WAEC Agricultural Science 2016 Past Questions & Explanations
Try WAEC Agricultural Science 2016 questions as a free quiz — select your answers, submit, and see your score with a full explanation for every one.
- 1.Which of the following suggestion would solve transportation problems associated with agriculture?
Show explanation
Transportation problems in agriculture require infrastructure that can move large volumes of agricultural produce efficiently across regions. An efficient railway system provides the backbone for bulk transportation of farm produce from rural areas to urban markets and processing centers, reducing post-harvest losses and costs. Tractor hiring units and car hire units address farm machinery and personal transport respectively, but not the systemic transportation of goods. Extension services provide advisory support, not transportation solutions. - 2.The document given to a farmer on acquiring a piece of land from government is called
Show explanation
A Certificate of Occupancy is the official legal document issued by the government when a farmer acquires land. It proves right of occupancy and use of the land. This is the standard term used in many West African countries including Nigeria. A Certificate of Purchase is not standard terminology for government land allocation. A Receipt of Ownership and Receipt of Lease are not the formal legal documents used for government land allocation—the Certificate of Occupancy is the recognized instrument. - 3.
Which of the following statements is not correct about agriculture in most West African countries?
Show explanation
Although some agricultural products (such as firewood, charcoal, crop residues, and biofuels) can be used as sources of energy, providing fuel is not regarded as one of the major or primary functions of agriculture in the WAEC syllabus. Therefore, among the options given, "It provides fuel" is the statement that is not correct.
- 4.
The document given to a farmer on acquiring a piece of land from the government is called...?
Show explanation
A Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is the official document issued by the government to certify that an individual or organization has been granted the legal right to occupy and use a piece of land for a specified period under the law. It serves as evidence of legal ownership or occupancy recognized by the government.
The other options are incorrect because:
Certificate of purchase only shows that payment was made for land but does not confer legal title.
Receipt of ownership is not a legally recognized land title document.
Receipt of lease is merely evidence that lease payments have been made and is not the official government document granting land rights.
- 5.The surveying instrument used for measuring horizontal and vertical angles is called
Show explanation
A Theodolite is a precision surveying instrument specifically designed to measure both horizontal and vertical angles with great accuracy. It is essential for mapping land and determining exact positions and elevations. Gunter's chain is used for measuring distances, not angles. An Offset staff is used for measuring perpendicular distances and locating details. An Arrow is used to mark survey stations. Only the Theodolite has the capability to measure angles in both planes. - 6.Crop rotation is often used in maintaining soil fertility because
Show explanation
Crop rotation maintains soil fertility primarily because leguminous crops (such as beans, peas, and clover) have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through their symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria. This nitrogen enriches the soil. Not all crops add nutrients (option A is too broad). While ploughing crops into soil adds some organic matter (option C), this is not the primary reason for rotation's effectiveness. Option D is circular reasoning. The key benefit is nitrogen fixation by legumes in the rotation cycle. - 7.Land is said to be a fixed asset in Agriculture. This means that
Show explanation
Land is called a fixed asset because its fundamental physical features and topography are fixed and cannot be changed. The natural characteristics of the land—its slope, elevation, shape, and geographical position—remain constant. In contrast, soil nutrients and vegetative cover are renewable and can be replenished. The size of land may change due to erosion or accretion. The micro-organic composition is not constant over time. The fixed nature refers to the immobility and unchanging physical geography of the land itself. - 8.The most limiting factor affecting land availability for agriculture in urban settlements is
Show explanation
In urban settlements, population pressure is the primary limiting factor for agricultural land availability. As urban populations grow, land is converted to residential, commercial, and industrial uses, reducing available agricultural space. While soil type, topography, and climate are important for agriculture quality, they are not the limiting factors for availability in urban areas. The competition for limited land space from growing populations directly reduces the amount of land available for farming in urban settlements. - 9.Rhizobium supplies nitrogen to leguminous plants by
Show explanation
Rhizobium bacteria, which live in root nodules of leguminous plants, fix atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into a form that plants can utilize. This is a symbiotic relationship where the bacteria gain carbohydrates from the plant while the plant gains access to fixed nitrogen. Rhizobium does not incorporate urea (which would require external input). While decomposition occurs in soil, that is the function of decomposers, not Rhizobium's specific role. Decreasing pH is not the mechanism of nitrogen fixation. The defining characteristic of Rhizobium is atmospheric nitrogen fixation. - 10.An example of igneous rock is
Show explanation
Granite is an igneous rock formed from the solidification of molten magma. It is a plutonic igneous rock composed of visible crystals of quartz, feldspar, and mica. Limestone is a sedimentary rock formed from compressed shells and skeletal fragments. Coal is a sedimentary rock derived from fossilized plant material. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock made from compressed sand grains. Only granite, formed from magma, is an igneous rock. Igneous rocks form from the cooling and crystallization of molten magma. - 11.In chemical weathering of rocks, the equation Fe₂O₃ + 3H₂O → Fe₂O₃·3H₂O represents
Show explanation
The equation shows iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) combining with water molecules to form a hydrated compound (Fe₂O₃·3H₂O). This is hydration, a chemical weathering process where water is absorbed into the crystal structure of minerals, causing them to expand and eventually disintegrate. Carbonation involves carbon dioxide and water forming carbonic acid. Solution is the dissolution of minerals in water. Oxidation involves oxygen combining with elements. The key indicator here is the addition of water molecules to form a hydrated product, which defines hydration. - 12.Which of the following statement is a disadvantage of decaying organic matter in soils?
Show explanation
While decaying organic matter provides many benefits to soil, one disadvantage is that it enhances bacterial and fungal growth. While some microbial activity is beneficial, excessive growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi can harm soil health and plant roots, and can introduce plant diseases. The release of minerals (option B) is an advantage. The enhancement of physical soil condition (option C) and improvement of water-holding capacity (option D) are both advantages of organic matter decay. Therefore, the enhanced growth of bacteria and fungi represents the main disadvantage listed. - 13.Lost soil nutrients can be replenished by the following methods except
Show explanation
Lost soil nutrients can be replenished through organic manuring (adding decomposed organic matter), fertilizer application (adding commercial nutrients), and cover cropping (planting nitrogen-fixing legumes to enrich soil). However, continuous grazing does not replenish lost soil nutrients—it actually depletes them. Continuous grazing removes vegetation that would otherwise protect and enrich the soil, exposes the soil to erosion, and removes nutrients via the harvested biomass. Therefore, continuous grazing is the method that does NOT replenish soil nutrients. - 14.In the carbon cycle, carbon dioxide in the air may be replenished by
Show explanation
Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is replenished through respiration, the process by which organisms break down organic matter and release CO₂ back into the air. Both plants and animals respire, continuously adding CO₂ to the atmosphere. Transpiration is the release of water vapor by plants, not carbon dioxide. Lighting (or lightning) is not a source of atmospheric CO₂. Denitrification is part of the nitrogen cycle, not the carbon cycle. Respiration is the primary biological process that returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as part of the carbon cycle. - 15.Irrigation can be described as the
Show explanation
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to soil to help grow crops. It is a straightforward agricultural practice that supplies water when natural rainfall is insufficient. The reduction of soil water (option A) is the opposite of irrigation. Spraying of minerals (option B) describes fertilizer application, not irrigation. Application of dissolved fertilizers (option C) is fertigation, a specialized technique that combines irrigation with fertilization. The basic definition of irrigation is simply the application of water to the soil to support plant growth.
Answered 0 of 15