THE NORTHERN EDUCATION DIVISION

MALAWI SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EDUCATION MOCK

EXAMINATION

AGRICULTURE
Subject number: M012/ I
Monday, 20th March Time allowed: 2 hours
8:00 – 10: 10:00 am
PAPER I
(100 marks)
Instructions Questions Tick if Do not write in
Number answered these column
1. This paper contains 13
1
printed pages. Please check
2. This paper has two sections, A 2
and B. Section A has ten 3
questions and section B has 4
three questions. 5
3. Answer all questions in the 6
spaces provided. 7
4. Write your name and school 8
on all pages 9
5. At the end of examination, 10
hand in your paper to the 11
invigilator 12
13

Page 1 of 14
 Section A (70 marks)

Answer all questions in the spaces provided.

1. a. State two ways in which a farmer can raise soil pH.

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(2 marks)
b. Mention any two factors that affect cation exchange capacity
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(2 marks)
c. Explain any one way in which agroforestry deal with climate change.
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(2 marks)
2. a. Mention any two management practices for sheep during gestation period.
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(2 marks)
b. Give any two qualities of a site of a mushroom.
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(2 marks)

c. Explain any one effect of high soil acidity on crop production.

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(2 marks)
Page 2 of 14
3. a. Give any two activities involved in organic farming.
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(2 marks)
b. Classify the following feeds into roughages and concentrates: groundnut
haulms, hay and maize bran
Roughage concentrates
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(3 marks)
4. Table 1 shows two marketing agencies in a marketing channel of beans from
Chitipa to Karonga.
Marketing agency Costs Selling price
Farmer Nil 9000
Itinerant trader Sacks 150
Transport 2000
Profit ? 18000
Table 1
a. Calculate profit of itinerant trader.

(2 marks)
Page 3 of 14
b. Calculate the marketing margin between itinerant trader and the farmer.

(2 marks)
c. Figure 1 below is a diagram of a mushroom. Use it to answer questions
that follows

Figure 1
a. State the function of the parts marked A
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(1 mark)
b. Describe any one factor that affect mushroom fruiting.
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(2 marks)

Page 4 of 14
5. a. State two effects of land degradation on the economy of Malawi.
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(2 marks)
b. Figure 2 below shows a diagram of a type of soil structure. Use it to
answer questions 5i and ii

Figure 2
i. State the type of soil structure

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(1 mark)

ii. Explain any one way of improving the soil structure mentioned in 5 a.
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(2 marks)
c. Describe any one method of land drainage
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(2 marks)

Page 5 of 14
6. Figure 3 is a diagram showing a farm implement. Use it to answer question
that follow 6 (a) .

Figure 3
a. Name parts marked A and B in figure 3
A ______________________________________________________
(1 mark)
B ____________________________________________________

(1 mark)

b. Give any two principles for the formation of agricultural cooperatives

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(2 marks)
7. Figure 4 is a diagram of a source of farm power. Use it to answer questions
6a and b

Figure 4

Page 6 of 14
 a. Identify the source of farm power in the figure 4
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(1 mark)

b. Give one advantage of the source of farm power in figure 4

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(1 mark)

c. Table 2 shows a type of production record for maize kept by Mr. Gondwe. Use
it to answer the questions 6c(i) and (ii):

Date Work done Number of Number of days Rate per day

persons worked
07/01/2021 Planting 5 Women 4 500

20/01/2021 1st weeding 8 women 3 500

Table 2
i. Identify the type of production record shown in table 2
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(1 mark
ii. Calculate how much money Mr. Gondwe paid the women on 7/01/202

Page 7 of 14
 (3 marks)

8. a. Table 3 shows a record a farmer made for his maize and groundnut
enterprises. Use it to answer questions 7a (i).
Enterprise Maize Groundnuts
Yield 400 500
Price (kg/ha) 200 400
Casual labour 3000 2000
Land tax 100 100
Seed 200 400
Fertilizer 200 Nil

i. Prepare a complete budget for maize enterprise.

Page 8 of 14
 (6 marks)

b. State any two improved farming technologies the farmer can use in the
farm.
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(2 marks)
c. List any two improved varieties of mangoes grown in Malawi.
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(2 marks)
9. Figure 5 is a diagram of a breed of cattle. Use it to answer questions 8a and
b.

Figure 5
a. Mention any two exotic cattle breeds which show similar characteristics as in
Figure 5
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(2 marks)

Page 9 of 14
b. Explain any one advantage of raising this cattle breed in an intensive system.

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(2 marks)
c. Explain one way in which substitution of inputs help to increase crop
production.
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(2 marks)

d. Give two examples complementary enterprise combination

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(2 marks)
e. In a certain market, the price of beef changed from MK2000 per kg to
K1500 resulting into a change in the quantity of beef supplied from 9000 kg
to 7500 kg.
a. Calculate the price elastic of supply of beef.

Page 10 of 14
 (5 marks)
10.a. State any two methods of crop improvement
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(2 marks)
b. Mention any two ways of processing mushroom.
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(2 marks)
c. Explain any one advantage of vegetative planting materials.
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(2 marks)

Page 11 of 14
 Section B (30 marks)
Answer all three questions in this section
11. Describe any five methods of sowing pasture
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(10 marks)

Page 12 of 14
 12.With the aid of a well labelled diagram, describe the functions of any four
parts of a reproductive system of a hen.

Description

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(10 marks)
Page 13 of 14
 13. Explain any five ways of dealing with gender biases in agricultural
technology.

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(10 marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER

Page 14 of 14