CSEC AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE 2024 PAPER 2

-4 -

SECTION I

Answer ALL questions in this section.

Write your answers in the spaces provided in this booklet.

1. (a) De ne the term 'marketing as it relates to agricultural production.

Agricultural marketing is all of the activities involved in the movement of eeeeeeee.

agricultural products from the farmer to the consumer.

....e.oee.
[1 mark for 'all of the activities involved']
[1 mark for 'in the movement of agricultural products from the farmer to the
consumer']

(2 marks)

(b) Mary produces vegetables on her 1-hectare farm. She gathers information from the Ministry
of Agriculture's website regarding the demandand selling prices for vegetables in the main
market segments in her country. Table 1 shows the quantity demanded and retail prices
for each market segment.
Market segmentation splits
up a market into different TABLE 1: RETAIL PRICES AND QUANTITY DEMANDED FOR
types (segments) to enable MAJOR MARKET SEGMENTS
businesses to aim their
products at the relevant
customers. Market Segment Quantity Demanded Retail Price
Hotels 100 kg $20 per kg
The best market segment of
Restaurants 300 kg $10 per kg
the 4 is the one that earns
the farmer ther most Supermarkets 150 kg $10 per kg
revenue. For each market Greengrocers 200 kg $6 per kg
segment, revenue is
calculated by quantity
demanded × retail price. So:
(i) Suggest the best market segment to which Mary can supply her vegetables.
Hotels: 100 × 20 = $2000
Restaurants: 300 × 10 = Restaurants
$3000$
Supermarkets: 150 × 10 =
$1500
Greengrocers: 200 × 6 =
$1200
(I mark)

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L
fi
 -5-

(ii) State ONE bene t of having diferent market segments for agricultural products.

It steers the most suitable products for a particular set of customers to

those customers.
.....
(1 mark)

(c) James wants to grow tomatoes to sell to different market segments in his country. He is
not sure how to go about marketing his produce so he seeks advice from the extension
of cer.

As the extension of cer, outline THREE steps in the marketing process that James can
take when marketing his tomatoes. You MUST provide one reason for EACH step.

Pricing
Marketing step ... [1 mark]

Reason ......
Sales will be low if most consumers find
fi the price is too high. Factors such as
demand, market conditions and competitor prices need to be considered.
Prices should not be changed too frequently, as this leads to confusion in the
market. [1 mark]

Marketing step ..Advertising [1 mark]

Reason ....
Advertising makes the customers aware of the product's existence. Even if
customers want a product, they will of course not buy it from you if they are
unaware that you have it for sale. [1 mark]

MarketingstepLabelling
.... and packaging [1 mark]

Reason....
Customers form a fifirst imopression of your product from its labelling and
packaging. The nature of the product (fresh tomatoes), the seller and the price
should be immediately visible. [1 mark]

(6 marks)

Total 10 marks

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L J
fi
fi
fi
 -6- 1

2. (a) Differentiate between gross margin and net pro t.

Net income (NE) or net profifit (NP) is income after money for all variable and
fifixed expenses is deducted. [1 mark]
....e
Gross margin (GM), or income above variable expenditure (IAVE), is income
after money for variable expenses is deducted. •ee...ee.

....*..
(2 marks)

(b) Table 2 shows the income and expenditure of Kushi's poultry farm.

TABLE 2: INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR KUSHI'S POULTRY FARM

Fixed costs, fifixed expenses or fifixed |Income $

expenditures are costs, expenses or Sale of broilers 1 500
expenditures that do not change according
Sale of eggs 1
000
to the level of propduction. For example, the
broiler farmer has to pay whatever taxes, Total income 2 500
loan interest and insurance premiums that
he is obligated to pay regardless of how
Expenses
much or little money the farm makes; he has
no say in how much these expenses are. Taxes 200
Depreciation is the loss in an item's value Fuel for machinery 500
over time from use, wear and tear. This is Feed 400
considered a fixed
fi cost.
Depreciation on machinery 300
Variable costs, variable expenses or variable Farm labour 1 000

expenditures are costs, expenses or Interest on loan 700

expenditures that change according to the Medicines for bird 600
level of propduction. For example, the broiler
farmer can decide how much he will spend Insurance 200
on fuel for machinery, feed, farm labor, Repairs to equipment 300
medicines for birds and repairs to equipment Total expenses 1 200
based on his level of popduction.
Gross margin -300
Net pro t 1
.700

(i) State ONE purpose of preparing income and expenditure statements for a farm
enterprise.

To keep track of farm performance in terms of profifit or loss.

(1 mark)
(ii) From the information in Table 2, identify TWO xed costs.

Any 2 of the following [1 mark for each]:

Taxes; Deprectiation on farm machinery; Interest on loan; Insurance

(2 marks)

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

J
fi
fi
fi
 -7-

(iii) From the information in Table 2, state TWO variable costs.

Any 2 of the following [1 mark for each]:

Fuel for machinery; Feed; Farm labor; Medicines for birds; Repairs to
equipment
•..e.
(2 marks)

(c) (i) Kushi wants to take a loan from the bank to expand her farm. Using the information
from Table 2 on page 6, suggest TWO reasons why Kushi would MOST likely be
unable to obtain a loan for her farm.

The farm's gross expenditure exeed its gross income, indicating that the
farm spends more than its revenue. [1 mark]

The farm's net income and gross margin are also negative values,
indicating that the farm is not profifitable. [1 mark]

(2 marks)

(ii) Kushi still wants to be able to obtain a loan from the bank to expand her poultry
farm. Suggest ONE action that she would need to undertake to be able to obtain
a loan from the bank in the future.

Reduce her total variable expenditure until her gross income is more than
her gross expenditure.

(1 mark)

Total 10 marks

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L
 -8-

SECTION II

Answer ALL questions in this section.

Write your answers in the spaces provided in this booklet.

3. (a) On a recent visit to Timothy's Hillside Farm in a hilly area in your country, Farmer Timothy
told your class that topography is a key factor affecting soil fertility in the area.

() De ne the term 'soil fertility'.

Soil fertility is the ability of a soil to sustain plant growth and optimize
crop yield.
[1 mark for 'ability of a soil to sustain plant growth']
[1 mark for 'optimize plant yield']

(2 marks)

(ii) Describe TWO efects of topography on the fertility of the soil on Timothy's
Hillside Farm.

Soil erosion due to water runoff carries topsoil from higher to lower
elevations. [1 mark]
The soil at at higher elevations is therefore less fertile than at lower
elevations. [1 mark]

•.ee.ee

eeeeee ****
(2 marks)

(ii) Other than topography, state ONE factor that affects soil fertility.

Soil drainage [1 mark]

(1 mark)

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L
fi
 9-

(b) Farmer Timothy is a progressive farmer and wants to ensure that he uses the correct cropping
systems to improve and/or maintain the soil fertility on his farm.

(i) Describe TWO possible cropping systems that Farmer Timothy can use to maintain
soil fertility on his farm.

Strip cropping [1 mark]

Cropping system ......

Description ..

The
•....e.
planting of different crops in strips of varying width on flflat,
undulating or sloping land. [1 mark]

.....e.

Croppingsystem Contour
.... cropping [1 mark]

Description ...

Ploughing and planting along the contours of land. [1 mark] ....*...

xt

(4 marks)

(ii) Other than using cropping systems, identify ONE additional method that Farmer
Timothy can adopt to improve and/or maintain the soil fertility on his farm.

Use of gabions [1 mark]

(1 mark)

Total 10 marks

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L J
 - 10-

4. (a) Figure 1 shows the diagram of a typical plant cell.

EE

X-

Figure 1. Diagram of a typical plant cell

(i) State the name of the part labelled X in Figure I.

Nucleus
(1 mark)

(ii) State ONE main function of the part labelled X.

Cell division ee.ee....eee.

(1 mark)

(ii) State the type of cell division that occurs in the reproductive organs in plants.

Meiosis ****
(1 mark)

(b) Many thin-skin tropical crops cannot be easily exported because they are damaged during
handling and shipping. As a result, the Regional Agricultural Research and Development
Institute has been working with farmers to develop a new variety of hot pepper for export.

The plant breeder crossed a pure-bred, thick-skin hot pepper with a pure-bred, thin-skin
pepper, where T representsthe allele for thick-skin and t representsthe allele for thin-skin.

(i) State the genotypes of the parents.

Thick skin: TT [1 mark]

Thin skin: tt [1 mark]

(2 marks)

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L
 - 11:

(i) State the genotypes of the offspring of this cross. Show all working.
T T Allele T codes for thick skin. Allele t codes for thin skin.
T is the dominant allele since thr letter is capital. t is the
recessive allele since the letter is common. So the cross
t Tt Tt is TT × tt. This is homozygous dominant for thick skin ×
homozgygous recessive for thin skin. The resulte is all
offspring are heteroxygous dominant for thick skin: Tt. All
offspring therefore show the dominant trait (thick skin), as
the dominant allee T is present in all their genotypes;
t Tt Tt
[1 mark]

Offspring
**.... genotypes: all Tt. [1 mark]
(2 marks)

(ii) Determine how many of the offspring will have a thin-skin phenotype and how
many will have a thick-skin phenotype.

Thick skin: all offspring [1 mark]

Thin skin: no offspring [1 mark]
e..

(2 marks)

(c) Some vegetable seeds that are sold in agricultural shops have been produced by commercial
seed-producing companies using genetic engineering.

Suggest ONE bene t farmers may get from growing genetically engineered crops.

Plants with increased disease resistance. [1 mark]

(1 mark)

Total 10 marks

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L J
fi
 - 12 -

SECTION III

Answer ALL questions in this section.

Write your answers in the spaces provided in this booklet.

5. At a workshop on broiler production, an extension of cer showed the information in Table 3 for
broiler birds produced by two broiler farmers. He stated that the broiler birds are rst slaughtered
and dressed before they are sold to the consumer. He further explained that the dressing percentages
of the broiler ocks are of economic importance to the two farmers.

TABLE 3: INFORMATION ON BROILER BIRDS PRODUCED BY TWO FARMERS

Live Weight Dressed Weight

Farmer A 2 kg 1.5 kg
Farmer B 2 kg 1.6 kg

(a) State the three MAIN steps to be followed when dressing a broiler bird.

1. Plucking [1 mark]

2. Removal of head and offal and processing of gizzard and feet [1 mark]

3. Washing of carcass inside and outside and placing of gizzard and feet
inside) [1 mark]

•.....ee.e....
(3 marks)

(b) Suggest ONE way in which dressingpercentage is of economic importance to the farmers.

It indicates
•eeeee how much of a carcass is usable (and therefore sellable) meat.

.......+*+.....
(1 mark)

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L
fl
fi
fi
 - 13-

(c) Calculate the dressing percentage for the broiler ock of

(i) Farmer A

Dressing percentage = (dressed weight ÷ liveweight) × 100

Dressed weight = 1.5 kg
Liveweight = 2 kg
Therefore dressing percentage = (1.5 ÷ 2) = 100 [1 mark]
= 0.75 × 100 = 75% [1 mark]

•...... .eee.ee.

(i) Farmer B.

Dressing percentage = (dressed weight ÷ liveweight) × 100

Dressed weight = 1.6 kg
Liveweight = 2 kg
Therefore dressing percentage = (1.6 ÷ 2) = 100 [1 mark]
= 0.8 × 100 = 80% [1 mark]

(4 marks)

(d) Using your calculations for Farmer A and Farmer B in part (c), identify the farmer who
would have earned moremnoneyfrom the sale of his broilers. Give ONE reason for your
answer.

Farmer: B [1 mark]
Reason: More usable (and therefore sellable) meat on the carcasses of his
birds). [1 mark]

(2 marks)

Total 10 marks

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L 12
fl
 - 14-

6. Farmer Ben inherited ve hectares of land in the countryside and wants to set up an apiary to
produce honey for sale.

(a) Suggest THREE factors Farmer Ben must consider when siting an apiary for his bees if
he wants to maximize honey production.

Location must be from any residential areas, including the apiarist’s

(beekeeper’) residence, for safety. [1 mark]

No pesticides used the area; these would kill the bees. [1 mark]

No loud noises; these would disturb the bees. [1 mark]

(3 marks)

(b) Farmer Ben wants to increase his honey production. He was informed that worker bees
are a critical part of the honey production process.

Describe TWO ways in which the social activities of the worker bees would contribute to
increased honey production in Farmer Ben's hives.

The older worker bees go out from the hive and forage for nectar . [1 mark]

The older worker bees return to the hive with the nectar. [1 mark]

The younger workers in the hive receive the nectar. [1 mark]

The younger workers put the nectar into honeycomb cells, convert it to honey
using enzymes and heat from the beating o their wings, and then cap the cells
with beeswax when the honey is mature (ripe). [1 mark]

eeeee.ee.
(4 marks)

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024
fi
 - 15 -

(c) Farmer Ben sells his honey to a large supermarket chain but there are complaints about
the poor quality of thehoney.

() Suggest ONE cause for the poor quality of the honey produced by Farmer Ben.

He harvests unripe honey. [1 mark] oooeoeoo*.

(1 mark)

(ii) Suggest TWO management practices Farmer Ben can implement to prevent the
production of poor quality honey.

Harvest ripe (mature) honey. [1 mark]

Do not heat or add any additives (sugar water etc). to the honey. [1 mark]

.............
(2 marks)

Total 10 marks

END OF TEST

IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIME s CALLED, CHECK YOUR WORK ON THIS TEST.

01203020/MJ/CSEC 2024

L J