Observation

Most candidates could not state non-governmental agricultural organizations in West Africa. Candidates misinterpreted the ways in which agriculture and industries are inter-related for general importance of agriculture thereby giving some invalid answers.Majority of the candidates could not give one function each of the disc plough.Most of the candidates found it difficult stating four disadvantages of animal power as requested.

The expected answers include:

1(a)   Non-governmental agricultural organizations in west Africa

• West African Rice Development Agency/Association (

• International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

• International fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

• International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA) / International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

• International Fund for Agricultural development (IFAD)

• International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

• Hunger project

• Adventist Relief Agency (ADRA)

• Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

• World Vision International

• International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)

(b). Ways in which agriculture and industry are interrelated

• Agriculture provides food, clothing and shelter for those who work in the industry.

• Agriculture provides raw materials for industries.

• Agriculture provides market for industrial products/goods such as tools, machinery.

Agriculture promotes industrial labour.

• Industries add value to agricultural produce by processing, storing, packaging and transporting them to final consumers.

• Agro-chemical industries produce fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, drugs and feed additives which boost agricultural production.

• Seed industries provide agriculture with viable and high yielding seeds.

(c). Functions of parts of a disc plough

i. Disc: It cuts into the soil and turns it over.

ii. Beam: Disc standards are connected to it / Holds disc in position / Provides Additional weight for greater depth

iii. Furrow wheel: Stabilizes the disc plough/Keeps furrow wall clean

iv. Disc scraper: Removes soil from the disc.

v. Hitch:Point of attachment to the tractor.

(d). Disadvantage of animal power

• Animals are susceptible to diseases and death

• Power output is low

• Animals can get fatigued.

• Animal power is not stable for large scale production.

• The use of animal power is restricted to certain climatic zones e.g. tse-tse fly free zones.

• Animals cannot perform optimally at certain times of the day especially during hot weather

• Poor handling of animals may cause poor performance / animals may refuse to work when poorly handled.

• Animal power cannot be used to perform certain farm operations such as harvesting and processing of farm produce as they may eat up the farm produce