2.1 Name FOUR functions of soil in crop production - NSC Agricultural Management Practices - Question 2 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 2
2.1 Name FOUR functions of soil in crop production.
2.2 Contour ploughing contributes to the prevention of soil erosion.
2.2.1 Discuss how contour ploughing can be... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:2.1 Name FOUR functions of soil in crop production - NSC Agricultural Management Practices - Question 2 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
Name FOUR functions of soil in crop production.
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Answer
Soil allows air movement, which is crucial for root respiration.
Soil enables water infiltration, helping sustain plant growth.
Soil serves as a medium for plant growth, providing essential nutrients.
Soil plays a role in carbon retention, mitigating climate change impact.
Step 2
Contour ploughing contributes to the prevention of soil erosion.
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Answer
Contour ploughing helps by creating ridges along the contour lines of the slope, which reduces water runoff and soil erosion. This method slows down water movement, allowing for better absorption into the soil.
Step 3
Discuss how contour ploughing can be used to channel surface water into dams.
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Contour ploughing creates furrows and ridges that can capture and direct surface runoff to specific drainage points. This method mitigates erosion while allowing water to flow into dams by preventing rapid surface runoff.
Step 4
Explain the difference between contour ploughing and terracing.
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Contour ploughing involves ploughing along the contour lines of a slope, creating furrows that follow the land's natural shape. Terracing, on the other hand, involves creating a series of flat platforms on steep terrain to reduce soil erosion and water runoff more significantly.
Step 5
Describe the drainability of the greyish clay soil.
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The greyish clay soil has moderate to poor drainage due to its fine texture, which can lead to water retention. This limits root oxygen availability and increases the likelihood of waterlogging.
Step 6
Explain the pH scale and what it means if the pH is 7,8.
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The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, measuring soil acidity or alkalinity. A pH of 7 is neutral, while values below represent acidity and above represent alkalinity. A pH of 7.8 indicates that the soil is slightly alkaline, which may affect nutrient availability.
Step 7
Name the substance that must be added to the soil to improve the pH.
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To improve the pH, gypsum or plaster (calcium sulphate) can be added to counteract soil acidity.
Step 8
Give advice to this young farmer on how the current method of cultivation can be changed to include conservation cultivation.
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The young farmer should adopt practices like no-till or reduced tillage to maintain soil structure and reduce erosion. Additionally, incorporating cover crops and organic matter can improve soil health and water retention.
Step 9
Discuss how fair labour practices can affect the positioning of buildings, facilities and equipment.
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Fair labour practices ensure that workers are situated close to essential facilities, reducing fatigue and increasing productivity. Properly planned layouts can minimize the time spent moving between workstations, enhancing operational efficiency.
Step 10
Name the different types of capital in a farming venture and give ONE example of EACH.
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Financial capital – Example: Cash reserves for operational expenses.
Physical capital – Example: Machinery used for farming activities.
Human capital – Example: Skilled labor or agricultural experts.
Step 11
Name the farming methods that are represented by A, B and C.
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A represents semi-intensive production, B represents extensive production/free range, and C symbolizes intensive production.
Step 12
Explain the following factors to distinguish between farming methods B and C:
(a) Labour requirements
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Method B (Extensive) requires lower labor input due to larger land areas with fewer animals, while method C (Intensive) requires high labor input to manage a greater number of animals in confined spaces.
Step 13
Explain the following factors to distinguish between farming methods B and C:
(b) Dependence on technology
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Method B depends very little on technology, relying instead on natural processes, while method C heavily relies on advanced technology for management, feeding and health monitoring.
Step 14
Choose a method that can be regarded as organic farming from farming methods A, B and C. Motivate your answer.
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Method A can be regarded as organic farming because it focuses on feeding animals natural diets without hormones or chemicals, making it more environmentally friendly.
Step 15
Identify the type of precision farming technology that can be used to assist in dividing natural veld into camps.
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GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology can be utilized to efficiently divide natural veld into camps by mapping and analyzing the land.
Step 16
Describe the requirements that make a camp suitable for animal production.
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A suitable camp must have adequate clean drinking water, provide sufficient palatable fodder, and allow for limited animal movement to reduce stress.
Step 17
Describe how a stock farmer can use precision farming to keep track of animals grazing in a camp without human presence.
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A stock farmer can utilize GPS tracking devices or RFID tags on animals to monitor their movements. Additionally, remote cameras or drones can be employed to observe grazing patterns.
Step 18
Give ONE type of budget for each of the following descriptions by choosing a word/term from the list below.
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2.8.1: Maintenance budget
2.8.2: Cash flow budget
2.8.3: Whole-farm budget
2.8.4: Partial budget
2.8.5: Enterprise budget
Step 19
A budget is prepared once and then filed. Give THREE reasons why this statement is NOT true.
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A budget must be consistently updated to reflect changing circumstances in farming operations.
It helps in measuring progress against financial goals.
Regular updates allow for planning corrective actions when deviations occur.