2024 WAEC (WASSCE) Agricultural Science Past Questions and Answers
The 2024 WAEC (WASSCE) Agricultural Science past questions with answers: 49 objective questions from the 2024 paper in the DeeepSolve question bank, each with its answer behind "Show answer". Try each question before you check, then practise the paper as a timed WAEC-style CBT.
Past questions © the examination body (JAMB/WAEC/NECO). DeeepSolve is not affiliated with them. Rights holders: see /copyright.
Questions
1.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 2.
Which of the following characteristics is not associated with monocotyledonous crops
- A.Fibrous root system
- B.Parallel venation of leaf
- C.Leaves are nei-veined
- D.Presence of one-seed leaf.
Show answer
Answer: C. Leaves are nei-veined
AI explanation
Analyze the question: We need the characteristic that does NOT belong to monocots (monocotyledonous plants).
Concept: Monocots (e.g., maize, rice, sugarcane, guinea corn, wheat) have these features:
- One seed leaf (cotyledon)
- Fibrous root system
- Parallel leaf venation
- Scattered vascular bundles in the stem
- Floral parts in multiples of three
Dicots (e.g., beans, cowpea, groundnut, mango, orange) have:
- Two seed leaves
- Tap root system
- Net-veined (reticulate) leaves
- Vascular bundles arranged in a ring
Checking each option:
- A. Fibrous root system: monocot feature ✔
- B. Parallel venation of leaf: monocot feature ✔
- C. Leaves are "nei-veined" (this is a typo for net-veined): dicot feature, so it is NOT associated with monocots ✘
- D. Presence of one-seed leaf: monocot feature ✔
Answer: Option C is the odd one out.
Exam tip: Remember "Monocot = Many roots (fibrous), Mono (one) cotyledon, parallel veins." For dicots, think "Double seed leaves, Detailed net veins, Deep tap root." Maize leaf = parallel veins; bean leaf = net veins.
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- 3.
The illustrated management is usually carried on chicks from day old to
- A.2 weeks
- B.4 weeks
- C.6 weeks
- D.8 weeks
Show answer
Answer: C. 6 weeks
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- 4.
The correct sequence of land preparation for the cultivation of yam is
- A.clearing-stumping-ploughing-harrowing-ridging.
- B.ploughing-clearing-harrowing-ridging-stumping
- C.clearing-harrowing-ridging-stumping-ridging
- D.ploughing-stumping-clearing-ridging-harrowing
Show answer
Answer: A. clearing-stumping-ploughing-harrowing-ridging.
AI explanation
Analyze the question: You are asked for the correct order of the land preparation operations before planting yam.
Concept: Land preparation follows a logical order, from clearing the vegetation to shaping the soil for planting:
- Clearing: Remove bush, trees and grasses from the land.
- Stumping: Remove the remaining tree stumps and roots. Ploughing cannot be done properly while stumps are still in the soil.
- Ploughing: The first tillage operation. It breaks and turns over the soil.
- Harrowing: The second tillage operation. It breaks the large clods left by ploughing into a finer tilth.
- Ridging (or heaping/mounding): Shape the soil into ridges or mounds. Yam needs loose soil for its tubers to expand, so this is the last step before planting.
Checking the options:
- A. clearing → stumping → ploughing → harrowing → ridging. This matches the logical order.
- B. Starts with ploughing before clearing, which is wrong.
- C. Harrowing comes before stumping and ploughing, and ridging appears twice, so this is wrong.
- D. Ploughing comes before clearing, which is wrong.
Tip: Remember C-S-P-H-R: "Clear Some Plots, Harvest Reward." Clear, Stump, Plough, Harrow, Ridge. Anything that puts ploughing before clearing or stumping is almost certainly wrong.
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- 5.
A bacterium that could be found in the part labeled I
- A.Nitrosomonas
- B.Nitrobacter
- C.Azotobacter
- D.Rhizobium
Show answer
Answer: B. Nitrobacter
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- 6.
Marginal cost could be described as as the
- A.change in total cost of output
- B.product of average variable cost and the number of fruits produced
- C.increase in fixed cost of that results from increasing production by one unit
- D.average physical product mutiplied by the variable cost
Show answer
Answer: A. change in total cost of output
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7.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 8.
Which of the following environmental conditions would cause spoilage of crops stored in the illustrated structure?
- A.High temperature and low relative humidity
- B.Low temperature and high relative humidity
- C.High rainfall and high wind velocity
- D.Low rainfall and low wind velocity
Show answer
Answer: C. High rainfall and high wind velocity
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9.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 10.
The ash produced after burning crop residues would.
- A.decrease soil acidity
- B.increase soil acidity
- C.decrease soil alkalinity
- D.render the PH unchanged
Show answer
Answer: A. decrease soil acidity
AI explanation
Analyze the question: It asks what effect wood or crop-residue ash has on the soil when crop residues are burned.
Concept: When plant material burns, the organic matter is lost as carbon dioxide and water vapour. What remains is mineral matter, mainly the basic cations calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium. These occur as oxides, hydroxides and carbonates (for example CaO, K₂CO₃, MgO). Such compounds are alkaline (basic) in nature.
Step-by-step solution:
- Burning crop residues leaves ash rich in basic cations (Ca²⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺).
- When the ash is added to the soil, these basic compounds react with acidic components (H⁺ ions) in the soil solution. • Example: CaO + 2H⁺ → Ca²⁺ + H₂O
- Removing H⁺ ions raises the soil pH, so soil acidity decreases. This is why ash works like a mild liming material.
- Checking the options: • A. Decrease soil acidity: correct. • B. Increase soil acidity: wrong, because ash is basic. • C. Decrease soil alkalinity: wrong, because ash adds alkalinity. • D. pH unchanged: wrong, because the pH rises.
**Answer: A. decrease soil acidity.
Tip: Remember "Ash = Alkaline = Anti-acid". Farmers in Nigeria often spread ash on acidic soils for this reason. Also note that burning wastes organic matter and nitrogen, so ash helps with pH but is not a complete fertilizer.
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- 11.
The function of the part labeled I is to
- A.promote adequate ventilation
- B.prevent infestation by insects
- C.protect from excessive rainfall
- D.prevent attack by rodents
Show answer
Answer: C. protect from excessive rainfall
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12.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 13.
Gunter's chain is used for?
- A.determining depth of soil moisture
- B.measuring slope of farmland
- C.measuring distances
- D.restraining bulls
Show answer
Answer: C. measuring distances
AI explanation
Analyze the question: The question asks what a Gunter's chain is used for. It comes from the farm surveying and farm tools/equipment area of Agricultural Science.
Explain the concept: Gunter's chain is a surveying instrument named after Edmund Gunter. Its features are:
- Total length: 66 feet (about 20.12 m)
- Made up of 100 metal links, each 0.66 feet (7.92 inches)
- Used in land surveying to measure distances on the ground, for example when measuring the length and breadth of a farmland or laying out plots
Ten square chains make one acre, which is why it was widely used for measuring land.
Solution by elimination:
- A. Determining depth of soil moisture: This is done with soil augers, tensiometers, or moisture meters. ✗
- B. Measuring slope of farmland: Slope is measured with a clinometer, an abney level, or a spirit level. ✗
- C. Measuring distances: The chain is laid along the ground to measure linear distances. ✓
- D. Restraining bulls: This uses a bull ring, a bull leader, or a rope. ✗
Answer: The correct option is C. measuring distances.
Exam tip: Remember "Chain = Chain of distance." Instruments for slope have "level" or "meter" in their names (clinometer, abney level), while the chain and tape measure distance. Also remember the numbers 66 ft and 100 links, since these sometimes appear in questions.
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- 14.
Use the information below to answer questions 28 and 29. A farmer produced 25 tonnes of cocoa,if 16 bags of cocoa was later sold at 350.00 per kilogram.(1 tonne = 1,000 kg) Determine the income realized by the farmer.
- A.#140,000
- B.#400,000
- C.#5,600,000
- D.#8,750,000
Show answer
Answer: C. #5,600,000
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- 15.
The least nutrient in the illustrated bag of fertilizer is
- A.potassium
- B.sulphur
- C.phosphorus
- D.nitrogen
Show answer
Answer: A. potassium
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- 16.
Which of the following is an advantage of pen mating?
- A.spread of a veneral disease
- B.deformed males may not be allowed to mate.
- C.cost of keeping a breeding male is low
- D.the tendency of mating females on heat is high
Show answer
Answer: D. the tendency of mating females on heat is high
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- 17.
Agriculture could be made attractive to young people in West Africa through the.
- A.fabrication of simple farm tools in a locality.
- B.provision of basic amenities in rural areas.
- C.cultivation of locally available seeds.
- D.provision of compost to farmers
Show answer
Answer: B. provision of basic amenities in rural areas.
AI explanation
Analyze the question: It asks what would make agriculture attractive to young people in West Africa. The key idea is why youths leave farming: rural life is hard and unappealing.
Concept: Many young people migrate from villages to cities (rural-urban migration) because rural areas lack electricity, good roads, pipe-borne water, schools, hospitals, and telecommunications. Since farming is done mostly in rural areas, improving living conditions there makes farming, and living near the farm, more appealing.
Evaluate the options:
- A. Fabrication of simple farm tools locally: This helps reduce the cost of tools, but simple tools do not remove drudgery. They do little to attract youths.
- B. Provision of basic amenities in rural areas: Electricity, water, roads, healthcare, and schools directly tackle the reason youths leave the countryside. This is the best answer.
- C. Cultivation of locally available seeds: This is a production issue and does not address the youths' interest.
- D. Provision of compost to farmers: This improves soil fertility, but it is not a motivator for young people.
Answer: Option B. Basic amenities improve rural living standards, reduce rural-urban drift, and make agriculture a more attractive career.
Exam tip: For questions about "attracting youths" or "reducing rural-urban migration," look for options about amenities, incentives, mechanization, or better income. Options about farming inputs or techniques are usually distractors.
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- 18.
If an animal is likely to succumb to the effects of a pathogen,the animal is said to be.
- A.tolerant
- B.resistant
- C.susceptible
- D.immune
Show answer
Answer: C. susceptible
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the term used when an animal is likely to be affected (to succumb) by a pathogen, meaning it is easily harmed by disease-causing organisms.
Step 2: Explain the concepts
- Tolerant: The animal is infected but shows few or no symptoms, and its performance is not seriously affected.
- Resistant: The animal can prevent or limit infection and is not easily affected by the pathogen.
- Susceptible: The animal lacks the ability to fight off the pathogen, so it is easily infected and affected by the disease.
- Immune: The animal is completely protected from a particular pathogen, either naturally or through vaccination.
Step 3: Match to the question "Likely to succumb" means the animal is prone to being overcome by the disease. That is the meaning of susceptible. The other three terms all describe some form of protection or ability to cope with the pathogen, which is the opposite of what the question describes.
Step 4: Answer The correct option is C. susceptible.
Tip: Link the word susceptible with "susceptible = can get sick easily." The opposites are resistant and immune. In WASSCE, when you see "likely to be affected" or "prone to," think susceptible.
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- 19.
The function of a farm manager is to
- A.make agricultural policies for the government
- B.allocate available resources on the farm effectively
- C.execute agricultural extension programmes
- D.stabilize the prices of farm produce
Show answer
Answer: B. allocate available resources on the farm effectively
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks about the main function of a farm manager, the person who runs a farm business on a day-to-day basis.
Step 2: Explain the concept Farm management is about making the best use of limited resources (land, labour, capital, and management skill) to achieve the farm's goals, such as maximum profit and sustainability. A farm manager typically:
- Plans what crops or livestock to produce
- Organizes and allocates land, labour, and capital
- Directs and supervises workers
- Controls costs and keeps records
- Makes decisions on buying inputs and marketing produce
Step 3: Check each option
- A. Make agricultural policies for the government: This is the job of the Ministry of Agriculture and policymakers, not a farm manager.
- B. Allocate available resources on the farm effectively: This is the core function of a farm manager, who decides how land, labour, and capital are best used.
- C. Execute agricultural extension programmes: This is the role of extension agents, who pass information and new techniques on to farmers.
- D. Stabilize the prices of farm produce: This is done by government bodies such as commodity boards and through price policies, not by an individual farm manager.
Step 4: Answer
Tip: Link the word "manager" with "managing resources." For any farm management question, think of the 4 factors of production (land, labour, capital, management) and how to allocate them well. Roles like policy-making, extension, and price stabilization belong to the government or its agencies.
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- 20.
The yield of palm oil could be reduced by infestation
- A.A. caterpillar
- B.A. cotton stainer
- C.B. myrid
- D.C. army worm
Show answer
Answer: B. A. cotton stainer
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- 21.
Which of the following group of diseases of farm animals are caused by bacteria?
- A.Rinderpest,swine fever and trypanosomiasis
- B.Coccidiosis, Newcastle and fowl typhoid
- C.Fowl,pox,mastsis and gumboro
- D.Brucelosis,anthrax and tuberculosis
Show answer
Answer: D. Brucelosis,anthrax and tuberculosis
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question You are asked to pick the group in which all the diseases are caused by bacteria.
Step 2: Concept Farm animal diseases are grouped by their causative agent:
- Viral: rinderpest, African swine fever, Newcastle disease, fowl pox, Gumboro (infectious bursal disease)
- Protozoan: trypanosomiasis, coccidiosis
- Bacterial: brucellosis, anthrax, tuberculosis, fowl typhoid, mastitis (mostly bacterial)
Step 3: Check each option
- A. Rinderpest, swine fever, trypanosomiasis: viral, viral, protozoan. Not correct.
- B. Coccidiosis, Newcastle, fowl typhoid: protozoan, viral, bacterial. Mixed, so not correct.
- C. Fowl pox, mastitis, Gumboro: viral, bacterial, viral. Mixed, so not correct.
- D. Brucellosis, anthrax, tuberculosis: • Brucellosis is caused by Brucella abortus. • Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis. • Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium bovis.
All three are bacterial. Correct.
Exam tip: Remember the groups this way:
- Viral: "Rinder, Pox, Gumboro, Newcastle, Swine fever" (diseases with "virus-like" outbreaks in herds or flocks)
- Protozoan: "Trypano and Cocci" (the "-osis" parasites in blood or gut)
- Bacterial: "Bru, Anthrax, TB, Typhoid"
When a question asks for a group, eliminate any option with even one disease from a different cause.
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- 22.
The meat from a tender calf is
- A.beef
- B.mutton
- C.veal
- D.chevron
Show answer
Answer: C. veal
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the correct name for meat from a young, tender calf. Calf means a young cattle (cow or bull).
Step 2: Review the terms
- Beef: meat from mature cattle (cows, bulls, oxen)
- Mutton: meat from mature sheep
- Veal: meat from young calves
- Chevron: meat from goats (also called chevon)
Step 3: Match the terms to the question A calf is a young bovine, so its meat is veal. Beef comes from adult cattle, mutton from sheep, and chevron from goats, so these do not fit.
Answer: C. veal
Exam tip: Match the animal to its meat name:
- Cattle (adult) = Beef
- Calf (young cattle) = Veal (think "Very young calf")
- Sheep = Mutton (young sheep = lamb)
- Goat = Chevon
- Pig = Pork (cured = bacon or ham)
- Poultry = Poultry meat
Questions on meat names appear often in WASSCE, JAMB and NECO Agricultural Science, so these pairings are worth memorizing.
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- 23.
Which of the following changes will cause the demand curve to shift to the right?
- A.A reduction in the size of the population
- B.An increase in the income of the consumer
- C.Availability of the close substitutes
- D.Decrease in the price of goods
Show answer
Answer: B. An increase in the income of the consumer
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- 24.
A crop that could be grown to serve as shade for a young cocoa plantation is
- A.maize
- B.Cowpea
- C.cassava
- D.banana
Show answer
Answer: D. banana
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- 25.
Which of the following land tenure systems allow a farmer to cultivate a piece of land in one growing season, at a fee?
- A.Freehold
- B.Communal
- C.Rent
- D.Leasehold
Show answer
Answer: C. Rent
AI explanation
Analyze the question: We need the land tenure system where a farmer cultivates land for just one growing season and pays a fee.
Concept: Land tenure systems in Nigeria
- Freehold (outright ownership): The owner has permanent rights to the land. No fee is paid to anyone to use it.
- Communal: Land belongs to the family, clan, or community. Members use it free or for a token, and it is not tied to a single season.
- Rent (tenancy): A farmer pays a fee to use land for a short period, usually one season or one year. This is typical of short-term arrangements.
- Leasehold: A farmer pays for the right to use land for a longer, fixed term, often several years (for example 5, 10, or 99 years), under a formal agreement.
Solution:
- The question says one growing season, which means a very short-term arrangement.
- It also says at a fee, so payment is involved. That rules out freehold and communal land.
- Between rent and leasehold, leasehold usually covers a longer, more formal period. Renting is the short-term arrangement, often for a single season.
So the correct system is Rent.
Answer: C. Rent
Tip: Link the words to the time span.
- Rent = short term (a season or a year).
- Lease = long term (many years, with a formal agreement).
- Freehold = forever (ownership).
- Communal = community (shared).
When an exam question mentions "one season" or "short period," think rent. When it mentions "a number of years" or "agreement," think lease.
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26.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 27.
Determine the quantity of potassium in the illustrated bag of fertilizer
- A.8.3 kg
- B.16.7 kg
- C.25.0 kg
- D.30.0 kg
Show answer
Answer: C. 25.0 kg
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- 28.
Molasses is a major by-product obtained from the processing of
- A.pineapple
- B.cassava
- C.sugarcane
- D.sorghum
Show answer
Answer: C. sugarcane
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which crop produces molasses as a major by-product during processing.
Step 2: Explain the concept Molasses is a thick, dark, syrupy liquid. It is left over after sugar crystals are removed from concentrated cane or beet juice. During sugar manufacturing:
- Sugarcane is crushed to extract the juice.
- The juice is heated and clarified.
- It is boiled until sugar crystallizes.
- The crystals are separated, and the dark syrup left behind is molasses.
Step 3: Evaluate the options
- A. Pineapple: Processing gives juice, canned slices, and bran/pulp waste, not molasses.
- B. Cassava: Processing gives garri, starch, flour, and tapioca. Peels and chaff are by-products.
- C. Sugarcane: Sugar refining gives bagasse (the fibrous residue) and molasses. This is correct.
- D. Sorghum: Grain sorghum gives flour and malt. Sweet sorghum can be made into syrup, but molasses is not its major by-product.
Step 4: Answer The correct answer is C. sugarcane.
Uses of molasses (often tested):
- Energy-rich livestock feed additive
- Raw material for making alcohol or ethanol
- Fermentation to produce rum
- Binder in feed pellets and silage
Exam tip: Link by-products to their crops: sugarcane → bagasse and molasses, cassava → peels, groundnut → groundnut cake, oil palm → palm kernel cake. Remember "molasses = sugar mill".
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- 29.
The biological process that would be affected in the leaf is
- A.Transpiration
- B.respiration
- C.irritability
- D.photosynthesis
Show answer
Answer: C. irritability
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- 30.
Natural regeneration of forests may lead to
- A.destruction of existing forest trees
- B.requires expertise when carrying it out
- C.increase the spread of diseases
- D.increases the susceptibility of of crops to pests
Show answer
Answer: C. increase the spread of diseases
AI explanation
Analyze the question: Natural regeneration is the renewal of a forest by natural means, such as seed fall, coppicing, root suckers and seed dispersal by wind or animals, without planting by humans. The question asks which of the options is a possible consequence or disadvantage.
Concept: Natural regeneration is cheap and needs little expertise. Its drawbacks are:
- It is slow.
- The new stand is uneven, with mixed species and ages.
- Economically useful species may not dominate.
- Diseased or poor-quality parent trees pass on their weaknesses.
- Pests and diseases can spread from old trees to the new stand.
Evaluate the options:
- A. Destruction of existing forest trees: No. Natural regeneration happens after or alongside felling, and it does not itself destroy trees.
- B. Requires expertise when carrying it out: No. This is the opposite of the truth, because natural regeneration is simple and needs little skill. Artificial regeneration (planting nursery seedlings) is the method that requires expertise.
- C. Increase the spread of diseases: This is the most plausible. The new seedlings grow up under or near the old parent trees. If those trees carry pests or diseases, the infection passes straight to the young stand, and the lack of selection and management lets it spread.
- D. Increases the susceptibility of crops to pests: No. The question is about forests, not crops.
Tip: Remember that natural regeneration is cheap, slow and unselective. Anything involving "expertise" or "planting" points to artificial regeneration. For the disadvantages of natural regeneration, think "slow, uneven, and disease-prone."
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- 31.
A major difference between disc harrow and a disc plough is that
- A.disc plough has more discs than disc harrow
- B.discs in disc plough are spaced far apart than in disc harrow.
- C.disc plough has two pairs of gangs while disc harrow has one pair of gangs
- D.disc plough has smaller discs than disc harrow.
Show answer
Answer: B. discs in disc plough are spaced far apart than in disc harrow.
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- 32.
Farm gate price is mostly enjoyed by
- A.wholesalers
- B.producers
- C.consumers
- D.retailers
Show answer
Answer: B. producers
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks who mostly enjoys the "farm gate price."
Step 2: Explain the concept The farm gate price is the price a farmer (producer) receives for a product at the farm, before transport, storage, processing, packaging, or marketing costs are added. It is the price at the "gate" of the farm, where the produce is sold directly.
Buyers who come to the farm (such as middlemen, wholesalers, or traders) usually pay this price. But the question asks who enjoys it, meaning who benefits from it.
Step 3: Work through the options
- A. Wholesalers: They buy in bulk and add their own margin. They pay the farm gate price, but they do not receive it as income.
- B. Producers: The farm gate price is what the farmer receives, so the producer is the one who earns it.
- C. Consumers: They pay the final market price, which is higher because it includes handling, transport, and middlemen's profits. They do not enjoy the farm gate price.
- D. Retailers: They buy from wholesalers and sell at a higher price to consumers, so they are not at the farm gate stage.
Step 4: Considering the key One could argue that a buyer who purchases directly at the farm "enjoys" a low price. But in standard Agricultural Science marketing, the farm gate price is the producer's price, the amount the farmer receives.
Answer: B. Producers
Tip: Link the words: Farm gate → Farmer → Producer. In marketing questions, trace the chain: Producer → Wholesaler → Retailer → Consumer. The farm gate price belongs to the very first link.
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- 33.
Breeds of sheep common in west Africa include
- A.Sahel and Kano brown
- B.Ouda and Yankassa
- C.Sokoto Red and Angora
- D.Nubian and Kano Brown
Show answer
Answer: B. Ouda and Yankassa
AI explanation
Analyze the question: It asks which pair names breeds of sheep found in West Africa. Some options mix in goat breeds, so the task is to separate sheep from goats.
Explain the concept: West African livestock breeds are classified by species:
- Sheep: Djallonke (West African Dwarf), Yankasa, Uda (Ouda), Balami, Sahel, Tuareg, and Macina.
- Goats: West African Dwarf, Red Sokoto (Sokoto Red), Sahelian goat, Kano Brown, Nubian, and Angora (an exotic breed).
Step-by-step check of each option:
- A. Sahel and Kano Brown: The Sahel is a sheep breed, but Kano Brown is a goat. ✗
- B. Ouda and Yankassa: Both are Nigerian sheep breeds. The Uda (Ouda) is a large, long-legged sheep with a white and black or brown coat. The Yankasa is a medium-sized white sheep with black patches around the eyes and ears. ✓
- C. Sokoto Red and Angora: Both are goats. ✗
- D. Nubian and Kano Brown: Both are goats. ✗
Answer: Option B. Both breeds are sheep common in West Africa, specifically in Nigeria.
Tip: Remember that "Red Sokoto, Kano Brown, Nubian and Angora" are all goats, while "Yankasa, Uda, Balami and Djallonke" are sheep. Group them by species before looking at the options, and you can eliminate wrong ones quickly.
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- 34.
A disadvantage of selection as a method of crop improvement is that it.
- A.ensures picking of crops
- B.requires expertise when carrying it out
- C.increases the spread of diseases
- D.increases the susceptibility of crops to pests
Show answer
Answer: B. requires expertise when carrying it out
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for a disadvantage of selection as a method of crop improvement.
Step 2: The concept Selection means choosing plants with desirable traits (high yield, disease resistance, early maturity, etc.) and using their seeds or propagules for the next planting. Repeated over several seasons, it improves the crop.
Its advantages:
- It is cheap and simple.
- It keeps the best traits.
- It can improve yield and resistance over time.
Its disadvantages:
- It is slow and takes many seasons.
- It needs skill to recognize and choose the right plants. Wrong choices lead to poor results.
- It works only on variation that already exists. It cannot create new traits the way hybridization or mutation can.
Step 3: Evaluate the options
- A. ensures picking of crops: Not a disadvantage, and it is not even a meaningful statement.
- B. requires expertise when carrying it out: Correct. The farmer must be able to identify genuinely superior plants, and mistakes reduce the benefit.
- C. increases the spread of diseases: Selection usually favors disease-resistant plants, so it does not increase disease spread.
- D. increases the susceptibility of crops to pests: Selection normally reduces susceptibility, not increases it. (Narrowing the genetic base could make crops vulnerable, but this is not the standard WASSCE answer.)
Step 4: Answer
Tip: For "disadvantage of selection" questions, think slow, needs skill, limited to existing variation. Selection normally improves resistance and does not worsen it, so options about spreading diseases or increasing pest susceptibility are usually distractors.
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35.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 36.
Calculate the cost of one bag of cocoa.
- A.#62.50
- B.#5,600.00
- C.#8,750.000
- D.#21,875.00
Show answer
Answer: D. #21,875.00
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- 37.
A poultry farmer collects 100 trays of eggs per day on the farm. If the market price of a tray of eggs is #900.00, determine the income realized from the sale of eggs in one week
- A.#630,000
- B.#90,000
- C.#90,000
- D.#6,300
Show answer
Answer: A. #630,000
AI explanation
Analyze the question: The farmer collects 100 trays of eggs every day, and each tray sells for ₦900. We need the total income (revenue) from sales in one week.
Concept: Income (total revenue) = Quantity sold × Price per unit. A week has 7 days.
Solution:
Step 1: Trays per week 100 trays/day × 7 days = 700 trays
Step 2: Income for the week 700 trays × ₦900 = ₦630,000
(Check: daily income = 100 × 900 = ₦90,000, and ₦90,000 × 7 = ₦630,000.)
Matching the options:
- A. ₦630,000 ✔
- B and C. ₦90,000 is only one day's income (the options are duplicated, which is a typo in the question)
- D. ₦6,300 is wrong because it comes from a decimal or place-value error
Tip: When a question says "per day" but asks for a week, month, or year, convert the time period first. Check each option too, because the wrong options are often the daily figure (here ₦90,000) used as a trap.
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- 38.
Pail feeding is commonly practiced in the management of?
- A.pigs
- B.poultry
- C.cattle
- D.rabbits
Show answer
Answer: C. cattle
AI explanation
Analyze the question: Pail feeding means feeding with a bucket (pail). In livestock management, it is mostly used to feed young animals that cannot yet feed properly from the mother or from a trough, especially calves.
Explain the concept:
- Calves are often separated from their dams early, especially in dairy production, so that the milk can be sold or used by people.
- The calves are then fed colostrum, milk, or milk replacer from a bucket or pail.
- This is called pail feeding (also called bucket feeding). It lets the farmer control how much each calf drinks and keep the feeding hygienic.
Check each option:
- A. Pigs: Piglets suckle from the sow, and older pigs feed from troughs. Pail feeding is not a typical practice.
- B. Poultry: Birds use feeders and drinkers (troughs, hoppers, trays), not pails for milk.
- C. Cattle: Calves are commonly raised on milk or milk replacer fed from a pail. This is correct.
- D. Rabbits: They are fed with hoppers, dishes, and hay racks.
Answer: Pail feeding is commonly practiced in the management of cattle (calf rearing).
Exam tip: Link "pail" with "calf" and "milk". If you see pail, bucket, or milk replacer in a question, think of calf rearing in cattle. Don't confuse it with "creep feeding," which is for piglets and other suckling young that feed alongside the mother.
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- 39.
The plant nutrient which is responsible for the green colour of leaves
- A.boron
- B.magnesium
- C.calcium
- D.potassium
Show answer
Answer: B. magnesium
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which plant nutrient is responsible for the green colour of leaves. The green colour comes from chlorophyll, so we need the nutrient that is a key part of the chlorophyll molecule.
Step 2: Explain the concept Chlorophyll is the green pigment that absorbs light for photosynthesis. At the centre of every chlorophyll molecule is a magnesium (Mg²⁺) atom. Without magnesium, a plant cannot make chlorophyll, and its leaves turn yellow. This condition is called chlorosis.
Step 3: Check each option
- A. Boron: A micronutrient that helps with cell wall formation and flowering and fruiting. It is not part of chlorophyll.
- B. Magnesium: The central atom of the chlorophyll molecule, so it is directly responsible for the green colour.
- C. Calcium: Helps build cell walls and strengthens root and shoot tips. Deficiency causes poor root growth and blossom-end rot, not loss of green colour.
- D. Potassium: Helps with enzyme activation, water regulation and disease resistance. Deficiency causes scorched leaf edges, not a lack of chlorophyll.
Step 4: Answer The correct option is B. magnesium.
Exam tip: Remember "Mg = Make green". Nitrogen also affects leaf greenness because it is needed for protein and chlorophyll synthesis, but it is not among the options here. If both appear in an exam question, read carefully. Magnesium is the one that sits at the centre of the chlorophyll molecule.
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40.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 41.
Which of the following agricultural programmes was mainly established to provide agricultural extension services?
- A.Green Revolution
- B.Operation Feed the Nation
- C.River Basin Development Authority
- D.Agricultural Development Project
Show answer
Answer: D. Agricultural Development Project
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which programme was set up mainly to provide agricultural extension services, meaning advice, training, and the transfer of improved farming techniques and inputs to farmers.
Step 2: Review each option
- A. Green Revolution (1980): Launched under President Shehu Shagari to boost food production through inputs, mechanisation, and incentives. Its focus was increasing food output, not extension delivery.
- B. Operation Feed the Nation (OFN, 1976): Launched under General Obasanjo to mobilise the whole population to produce food and reduce food imports. It was a mass mobilisation campaign, not an extension programme.
- C. River Basin Development Authority (1976): Set up to develop water resources for irrigation, water supply, and flood control. Its main job is infrastructure and water management.
- D. Agricultural Development Project (ADP, 1975 onward): Funded largely with World Bank support, the ADPs were set up in the states to give farmers extension services, improved inputs (seeds, fertiliser, agrochemicals), credit, and rural infrastructure like feeder roads. The Training and Visit (T&V) extension system was a core part of them.
Step 3: Conclusion The programme whose main purpose was extension services is the Agricultural Development Project (ADP).
Memory tip:
- ADP = Advice, Delivery, Practice: extension and farmer support.
- OFN = mobilising everyone to farm.
- RBDA = water and irrigation.
- Green Revolution = boosting food production.
Link each programme to its key purpose, and similar questions become easy to answer.
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42.This question needs a diagram, table or passage that we don't have yet, so it isn't shown.
- 43.
An important limitation in the use of sprinkler irrigation system is that
- A.soluble fertilizers and herbicides can not be applied with irrigation water
- B.cannot be used on farmlands with high evapotranspiration rates
- C.requires the use of large volume of water
- D.high wind velocity could prevent uniform distribution of irrigation
Show answer
Answer: D. high wind velocity could prevent uniform distribution of irrigation
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question We are asked for an important limitation (disadvantage) of sprinkler irrigation, where water is sprayed into the air and falls like rain over the crops.
Step 2: Key concept Sprinkler irrigation sends water through the air in droplets. Anything that interferes with how those droplets fall will affect the quality of the irrigation. Its main limitations are:
- High initial cost (pumps, pipes, sprinkler heads)
- Wind disrupts the spray pattern, so water is spread unevenly
- Water loss through evaporation in hot conditions
- Wet foliage can encourage fungal diseases
Step 3: Check each option
- A. Soluble fertilizers and herbicides cannot be applied with irrigation water. False. Sprinkler systems can carry fertilizers (fertigation) and chemicals, which is actually an advantage.
- B. Cannot be used on farmlands with high evapotranspiration rates. Not correct. High evapotranspiration increases water loss, but sprinklers can still be used. It is not an absolute restriction.
- C. Requires the use of large volume of water. False. Sprinklers are generally more water-efficient than surface (flood) irrigation, and they need less water.
- D. High wind velocity could prevent uniform distribution of irrigation. True. Strong wind blows the droplets off course, so some areas get too much water and others too little.
Step 4: Answer The correct option is D.
Tip: Think "sprinkler = artificial rain." Just as wind blows real rain sideways, it distorts sprinkler spray. When you see "wind" and "sprinkler" together in an exam, it is usually the limitation they are looking for.
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- 44.
Low relative humidity in livestock pens would
- A.predispose animals to diseases
- B.encourage moldness of feeds
- C.decrease water intake
- D.increase water intake
Show answer
Answer: A. predispose animals to diseases
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- 45.
The chemical composition of soil is influenced by
- A.pH
- B.structure
- C.parent material
- D.living organisms.
Show answer
Answer: C. parent material
AI explanation
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks what determines the chemical composition of soil, meaning which minerals and elements make up the soil.
Step 2: Explain the concept Soil forms from the weathering of rocks. The rock that breaks down is called the parent material. The minerals in the parent material supply the original chemical elements in the soil, such as silicon, aluminium, iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Step 3: Evaluate each option
- A. pH is a result of the soil's chemistry (the concentration of hydrogen ions). It describes acidity or alkalinity and does not determine the original composition.
- B. Structure is the way soil particles are arranged into aggregates. This is a physical property, not a chemical one.
- C. Parent material is the source of the soil's minerals, so it largely determines the chemical composition. For example, soils from limestone are rich in calcium, while soils from granite are rich in quartz and potassium.
- D. Living organisms add organic matter and help with nutrient cycling. They affect the soil, but the basic chemical makeup comes from the rock.
Step 4: Answer The correct option is C. parent material.
Tip: In soil formation, remember that parent material gives the soil its minerals and chemistry, climate gives weathering rate, and organisms give humus. When a question says "chemical composition" or "mineral content", think parent material first.
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- 46.
The following tools are used in nursery operations except.
- A.secateurs
- B.sickle
- C.shears
- D.dibber
Show answer
Answer: B. sickle
AI explanation
Analyze the question: We need the tool that is NOT used in nursery operations. Nursery operations involve raising seedlings: sowing, pricking out, transplanting, pruning, and trimming.
Explain each tool:
- A. Secateurs: a hand pruner used to cut stems and branches, for example trimming seedlings or taking cuttings. It is used in nurseries.
- B. Sickle: a curved blade used for harvesting cereals and cutting grass in the field. It is a field and harvesting tool, not a typical nursery tool.
- C. Shears: used to trim hedges and cut back plants, including in nursery beds. It is used in nurseries.
- D. Dibber (dibble): a pointed tool used to make holes in the soil for sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings. It is definitely a nursery tool.
Solution: Secateurs, shears and the dibber all serve nursery tasks (pruning, trimming, planting holes). The sickle is mainly for harvesting crops and slashing grasses, so it is the odd one out.
Answer: B (sickle).
Tip: Link each tool to its job.
- Dibber → Dig a hole for seedlings
- Secateurs/shears → Snip and trim
- Sickle → Slash and harvest in the field
Whenever you see "except" in a question, find the three options that fit and pick the one left over.
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- 47.
In order to check erosion on a sloping land, farmers are advised to make
- A.ridges across the slope
- B.furrows across the contours
- C.ridges along the slope
- D.ditches along water channels
Show answer
Answer: A. ridges across the slope
AI explanation
Analyze the question: The question asks which practice helps control soil erosion on sloping land.
Explain the concept: Erosion happens when running water flows downhill and carries topsoil away. To control it, farmers must slow the water down and give it time to soak into the soil. The key principle is to work across the slope, following the contour lines, and not up and down it.
Evaluate each option:
- A. Ridges across the slope. Correct. Ridges built across the slope act as small barriers. They trap running water, slow its speed, and let it infiltrate. This is the basis of contour ridging and contour farming.
- B. Furrows across the contours. Wrong. Going across the contours means running up and down the slope. The furrows would then act as channels that speed up runoff and cause gullies. (Furrows along the contours would be fine.)
- C. Ridges along the slope. Wrong. Ridges running down the slope work like drains and carry water and soil away quickly.
- D. Ditches along water channels. Wrong. This does not slow the water on the farmland itself. Ditches along water channels are more about drainage than erosion control on the slope.
Answer: Option A, ridges across the slope.
Exam tip: Remember "Across the slope, along the contour = erosion control". If an option says "along the slope" or "across the contours," it is usually the trap, because both mean running up and down the hill. Related erosion control methods include terracing, contour ploughing, strip cropping, cover cropping, and mulching.
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- 48.
Climatic factors that should be monitored during the management practice illustrated are temperature.
- A.I and II only
- B.I and III only
- C.II and III only
- D.I,I and III
Show answer
Answer: A. I and II only
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- 49.
Tenera is a cultivated variety of oil with a
- A.Thin mesocarp, thick endocarp and large kernel.
- B.Thick mesocarp,thin endocarp and a moderate sized kernel
- C.Thick mesocarp,absence of endocarp and a small kernel.
- D.Thin mesocarp,thin endocarp and a moderate sized kernel.
Show answer
Answer: B. Thick mesocarp,thin endocarp and a moderate sized kernel
AI explanation
Analyze the question: The question asks about the oil palm variety Tenera and the structure of its fruit: mesocarp (the fleshy, oil-bearing part), endocarp (the shell), and kernel.
Concept: Oil palm varieties
Oil palm varieties are classified by shell thickness:
| Variety | Shell (endocarp) | Mesocarp | Kernel | |---|---|---|---| | Dura | Thick | Thin | Large | | Pisifera | Absent (shell-less) | Thick | Small or absent | | Tenera | Thin | Thick | Moderate |
Tenera is a hybrid, produced by crossing Dura (female parent) with Pisifera (male parent). It combines the best features of both parents: the thick mesocarp of Pisifera and the presence of a shell (thin) from Dura. This gives a high oil yield.
Step-by-step evaluation of the options:
- A. Thin mesocarp, thick endocarp, large kernel: This describes Dura. ✗
- B. Thick mesocarp, thin endocarp, moderate kernel: This matches Tenera. ✓
- C. Thick mesocarp, no endocarp, small kernel: This describes Pisifera. ✗
- D. Thin mesocarp, thin endocarp, moderate kernel: This does not match any standard variety, and a thin mesocarp would mean low oil yield. ✗
Exam tip: Remember D-P-T:
- Dura = Dik (thick) shell
- Pisifera = Personally no shell
- Tenera = Thin shell, Thick flesh (mesocarp)
Tenera = Dura × Pisifera, so it takes the best of both.
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