labelled
Part IV is the furrow wheel, which supports and guides the plough, allowing it to roll over obstacles on uneven ground.
The function of the part labelled II is to
Part II is the disc scraper, which helps remove soil or mud that clings to the disc during ploughing.
A combine harvester can be used simultaneously to harvest
A combine harvester combines harvesting and threshing of cereal/grain crops — it cuts the crop, separates the grain from the stalks, and cleans (winnows) the grain by separating it from the chaff, all in one pass.
Ranging poles used in farm surveying have characteristic
Ranging poles used in surveying are conventionally painted in alternating red and white (or sometimes black and white) bands for high visibility.
Decomposition of soil organic matter is mainly caused by
Bacteria are the most abundant and important microscopic decomposers responsible for breaking down soil organic matter, alongside fungi and other organisms.
The main factors responsible for rock weathering in the desert are high
In desert environments, high daytime/low nighttime temperature fluctuations (thermal expansion/contraction) combined with animal activity are the main drivers of rock weathering, given the scarcity of water.
A difference between physical and chemical weathering is that
Physical weathering breaks down a rock's physical structure without changing its chemical/mineral composition, while chemical weathering alters the rock's mineral/chemical composition (e.g. through carbonation, oxidation, hydrolysis).
Use the information below to answer questions 12 and 13. In an experiment on soil porosity, the following results were obtained: Volume of dry soil = 52 cm³ Volume of water = 48 cm³ Volume of soil and water = 78 cm³ Determine the volume of airspace in the soil sample.
Volume of airspace = (Volume of dry soil + Volume of water) − Volume of soil and water mixture = (52 + 48) − 78 = 22 cm³.
Calculate the porosity of the soil sample.
Porosity (% air) = (Volume of air in soil ÷ Volume of soil) × 100% = (22 ÷ 52) × 100% = 42.31%.
The diagram below illustrates a tool used to analyse a soil sample in an experiment. Use it to answer questions 14, 15 and 16. The aim of the experiment is to determine the soil
This apparatus (a sedimentation/settling jar) is used to determine soil texture, by observing how particles of different sizes (sand, silt, clay) settle into distinct layers.
The part labelled III will contain
In a soil sedimentation jar, particles settle by size — the middle layer (III) typically contains silt, since silt particles are intermediate in size between sand (which settles first/bottom) and clay (which settles last/top).
The diameter of the soil particle that would be retained in the part labelled II is
Part II contains fine sand, and fine sand particles have diameters in the range 0.02 – 0.2 mm.
Potassium deficiency in cereal crops is indicated by
Potassium deficiency in cereal grains typically appears as a scorching/browning of the older, lower leaves, beginning at the leaf tip and moving down the margins.
Nitrogen is important in plants because it is mainly needed in
Nitrogen is a key component of proteins and nucleic acids, and is essential for cell division and the formation of chlorophyll (green leaves).
Water can be conserved in the soil by
Mulching, strip cropping and cover cropping all help reduce evaporation and runoff, conserving soil moisture. Clean clearing (bare soil) increases water loss.
Monocotyledonous crops include
Oil palm, rice, and plantain are monocotyledonous crops. (Note: plantain is sometimes mistaken for a dicot due to its broad leaves, but it is botanically a monocot; the other listed crops in options B–D are dicots.)
Swampy lands are most suitable for growing
Rice is a water-loving crop that thrives in soil holding large amounts of water, making swampy land suitable for its cultivation.
If maize seeds are sown at a spacing of 60 cm by 90 cm, what is the plant population expected on one hectare of farmland?
Plant population = Area of one hectare (10,000 m²) ÷ Spacing area (0.6m × 0.9m = 0.54 m²) = 10,000 ÷ 0.54 ≈ 18,519 plants.
The practice of placing the correct number of seeds in the soil with definite intra-row and inter-row spacing is called
Precision planting involves placing seeds at a precise spacing and depth, in contrast to broadcast seeding where seed is scattered over an area without definite spacing.
Which of the following groups of crops will thrive in areas with high rainfall?
Cocoa, oil palm and rubber are all crops that require and thrive in areas with high rainfall/humid tropical conditions.
The diagram below illustrates a crop. Use it to answer questions 25, 26 and 27. The illustrated crop is
The illustrated crop is okra, whose botanical name is Abelmoschus esculentus.
A disease that could affect the illustrated crop is
Okra is highly susceptible to the root knot nematode, among other diseases like powdery mildew and Fusarium wilt.
The most suitable fertilizer for the production of the illustrated crop is
Okra responds well to nitrogen fertilizers such as ammonium sulphate.
Capping is a cultural practice carried out in the cultivation of
Capping is the practice of covering the spot where a yam is planted (with dry grass or wood) to prevent direct heat from the sun.
Damping off disease of tomato could be controlled by
Damping off disease of tomato (common in overcrowded nursery beds) can be controlled by thinning the seedlings to improve airflow and reduce humidity.
The most common way of controlling weeds in tree crop plantations is by
Hand pulling (manual weeding) is the most common way of controlling weeds in tree crop plantations.
Which of the following crops is correctly matched with a disease that affects it?
Common smut is a well-known maize disease, caused by the fungus Ustilago maydis, which can remain viable in the soil for several years.
Soil-borne diseases could be controlled in the nursery by
Heating (sterilizing) the soil is a very effective method of controlling soil-borne diseases — most pathogens are killed by brief exposure to high temperature (about 140°F for 30 minutes).
Use the information below to answer question 33. I. Yellowing of leaves II. Raised brown spots on the leaves III. Drying up of leaves IV. Exudation of gum The disease of citrus described above is
The symptoms described (yellowing, raised brown spots, drying leaves, gum exudation) are characteristic of die-back disease of citrus, caused by a Phytophthora pathogen.
The diagram below illustrates the digestive system of a farm animal. Use it to answer questions 34, 35 and 36. The diagram illustrates the digestive system of a
The diagram illustrates the digestive tract of a rabbit, identifiable by its characteristic large, coiled caecum.
The part labelled II is the
The part labelled II in the diagram is the small intestine.
Digestion of fats takes place in the part labelled
Although fat-digesting enzymes are produced in the pancreas, the actual digestion of fats occurs in the small intestine (part II).
Lactation normally occurs
Lactation is the secretion of milk from the mammary glands, which begins after gestation (after the animal has given birth), to feed the young.
A by-product of all livestock is
Livestock refers to farm animals excluding poultry; meat is the one product common to all livestock species.
Removal of needle teeth is important in the management of
Needle teeth are clipped in newborn piglets to prevent them from damaging the sow's udder while suckling.
Which of the following farm animals will browse more on plants in a pasture?
Goats are natural browsers (they prefer eating leaves, shrubs and twigs), while sheep and cattle are mainly grazers of grass.
The main reason for castrating farm animals is to
Castrated animals tend to be fatter and produce meat without the strong odour associated with uncastrated (intact) male animals.
Which of the following statements about silage are true? I. has laxative effect II. is acidic in reaction III. has a strong aroma when well prepared
Well-prepared silage is acidic (due to fermentation) and has a strong, distinct aroma; it does not typically have a laxative effect, so statements II and III are true.
If 200 layers require 25 kg of layer mash per day, calculate the quantity of feed required by 1,000 layers per day.
By proportion: 200 layers → 25kg, so 1,000 layers → (1000×25)/200 = 125 kg.
Salt licks are provided for grazing animals to
Salt licks are given to ruminant animals to supplement essential minerals needed by their body that may be lacking in pasture.
The correct order of arrangement of ration for piglets from day old is
Piglet feeding progresses from creep feed (fed alongside sow's milk) to weaner feed, then grower feed, then finisher feed as the pig matures.
In farming enterprise, short term loans are used to
Short-term loans meet short-term recurring needs such as purchasing fertilizers/agrochemicals, seeds, and paying wages to hired workers — not large capital projects.
Use the following information to answer questions 47 to 49. The table below illustrates a farm record for Goodness Farms in the year 1970. Date | Number of hens | Total eggs collected | Total eggs sold 4th June | 362 | 176 | 96 5th June | 360 | 199 | 108 6th June | 360 | 177 | 48 The table illustrates
This kind of farm record — tracking assets (hens) and outputs (eggs collected/sold) over time in physical terms — is classified as an inventory record.
Calculate the total amount of eggs sold on the farm.
Total eggs sold = 96 + 108 + 48 = 252.
If all the unsold eggs were later sold on 7th June at $5.00 per crate, calculate the income from unsold eggs. (Assuming a crate = 30 eggs)
Total eggs collected = 176+199+177 = 552. Unsold eggs = 552 − 252 = 300. Number of crates = 300 ÷ 30 = 10. Income = 10 × $5.00 = $50.00.
The gross profit of a farm business is
Gross profit is the profit made after deducting the cost of producing and selling goods/services from total sales — total sales less cost of production.
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