GRADE 7 – AGRICULTURAL NOTES

A. PLANTS STRUCTURE

PLANT PARTS
• STEM
• ROOTS
• LEAVES
• FLOWERS
• FRUITS

FUNCTIONS

ROOTS

1. Hold plant firmly in the ground

2. Hold the stem upright
3. Absorb nutrients from the soil through osmosis
4. Store food for the plant

STEM

1. Support the plant and its branches

2. Has buds that grow into branches
3. A passage of water and minerals and distribute them to all parts of the plant

LEAVES

1. Make food for the plant using carbon dioxide and minerals
2. The process of making food is called photosynthesis and during the process
oxygen is released
3. The green matter (chlorophyl) absorbs energy from the sun
4. Excess water is passed out through stomata (Transpiration)
5. Some stems eg sugar cane store food
FLOWERS
1. Reproduction (fertilization)
2. Fertilization is the fusion of the female and male parts to form a seed or seeds
in a fruit
3. Flowers have bright colours and scent to attract birds, insects and other animals
which look for nectar and help in fertilization
EXERCISE
1. State one use of a stem on a plant. (1)
2. List one use of a root on a plant. (1)
3. Photosynthesis is the process where plants--------------------- (1)
4. Osmosis is when water with mineral salts (nutrients) enters the ------------ and then
carried to green leaves. (1)
5. Why is transpiration important to the plants? (1)
6. For seeds to germinate, they need-------------------- and ----------------. (2)
7. The plant which stores food in the stem is--------------. (1)
8. The function of root hairs on plant is to---------------. (1)
9. A by-product of photosynthesis is-----------------. (1)
10. The transfer of pollen grain from anthers to stigma is called----------. (1)
11. Name a plant which stores food in the root. (1)
12. Wilting is a condition whereby plant leaves-------- due to moisture stress or lack of soil
moisture. (1)
13. Plant Food storage organ
i. Sugar cane -----------------------
ii. -------------------- Root (4)
iii. Beans -----------------------
iv. Paw paw ----------------------
14. Translocation is the movement of ------------- from leaves to parts of the plant. (1)
15. Plants which store food in leaves are ----------, ------------- and ------------. (3)
B. PLANT NUTRIENTS
Nitrogen(N)
- Growth (chlorophyl in leaves, traps light energy and use it to produce food and oxygen.
Nitrogen Deficiency
- Yellowish colour on plant
- Slow plant growth (stunted growth + short leaves)
- Fruits becomes hard and small.
- Premature dropping of leaves and fruits.
Remedy
- Apply A.N or Urea.
- Add well decomposed manure.
- Green manuring (leguminous plants)
- Adding liquid manure on leaves.
- Done in caution because it may burn leaves.
Phosphorous (P)
- Root development
Deficiency
- Poor root development
- Stunted early plant growth
- Leaves become purple
- Leaves drops off plant
Remedy
- Supper phosphate 17,5% or double 35%
- Animal or compost manure
- Decomposed organic manure (matter)
Potassium (K)
- Proper growth and reproduction in parts in plant flowers
Deficiency
- Leaves curly and dry around edges
- Poor fruit, grain and pod formation
- Reduced plant growth, root development, seed and fruit development
Remedy
- Apply potash or potassium chloride or potassium sulphate
 - Add wood ash (has high potassium content)
- Add organic matter
- Maintain enough moisture
- Liming acidic soils can increase potassium retention
EXERCISE
1. One deficient symptom when a plant lacks nitrogen is----------------. (1)
2. Purple, orange or pink tints on leaves shows it lacks----------- nutrients. (1)
3. Yellowing of leaves is also called--------------. (1)
4. Remedy to question 2 you add --------------. (1)
5. A natural source of potassium is------------. (1)
6. The nutrient which is easily lost through leaching is---------------. (1)
7. Chlorosis is the loss of chlorophyll and plants become--------------. (1)
8. Shortage of phosphorous causes poor---------- formation and development. (1)
9. Pink tints on leaves lack-------------. (1)
10. Rape leaves turning orange shows lack of ------------- nutrient. (1)
11. Production of small seeds or wrinkled leaves show lack of --------- nutrient. (1)
12. Curling of leaves occurs in plants, showing lack of------------------. (1)
13. Fruits produced lack normal colour and contains low sugar content lack----------
nutrient. (1)
14. Potassium sulphate remedy-----------. (1)
15. The major plant nutrients are--------------, ------------- and-------------. (3)
16. State any three minor plant nutrients. (3)
C. VEGETABLE CROPS

- Shallow rooted crop to be followed by long rooted crops.

- Heavy feeders should not follow each other.

Potato family
(potato,tomato,
green paper)

ROOTS Legumes
(Beatroot,carrot) (peas,beans)

Brassicas
(cabbages,cauliflower
,kale,turnips,rape)

*Crop rotation (legume, root, fruit, leaf)

Reasons
- Improves soil erosion
- Improve soil structure
- Prevent soil erosion
- Control insects
- Break life cycle of insects
- Promotes removal of parasitic weeds
- Promotes efficient utilization of nutrients in the soil.
EXERCISE
1. Crop rotation is------------------. (2)
2. Shallow rooted feeders should be followed by--------------- feeders. (2)
3. Three advantages of crop rotation are------------, ------------- and-------------. (3)
4. Legumes should be always be included in a crop rotation because-----------. (2)
5. The disadvantages of using chemicals to control insects are--------- and-----------. (2)
6. Tomatoes take 7 to ---------- weeks to ripe. (1)
7. A seed bed is also known as a -------------. (2)
8. Fruit vegetables are rich in ------------. (2)
9. Tomato seedlings are transplanted when the weather is---------. (2)
10. Crops affected by very low temperatures are ------------ and ----------. (2)
11. Leaf vegetables with purpling leaves indicate lack of------------------. (1)
D. FIELD CROPS

Classified as
- Legumes, cereals, oil crops, cash crops, fiber crops and fruit crops.
- Give us food, raw materials for manufacturing industries, foreign currency G.V.T
Program.
• Need to be rotated
• Mono culture is discouraged
Legumes
- Groundnuts, soya beans, sugar beans, low peas.
Oils
- Sunflower, cotton seeds
Cereals
- Maize, sorghum, wheat, millet, rice
Others
- Tobacco, pepper, sisal

maize,sorghum,
millet

groundnuts,soya
wheat,rapoko,rice beans,cow
peas,sugar beans

sunflower,cotton
EXERCISE
1. Name three cereal crops. (3)
2. Groundnuts belong to the ------------------- family. (2)
3. ----------- crop give us fiber. (2)
4. Crop rotation helps to control ----------- and improves soil---------. (2)
5. Farmers should practice crop rotation with a legume crop to -----------. (2)
6. Deep rooted crops should be followed by ------- rooted crops. (2)
7. Crops of the same family should not ------- other in a rotation. (2)
8. A cereal crop grown in winter is ----------. (2)
9. Which fertilizer is used to top dress maize crop? (2)
10. Monoculture is the growing of ----------- crops. (2)

E. ORCHARD/FRUIT TREES

1.Watering
- During the dry season
- Vary according to species
- General idea 25 litres per m2
- Make basins 4m then apply 4 * 25 l of water.
- Water for transpiration (keep orchard cool and photosynthesis.
2. Mulching
- To reduce water loss
- Suppress weeds
- To improve soil fertility when they decompose
3. Manuring and Fertilization
- Apply 5 kg to 10 kg of manure per m2
- Apply 10g to 15g of AN per m2
- Apply 200g to 500g compound D (to be done in March)
4. Weeds control to reduce
- Competition for nutrients, air, light and water
- To avoid harbouring pests
- Weeds reduce growth rate and number of fruits
5. Prunning
- Remove dead woods and branches
- Remove some branches for aeration among branches
- Maintain beauty by cutting branches on the ground
- Remove suckers
- It helps flowering and fruit formation (to be done in winter June,July)
6. Pests insects
* Grasshopper, termites, aphids, fruit flies and wild animals
- Pests are controlled by chemicals
- Controlled fruit flies (spray regularly)
- For ants and termites use dieldrin 50 % wp or mashal sascon
7. Diseases
* Collar rot, root rot, greening, powdery mildiew and die back and die back
- Greening – copper oxychloride
- Fungal diseases – fungicides (mancozeb Bordeaux or copper oxychloride)
- Fire guard – around the orchard and fence around the orchard
8. Marketing
- Colour of the fruit is important
- Remove fruit for 4 years until the plant has developed strong roots to anchor the tree
- To be harvested whilst green but mature, will ripe on the way to the market

EXERCISES
1. We mulch trees to suppress weeds, control pests and to ------------------. (2)
2. Materials used for mulching are crop stalks and ----------. (2)
3. One reason we prune trees is to --------------. (1)
4. To protect fruit trees from animals we ----------- the orchard. (2)
5. Name one disease which affect fruits -----------------. (2)
6. Scouting in the orchard helps to ---------------. (2)
7. Watering help fruit trees to -------------. (2)
8. Name one citrus fruit tree? (1)
9. An area where fruit trees are grown is a -------------. (2)
10. Fungal diseases on fruit trees are controlled by a chemical called ----------. (2)

F. DECORATIVE PLANTS

Woody plants which grow less than 3 metres tall e.g. roses, hibiscus, bougainvillea
• They are perennial plants
• You can shape them to be attractive
Uses
 • Decorative purposes (flowers and green plants)
• To get foreign currency
• Wind break
• Produce aromatic scent
• Fencing purposes
Growing
• Cut branches 15 to 45 cm long from a mature plant
• Plant them in containers or polythene pockets
• Tender branches with 4 to 5 buds are cut
• Pots with sand and loam soil are used
• When roots have developed plant in permanent places
• Dig holes 60 cm long 60 cm wide and 90 cm or 1 metre deep
• Put 25 to 30 kg well decomposed manure
• Water well holes, remove paper, plant, press soil around it
• Make basics and water
• Top dress in December 150 to 200 g per shrub
Management
• Water regularly during dry season
• Remove weeds with garden fork
• Use pesticides or fungicides
• Prune regularly to maintain shape
• Can be sold to anyone
• Flowers are cut before blooming and kept in cool places

EXERCISES
1. Shrubs are grown mainly using -------------- (2)
2. Decorative shrubs are used to --------------- (2)
3. Name one decorative plant ------------- (2)
4. Which compound is used when growing the decorative plant --------- (2)
5. Ornamental plants are used for ---------- (2)
6. When should the decorative plants be top dressed. (2)
7. A tool that is used for cutting the branches for planting is -------- (2)
8. The fertilizers used for top dressing is ------------ (2)
9. Pruning on the decorative plant is to ----------- the shrub (2)
10. Which soil is used when potting the containers or polythene pockets (2)
G. FORESTRY

Trees
• Grown for timber and fire wood and fodder for animals
• Afforestation – growing tress where there are no trees
• Deforestation – cutting down trees without replacing them
• Reforestation – growing trees where they have been cut
• Examples of trees – gum trees, pine trees, wattle trees
Care and management
1. Watering
• When trees are not established
• During the dry season, water for photosynthesis
• Increase the growth of exotic trees
2. Transplanting
• Transplanted during the rainy season (December and January)
3. Weeding
• Suppress weeds
• Aeration of the plant
• Decomposition of weeds
• Allows water to sink well
4. Pruning
• Cutting and removal of dead weeds and unwanted branches to produce straight poles
• Increase growth rate
• Use bow saw, hand saw and chain saw
5. Fireguard and large water basins - are needed and also fencing the woodlot
6. For ants and termites – apply dieldrin or aldrin
7. Harvesting
• After every 7 years
• All trees to be cut after 7 years
• On stumps leave only 2 shoots (coppice)
• Gum trees can be used for curing tobacco
Deforestation
Causes
• Firewood and timber plus fodder
• Clearing land for agriculture
 • Building houses
• Veld fires
• Wild animals
• Dams, roads, industries, mining
Effects
• Soil erosion
• Siltation of rivers and dams
• Deserts
• Shortage of timber and firewood
• Less rainfall
• Less oxygen + more carbon dioxide
• Infertility of soil, no humus from trees
Ways to counter effects (Afforestation)
• Increase tree population
• Prevent soil erosion
• Increase oxygen in atmosphere
• Remove carbon dioxide to counter global warming
• Increase transplantation
• Provide food or forage for browsers
• Reafforestation
• Tree planting day

EXERCISE
1. Trees are commonly grown in woodlots are gum trees, wattle trees and -------- trees (2)
2. Pruning trees help them to be straight and to --------- fast (2)
3. A fireguard is used to protect plantations from -------- (1)
4. The best time to transplant seedlings is in December or ----------- (2)
5. the best time to harvest gum trees is in the month of ----------- (2)
6. Why do we fence the woodlot (1)
7. State three management practices to be done in woodlots (3)
8. Deforestation is the ------------ down of trees (2)
9. Four causes of deforestation are building houses, building roads & dams, industries and ----
(2)
10. The effects of deforestation are soil erosion, deserts, siltation, less oxygen, less rainfall, soil
infertility, and shortage of ---------, ----------- and forage. (3)
H. PLANT PROTECTION

Plant diseases: - Deviation from normal function of plant parts or death of cells.
Pathogen: - Disease caused by micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses).
Deficiency diseases: - Conditions occur to plants due shortage of nutrients thus causes of
diseases in plants.
*Some organisms are transmitted by vectors in their saliva.
Bacteria
• Cell division in plants (soil or atmosphere)
• Most bacteria are not harmful to plants, animals or people e.g. rhizobium fixes nitrogen
on regular plants in the soil.
• You get bacteria from contaminated seeds or seeds with bacteria
• Wilting of leaves or stem – xylem vessels are tubes or sieves which carry water in plants
are blocked.
Disease Cause Plant affected Signs Control /prevention
Bacteria wilt Bacteria Tomatoes *Water blocked *Plant treated seeds
Potatoes plants wilt *Uproot
Sugar cane *Resistant seeds
Tobacco *Chemical or no
Ground nuts chemical
Bacterial blight Bacteria Cotton *Leaves *Remove plants with
*Balls turn brown untreated seeds
*Leaves curl or fold *No chemical is needed
inwards
Black rot of Bacteria Cabbage *Leaf veins turn *Clean seeds
cabbage black and produce *Remove affected plants
bad smell and burry them
Fungi
Disease Bacteria Plant Signs and symptoms Control
/prevention
Leaf stem rust Fungi Beans *Red patches on leaves or *Variate
Maize brown *Cleaned seeds
Wheat *Dark swelling on sheath *Destroy previous
Peas of wheat stalks
Sunflowers *Fungicides are
used
Leaf spot Fungi Groundnuts *Dark spots on leaves *Crop rotation
*Fungicides
Powdery dew Fungi Peas *White powder on leaves *Destroy stalks
Beans or pods *Crop rotation
*Resistant variety
*oxychloride on
mancozeb
Potato blight Fungi Potatoes *Chocolate brown under *Resistant varieties
surface leaves
*Tubers not in soil
Damping of Fungi Seedlings *Stem root *Crop rotation
seedling Vegetables *Fungicides

Early blight Fungi Tomatoes *Black leaves *Resistant crops

Potatoes *Copper like rings *Mancozeb or
oxychloride
Late blight Fungi Tomatoes *Dark brown patches *Resistant varieties
Potatoes *Leaves die within 4 days *Mancozeb or
*Fruit rot oxychloride
Smut Fungi Sugarcane *Dark brown powder *Mancozeb or
oxychloride
*Crop rotation

Virus
Disease Cause Plants Signs and Prevention Control
symptoms
Maize Virus Maize *Parallel lines *Cultural *Chemical
streak without chlorophyll control control
*Stunted growth
Tobacco Virus Tobacco *Small yellow *Rogue *No
mosaic patches on green affected chemical
surface of leaves plants for plants
*Spots on leaves
Rosette Virus Groundnuts *Stunted growth *Crop
*Short internodes on rotation
stem *Remove
*Small leaves affected
parts
Leaf curl Virus Cotton *Leaves curl
 Ratoon Virus Sugar cane *Stunted growth *Uproot or
stunting burn

Ways of controlling plant diseases

• Use of certified seeds
• Plant resistant varieties
• Clean tools and machinery
• Correct spacing of plants
• Uprooting affected plants
• Keeping field free from weeds
• Control vectors like sap sucking insects
• Use clean seeds or tubers
• Crop rotation is needed
• Destroy previous plant stalks
Effects
• Stunted growth
• Wilting of plants
• Less yield
• No photosynthesis
• Quality production is reduced
• Profit is reduced
• Probability of zero production
EXERCISES
1. Name the three organisms which cause plant diseases (3)
2. Which micro-organism cause bacterial wilt (3)
3. Name any two plant crop diseases (2)
4. Chemicals used to control plant diseases are known as -------- (2)
5. What causes damping? (2)
6. Viruses are spread by sap sucking insects known as ------------- (2)
7. Three diseases caused by fungi on plants are ---------, ----------- and ----------- (3)
8. State one sign of bacterial wilt (1)
9. State two effects of plant diseases (2)

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ANIMALS

Care of Farm Animals
Parasites: - an organism whose life depend on suckling blood and nutrients from animals
Vaccine: - a drug injected into an animal’s body
Ruminant animals: - has four stomachs and can chew the cud
Cud: - food swallowed and returned into the mouth for second chewing
Farm Animals
• Horses, rabbits, cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and chicken
Ruminant animals
• Can digest fibre
• They have stomachs – rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum e.g. goats, sheep and
cattle
Non – ruminant animals
• Unable to digest fibre
• Horses, rabbits, donkeys, and pigs
Nutrients
• Carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, roughage and fats
Foods
1. Natural green plants and crops
• Rape leaves, lettuce, spinach, maize, cabbages, veld grasses and posture grasses, tree
leaves, shrub leaves
2. Hay
• Grass cut green at flowering stage and dried under shade and fed to animals during dry
season
3. Previous / crop stalks / storer
• Maize, ground nuts, soya beans
• Carbohydrates, roughage or fibre for animals
4. Commercial stock feeds
• Processed feeds from plant seeds – maize, soya beans, cotton seeds, seeds with millet
stalks- gives beef meal, dairy meal, goat meal, broiler starter, grower and finisher
(layers mash)
• Concentrate to be mixed with maize meal
• Marshes already mixed
• To be fed in troughs
Water
• Should be clean and near
Importance
• Used in digestive system
• Needed in blood formation
• For excretion or removal of waste substances e.g. urea in urine
 • Cool down the body when it is hot
• Needed in body cells
Parasites control
• Poor growth
• Transmitted diseases
• Sucking of blood- ticks, tsetse flies, lice, tampans, tape worms, liver flukes and round
worms
Control of external parasites
• Dipped once a week from November to June
• In July to August once per 2 weeks
• Tick – grease inside ears and under tails
Control of internal parasites
• Dose the animals (valbandel, valbazen, trodax, ranide, systamex)
• Rotational grazing
• Burn veld grasses on paddocks every 4- year period
• Do not graze cattle in wet and marshy lands
• Clean pens and pigsties
• Rotate or change dip chemicals
Diseases
1. Bacterial – anthrax, tetanus, quarter evil, contagious abortion, white scours (diarrhoea)
2. Viral – foot and mouth diseases, lumpy skin, rabies, swine fever
3. Protozoa – transmitted by ticks, tsetse flies and mosquitoes. Heart water diseases, red
water diseases, theilenisis, gall sickness and cattle tick fever.
Control
• Vaccination
• Slaughter affected animals
• Quarantine
• Don’t mix domestic and wild animals
• Dipping and spraying
• Notifiable diseases report to vet officers
• Protect from predators
• Protect from harsh weather
• Protect from thieves

EXERCISE
1. State one way of caring for animals.
2. List down 3 ruminant animals --------, ---------- and ---------.
3. Hay is green grass dried in shades cut at ------------ stage.
4. List down 2 uses of water in animal bodies?
5. Internal parasites are controlled by ----------.
6. State 3 effects of parasites on farm animals.
7. List down 2 uses of water in animal bodies.
8. State 4 ways of controlling diseases.
9. Drugs injected into animal bodies to prevent diseases are called --------.
10. Name 4 predators for farm animals.

J. ANIMAL MANAGEMENT
Three management systems
1. Extensive system
2. Semi – intensive system
3. Intensive system
(A) Extensive system
• Allowed to roam freely
• Find own food
• Returns are very low
Advantages
• Cheap to operate
• Less labour
• Less capital
Disadvantages
• Thieves and predators take advantage
• Large land is needed
• Less profit is returned
• Growth rate is poor
• Few animals are kept
(B) Semi – intensive
• Kept in a fenced area
• Animal movement is restricted
• Additional food is given
• Water should be available
Advantages
 • Safe and protected
• Possible to monitor animals on diseases
• Medium number of animals are kept
• Production of animals fairly high
• Fed with balanced diet
Disadvantages
• Costs of buildings is high (kraals, pens, houses)
• Expertise is needed (cost is high)
(C) Intensive
• Deep litter housing system
• Battery cage system
Advantages
• Many animals are kept in small areas
• Profit is very high
• Possible to ration food
• Individual record of each animal
• Non – productive animals are culled
• Animals controlled and protected from predators and thieves
Disadvantages
• Expensive to run
• Cost of food and housing is very high
• High management is needed
• Expertise is needed on animal diseases and parasites can spread quickly
EXERCISE
1. State 2 disadvantages of extensive system.
2. Rearing animals in confined space is called --------.
3. State 3 disadvantages of intensive system.
4. Name 2 housing systems under intensive system.
5. Farmers which keep goats and sheep in communal areas practice which system?
6. Name one internal parasite?
7. Name one external parasite?
8. Write down one disease caused by a protozoa.
9. Internal parasites are controlled by ---------.
10. Explain mashes feeds, and they are which kind of feeds.
K. ANIMAL NUTRITION

Nutrient Function Deficiency Condition in Measure to

symptom animals counter
Iodine -thyroid gland -swelling of Goiter on the -feeds with
-normal growth gland in the neck of animal iodine
neck of an -iodised salt
animal -green grass
Iron -red blood cells -paleness -anemia, piglets -grains of
-carries oxygen around eyes and legume seeds
(haemoglobin) gums -inject with iron
-difficult -allow pigs to
breathing, lack dig in red soil
of oxygen -give piglets
clay red soil
Sodium -nerves and cells -poor growth -animals lick
function well -nervous system mineral salt
poor response blocks
Phosphorus -strong bones -rickets -rickets in -foods with
and teeth -poor growth young animals phosphorus,
-formation of rate -weak brittle mono-calcium
bones and teeth -Pica develops bones which phosphates or
animals eat may break bone meal
sticks, metal easily
objects
-old animals eat
bones, sticks
and any object
Calcium -bone and teeth -rickets -rickets in -green legume
formation -bent or curved young animals plants
-bones and teeth legs outwards -weak bones -foods with milk
strong -osteo-malacia -soft and weak -bone meal is
-weak bones egg shells needed
break easily -mineral blocks
-pica animals are needed
eat bones, sticks
and other
objects
Vitamin A -improves -night blindness -night blindness -feed with
eyesight -poor growth of yellow maize
animals -graze green
-rough fur on plants
the skin on
animals
Selenium -sperm -infertility and -infertility and -mineral licks
formation sterility in sterility in -green grass,
animals animals supplies
selenium
EXERCISE
1.Name 2 deficiency diseases in farm animals (2)
2. Lack of ----------- in animals cause goitre (1)
3. Piglet anemia is caused by shortage of ------------ (1)
4. Chickens laying eggs with soft shells --------- nutrient is lacking. (1)
5. What causes rickets in farm animals?
6. Name one use of mineral block licks in animals. (1)
7. State one function of calcium in animals. (1)
8. State one function of phosphorus in animals (1)
9. Shortage of iodine in animals cause ---------- (1)
10. Iron in our bodies is used to carry ---------- (1)
11. A condition where animals chew bones on ground is called ---------- (1)
12. Bone meal and milk provide animals with ------------ (1)
13. Night blindness is caused by shortage of ------------ in animals. (1)
14. A nutrient used to repair worn out body tissues is ---------- (1)
15. Two deficiency symptoms of calcium in animals are -------- and ---------. (2)
16. State one use of phosphorus in animals (1)
17. Lack of iron in piglets cause disease called ---------- (1)

L. SMALL LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

Poultry – slaughtering
• 6 to 8 weeks, road runners at any stage
• Weight 2 to 2,5 kg
• Layers are slaughtered after 52 weeks to 54 weeks
Methods of killing
• Cutting the neck blood veins below the head
• Dislocation of the neck
• Stunning – hitting with a heavy stick at the back of the head and then cut the neck
• Should not be given food for 4 to 12 hours before killing them
• Blood should drain out
• Deep in hot water for 15 to 20 seconds before plucking off feathers
• Plucking use machines or people
• Cut head and feet
Removal of inside parts
• Cut from the cloaca or vent moving to abdomen
• Slit open and pull-out internal organs
• Pull out intestines, gizzards, crop, heart and liver
• Clean inside and rinse
• Weigh the chicken
• Pack the chicken in plastics
Dressing % = weight of dressed chicken/ weight before dressing * 100
• If more 65 % profitable, if less than 50% no profit
• Cut the gizzard and remove contents
• The membrane is removed
• The gall bladder is removed from liver
• Intestines are cleaned and washed
• Pack them separately
• Crop is fed to pets
• Sold immediately or store in refrigeration
• Sold according to weight
• It is white meat low in cholesterol
• Products are meat and eggs
• By-products are feathers and manure
• Blood and crop – pet food
Rabbits
• 12 to 14 weeks for big breeds
• 20 to 25 weeks for small and medium breeds
• Weight should be 2.5 kg and above
How to kill a rabbit
• Not given food for 2 to 15 hours
• Allow them to drink water
• Make it comfortable to stun it / hit it with a heavy stick behind the head near where the
necks join the head
• Cut off the head and hang the carcass head downwards to drain blood
• Cut fur skin on legs, neck, hind legs to belly and then pull it downwards
Eversceration
• Cut stomach open to remove intestines
• Clean the carcass
• Hang the carcass with hind legs
Dressing % = carcass/ weight before slaughter * 100
• Profit 60 to 63 % and loss 12 to 25 %
• 1.25 to 1.6 kg dead
 • 2 to 2.5 kg alive
• Put in deep freezer
• Sold to individuals or butchery
• Product – meat
• By-product – manure, pelts, blood, visceration, fed to pets, cats and dogs

EXERCISE
1. Name a method to kill a rabbit (2)
2. They use a ----------- to kill a rabbit. (1)
3. Explain why some people do not eat rabbit meat. (2)
4. ----------- is a product of a rabbit. (1)
5. Name the three by-products of rabbits. (3)
6. Name the chicken reared to lay eggs. (2)
7. Name one by product of a chicken (2)
8. Removing a rabbit skin process called? (2)
9. Chicken meat is rich in -------- nutrients. (2)
10. State three methods of slaughtering chicken. (3)

M. APICULTURE
Bee colony – a swarm of bees living together as a family.
Drones – male bees hatched from unfertilized eggs.
Honey – thick sugarly syrup in honey combs.
Worker bees – underdeveloped female bees- cannot reproduce – collect food to fed the queen
bee.
Queen bee – fully developed female bee which lay eggs in bee hive.
Grub – is a young bee in comb
Propolis – thick black sticky material produce used to sill of holes, not allowing water and wind
into the hive.
Water
• Mixed with pollen and nectar.
• Cools the hive when it is hot
• If water is for use put containers and put stones so that bees don’t drown
Feeding
 • Sugarly syrup
• Iodised salt dissolved in water + 2 parts of white sugar + flowers and trees
Bad weather
• Hot or strong winds
• Low temperature (shades of grass + asbestos)
• Grow trees, shrubs for wind break
Animals, children and predators
• Fenced area
• Beehives can be put in a bee house – apiary
• Apiary can protect bees from birds, lizards, ants, wasps, honey barger and people
• 6 – 12 m fire guard around the area
Open
a) Pests and diseases
b) Queen bee is still there
c) Check for adequate in hive
d) If honey is ready for harvesting
Harvesting of honey
• Twice per year – June, July, Oct, Nov, Dec
• 60 % to 80 % can be harvested
• Apply smoke to make them decide
• Wear suit to avoid stinking of bees
• Leaves combs with grubs inside
Processing of honey
• Place combs on sieves and squeeze using hands
• Fill clean plastic bottles
Uses
• Put one bread
• Consumed raw
• Mixed with cough syrup
• Used for medical purposes
By-products of honey
• Stock feeds
• Candle making
• Glue, crayons, shoe polish, skin oils, and adhesives
Common beehive
1. Greek basket hive
2. Lang stroth beehive
 3. Wooden box bee hive

EXERCISE
1. Keeping bees is known as --------- (2)
2. Bees live a ---------- (2)
3. Male bees are known as --------- (2)
4. Undeveloped female bees are known as -------------. (2)
5. Name one bee predator. (2)
6. A fire guard is used to protect bees from -------- (1)
7. What is nectar? (2)
8. Two uses of honey are --------- and ---------- (2)
9. Two by products honey are farming, are ---------- and ---------. (2)
10. The best period to harvest honey is in June, July and in --------, ---------- or ----------. (3)

N. FARM EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY

Equipment is pulled by tractors or animals.e.g. planters, single furrow mould ploughs, spike
toothed harrows, disc ploughs, disc harrows, ridgers, rippers or diesel ploughs, boom spray and
cultivators.
Machinery pulls the equipment e.g. tractors, caterpillar tractors, combine harvesters, motorized
graders, maize shellers, irrigation pumps, pedal powered shellers, dozers and wheel front
loaders.
Maintenance of implements
1. Single furrow mould board plough
a) Remove worn out plants
b) Tighten loose bolts and nuts
c) Remove any sticky soil
d) Apply grease on friction parts
e) Replace friction parts
f) Repaint regularly (reduce rust)
2. Disc plough
a) Grind the disc regularly
b) Remove soil
c) Put grease
d) Apply some used oil when not in use
e) Replace bolts and nuts
f) Repaint to reduce rusting
 3. Disc harrow
a) Apply grease to bearing and nipples
b) Replace worn out disc parts including bolts and nuts
c) Apply grease to wearing parts
d) Repaint regularly
4. Spike toothed harrow
a) Replace damaged pegs or spikes
b) Sharpen spikes
c) Tighten spikes
d) Grease, replacing damaged parts
e) Repaint after 4-5 years
5. Cultivators
a) *Follow a, b, c, d, e above
6. Planters
a) Grease
b) Remove fertilizers after planting, bolts and nuts, repainting, ridgers like other
machinery
Storage
1. Machinery drawn in sheds with concrete floors
2. Animal drawn – storerooms to be locked
3. Garages – all machinery
4. Workshop – all machinery
Inventory record, helps
• Theft or missing of an implement
• Know the total number of animals on the farm
• To identify those no longer in use
• Price to sell the old equipment
• Enable to assess and buy new equipment

EXERCISE
1. What is the best place for storing implements and machinery? (2)
2. The process of keeping equipment and machinery in working condition is called ------- (2)
3. ---------- is put in a wheel axle. (1)
4. Why should we put oil or grease on bearings and axils (2)
5. Farm machinery is needed on a farm because -------- (2)
6. A farm inventory is used to record --------- (2)
7. List three ways of storing farm machinery ---------, ---------- and -----------. (3)
8. Name three implements used at the farm? (3)
9. List three maintenance to be done on a farm machinery. (3)
10. Three maintenance of a mould board plough -----------, ---------- and -------. (3)

O. AGRI-BUSINESS
Types of Budgets
a) Whole farm budget
b) Partial budget
c) Enterprise budget
Budget – expected income and expected expenditure
Income – money obtained by the farm after selling farm produce
Expenditure – money used to buy inputs for a specific enterprise
Inputs – material used by a farmer in the production e.g. seeds, labour, pesticides and fertilizers.
Importance of enterprise budget
1. Know financial needs and inputs requirements
2. Helps a farmer to predict enterprise cash flow
3. Makes farmers know whether she/he make profit or loss
4. Help farmer to get loans from banks
5. Help a farmer choose an enterprise which may make profit
6. Helps to control unplanned use of money
Sources of information
1. Newspapers
2. Catalogues
3. Television
4. Radio adverts or programs
5. Agriculture shows
6. Adverts from seed companies
7. Retailer shops displays
Enterprise
a) Maize production
b) Soya beans production
c) Beef production
d) Broiler production
e) Field beans production
f) Goat production
g) Ground nuts production
h) Layers’ chicken production
i) Pig keeping product
 j) Bee keeping enterprise
For example, a specific crop
Inputs – seed, prime, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, labour cost, packaging material
Income – After selling the produce
Expected profit = Expected income – Expected expenses
Expected expenditure Expected income
Inputs Quantity Amount Output Price
Seed 25 kg $10 20 * 50 kg of $2000
maize at $100
per bag
Fertilizer D 6 * 50 at $ 50 per $300
bag
Fertilizer Top 5 * 50 at $ 50 per $250
bag
Herbicides 5 liters $25
Pesticides 10 liters $15
Labour 5 workers at $ 5 $750
per day for 30
days
Packing bags 20 bags $10
Total $1 365 $2000

EXERCISE
1. State the three examples of enterprises --------, ------- and -----------. (3)
2. List down 3 sources of information needed to prepare a budget. (3)
3. An estimate of expected income of expected income and expenditure is known as -------. (1)
4. A profit and loss account is also known as -----------. (1)
5. State 3 importance of a farm budget -----------, ----------- and ------------. (3)
6. Name three types of a farm budget ---------, ---------- and ------------. (3)
7. Name three crops whose products can be sold at national markets. (3)
8. Write down one national market. (1)
9. At which market is tobacco auctioned? (1)
10. Income and expenditure accounts belong to which record ------------. (1)

P. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Farm Manager
 • Day to day running of the farm (planning, budgeting, hiring workers, giving them
work, supervising them and record keeping of the farm).
Agronomist
• Studies soil, plants, seeds, and work with extension officers.
• Specializes in areas such as plant structure and their function, crop rotation, irrigation
and drainage, soil composition and fertility
• Weed and pest control
Extension officer
• Link between researchers and farmers
• Advise farmers on issues to do with livestock, crops, irrigation, water conservation,
how best to deal with pests and diseases
Teachers/ Lecturers
• Teaches varieties of skills needed for production in agriculture
Vertirinary officers / doctors
• Deal with welfare of domestic animals
• Control, treat sick animals
Irrigation engineering
• Help farmers plan right schemes
• Crops and amount of water needed
• Maintain running the engine
Mechanical engineering
• Repairing and servicing machinery, equipment and tools (combine harvester, planter,
hoes)
Horticulturist
• Vegetables, fruit trees, ornamental plants and flowers
Sales person
• Selling, farm inputs (seeds, fertilizers, agro-chemicals and equipment, tools and
machinery)
Fishery officers
• Fish production in farms and communities

EXERCISES
1. The work of an extension officer is to -------------.
2. -------- treats sick animals.
 3. The work of a fishery officer is ---------.
4. The work of an agronomist is to ----------.
5. A ----------- does the day to day running of the farm.
6. The work of a sales person is to ------------.
7. The --------- teaches future specialist in agriculture.
8. A --------- maintains farm machinery, equipment and tools.
9. An irrigation engineer does ---------- in agriculture.
10. What work is done by an agronomist?

Q. TYPES OF FARMING

Mixed farming
• Crops and animals on same piece of land
Advantages
• Increases productivity of the farm
• Increases income
• Both enterprises compliment each other
• Support nutrient balance
Disadvantages
• Needs specialists to supervise
• Expensive to run
• A lot of labour required
• Requires a lot of tools
Specialist farming
• One agricultural activity or one enterprise on a farm (crops or animals) e.g. sugarcane,
sorghum, cotton, pigs, cattle, hen, coffee, tobacco, tree plantations
Advantages
• Better marketing
• Better land use
• Leads to skill development
• Maximum use of resources
Disadvantages
• Easy to suffer loses
• Pests and diseases may affect crops or animals
• You may have nothing to sell
Diversified farming
 • Different types of crops or animals or both
Advantages
• Maximum use of resources (land, labour and capital)
• Regular income
• Better soil management
Disadvantages
• Too much diversification leads to mismanagement
• Demands more labour and tools

a) Monoculture – crop or animal year after year

b) Intercropping – growing of different types of crops together e.g. maize + beans, or
maize + law peas
c) Intensive farming – minimize use of land but uses a lot of resource to produce
d) Extensive farming – produce less on a big farm, e.g. sheep, goats, free range of poultry
Farming systems
a) Commercial farm – to sell
b) Subsistence farm – mainly for consumption
c) Shifting farming – practiced on vast virgin land where ashes are used as fertilizers
Land reform
• Gave land to landless blacks
• Created employment
• De-congest people in rural areas
• Increased agriculture production
• Produced raw materials for industry

EXERCISES
1. Give any two types of irrigation
2. Crops grown under irrigation are ------- and ----------.
3. Write down one benefit of land reform program.
4. Shifting cultivation is also known as ------------.
5. Which farming system is practiced in communal areas?
6. Which farming system grows crops mainly for sale?
7. Keeping animals and crops is which type of farming.
8. A place where animals are slaughtered for meat is called -----------.
9. A form of manure mainly used in shifting cultivation is ------------.
10. Large farms before the land reform program were occupied by ------.

R. FARM TOOLS
TYPES OF TOOL RACKS
Wooden racks
• Wooden poles joined using nails or ropes
• Wooden planks joined using nails or ropes
• Tied wires
Metal bar racks
• Metal bars welded
• Metal poles welded
Designs of tool racks
1. Shelves tool rack
2. Wire hanger tool rack
3. Table type tool rack
4. Poles and rails tool rack
Inventory
Name Label Total Good Not working Missing
working
Hoes H1 – H15 15 12 1 2
Axes X1 – X5 5 4 0 1
Cans C1 – C5 5 5 0 0
Slashes S1 – S20 20 14 1 5
Picks P1 – P8 8 7 0 1
Shovels SH01 -SH04 4 4 0 0

EXERCISES
1. Tools are kept in a ----------.
2. Tool racks are made of ----------.
3. A tool which needs to be sharpened is ----------.
4. State one reason why tools need to be put on racks?
5. Name three farm tools which can be put on racks.
6. Why do we need a record of tools?
7. Which part of the tool do we sharpen?
8. Oiling part of the tool makes it not to --------.
9. Material used to make very strong tools are made from ---------.
10. What two things must be shown by an inventory of tools?

R. SAFETY IN AGRICULTURE

Agro-chemicals
 1. Green – caution, harmful if swallowed
2. Amber/ orange – poison
3. Red – dangerous poison
4. Purple - Very dangerous poison, extremely poisonous
• Usually to attack pests which attack plants and animals
Proper storage
1. Stored in locked rooms away from children
2. Keep away from food
3. Must not be kept in a food container
4. Rooms should be well ventilated, circulation of air to remove fumes of chemical
from the room
5. Chemical containers should be closed tightly
6. Don’t remove labels for instructions on usage and people to note presence of
chemical
7. Labels should be placed on walls to show names of chemicals
Proper disposal of container
1. Burnt or buried deep underground
2. Cover with soil chemicals spilled during mixing
3. Both chemicals and container should not reach water sources
4. Never use containers for food storage
5. Don’t throw away empty containers, they pollute the environment living organisms
even in water and soil

EXERCISE
1. What are agro-chemicals?
2. Name any two protective clothing.
3. Purple color stands for ----------.
4. Amber/ orange stands for ------------.
5. Give one source which can be polluted by the chemicals.
6. How do you help someone affected by agro-chemicals
7. Agro-chemicals are stored in ---------.
8. Disposal of containers in water destroys ---------.
9. A respirator is used to protect you from ----------.
10. Agro-chemicals used to kill weeds are called --------.
11. Agro-chemicals used to control pests are called ---------.
12. Which color code represents the least toxic agro-chemicals?

S. CLIMATE AND LAND USE

* Weather elements – rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind direction
* Different climate – region 1 to 5
 Region Temperature Rainfall Activities Area
1 18 to 20 ⁰C 1000 mm + *forestry, tea, *Chipinge,
Specialized and horticulture, Nyanga,
diversified intensive Chimanimani,
farming farming Honde valley,
Vumba
2 16 to 25 ⁰C 800 to 1000 mm *crops, *Harare,
Intensive livestock. Mutare,
farming Market Bindura,
gardening, Chinhoyi,
maize, soya Karoi,
beans, tobacco, Marondera
groundnuts,
cotton
3 18 to 30 ⁰C 600 to 800 mm *drought *Gokwe,
Semi intensive annually tolerant Kadoma,
farming extensive crop Kwekwe,
production Gweru
4 20 to 35 ⁰C 450 to 600 mm *cattle ranch, *Bulawayo,
Semi extensive drought Masvingo,
farming resistant crops, Lupane,
irrigation Chiredzi,
Triangle
5 20 to 40 ⁰C Less than 500 *cattle ranching *Mwenezi,
Extensive mm inadequate *wildlife Beitbridge,
farming for crops management Hwange

Climate change
Effects
1. Cause flooding, soil erosion, property destruction and buildings
2. Too little rainfall – death of plants and animals
3. Too high temperatures – heat wave, death of plants and animals
4. Too low temperatures – frost
5. Planning is lost
6. Not enough food
7. Pests and diseases increases
Causes
1. Emission of carbon dioxide, methane, chlorine, chlorofluorocarbon – CFC from
industries, vehicles, greenhouse gases affect the ozone layer
2. Deforestation – less transpiration
Mitigation
• Farmers should improve farming method to preserve natural resources
Solutions to climate change
 1. Construction of dams, ways to harvest rainfall
2. Planting trees
3. Avoid shifting cultivation
4. Alternative forms of energy e,g. solar, hydro-electric and biogas energy
5. Use of organic manure, natural disease control and pest control
6. Stiff penalties – air and water pollution
7. Conservation on farming – drip and tillage
8. Appropriate crops or drought resistant crops such as rapoko, millet and sorghum

EXERCISE
1. What is climate change?
2. Give one cause of climate change.
3. State three effects of climate change
4. How can farmers reduce the effects of climate change?
5. How do trees contribute to the formation of rainfall?
6. Deforestation means ---------.
7. Energy from water is called ----------.
8. Give two ways of mitigating climate change.
9. ----------- is a gas produced from industries likely to cause global warming.
10. Give two reasons why people destroy forests.
11. Hwange is in which natural farming region?
12. Sugar cane is commonly grown in which region?
13. Write two drought tolerant crops.
14. A barometer is used to measure ------------.
15. What is market gardening?
16. In which farming region do we find tea estates.
17. Give two places found in region 1.

T. SOIL COMPOSITION

Water – 25%
Air – 25%
Mineral matter – 45%
Organic matter – 5%
Soil organisms
• Microorganisms – virus, bacteria, fungi
• Macro-organisms – earthworm, ants, termites, millipedes, beetles
Importance of organisms
Plant nutrients – Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron.
Organisms help in:
a) Breaking down of substances in decaying plants or animals
b) Making holes to allow air into the soil (aeration of soil, root penetration and increase
water holding capacity)
c) Excretes act as soil nutrients
d) Decomposing toxic materials and pollutants that kill plant roots
e) Mineralization (nutrients are broken down and returned to original mineral form) e.g.
rhizobium bacteria (nitrogen)

EXERCISE
1. Soil composition is made up of ---------, -----------, --------- and --------.
2. 25% is -----------.
3. Another 25% is ---------------.
4. 45% is ---------------.
5. 5% is ---------------.
6. Microorganisms are -----------, ----------- and -----------.
7. Examples of macro-organisms are ----------, --------- and ------------.
8. Excretes act as soil -----------.
9. What decompose material toxic and pollutants in the soil?
10. Holes made by organisms help in ------- of the soil and improve water holding capacity.

U. SOIL FORMATION
Types of weathering
Physical weathering – breaking down of stones due to physical means e.g.
a) Running water carrying stones
b) Blowing wind carrying sands
c) Contraction and expansion of rocks due to temperature changes e.g. freezing
d) Thawing of water
Biological weathering – breaking down of stones due to living organisms like
a) Animal action
b) Burrowing – leave no stone exposed to rains, temperature changes
c) Root actions – root penetrating in rock cracks
Chemical weathering
a) Hydrolysis – water + minerals = minerals dissolve breaking those remaining and those
being replaced by hydrogen.
b) Acid reaction – rains mix with gases emitted from industries (mixing of gases) Carbon
dioxide + water = acid rain (carbonic acid). The acid reacts with some rocks breaking
them
 c) Solution and dissolution – soft stones dissolve in water becomes muddy. Salt is soil and
rocks dissolves leaving rocks to crumble.
d) Oxidation – reaction of iron with oxygen to form rust. Formation of rust leaves rocks
weak and easily break down.

EXERCISE
1. What is weathering?
2. There are ------------ types of weathering.
3. Living organisms contribute to ------- weathering.
4. Contraction of rocks happen during -------------.
5. A ------- is a part of plant in weathering.
6. Acid rain cause -------------.
7. Smooth stones in river beds show that --------- also cause weathering.
8. The three types of weathering are ------, ---------- and -----------.
9. How do animals contribute to weathering.
10. Acid rain is caused by --------------.

V. SOIL TYPES
Soil texture: coarseness or fineness of soil particles
• Proportion of sand, salt and clay
• Determines the ability to absorb water, retain soil moisture and nutrients
Soil structure: arrangement of soil particles or pads or clusters
• Means pedal soils or structured soils
• Clay soil and loam soil join to form club structure
• Sand soil from non-constant particles – difficult to form a structure. Single grain
structure
• Name of structure
a) Single grain
b) Crumb blocky structures
c) Platy structures and prismatic structures
Importance of structures
a) Crops grow healthy and well
b) Allows plant roots to penetrate into soil to absorb minerals in water solution
c) Stores or hold water for a long period
d) It allows organisms to perform work
e) Allows water penetration without logging
f) Promote optimum aeration, drainage and support organisms in soil
Improving structures
1. Cultivate soils – ideal moisture when it is too wet
 2. Add organic manure
3. Add lime
4. Practice crop rotation
Names of structures
1. Single grain structure – particles don’t join e.g. coarse sand
2. Crumb structure – clay soil, loam soil
3. Blocky structure
4. Platy structure
5. Prismatic structure
6. Columnar structure or column structure
EXERCISE
1. Two types of soil structures are ---------- and -------------.
2. The arrangement of soil particles is called ---------------.
3. --------- improves soil structures.
4. Rubbing soil between fingers you will be testing for -----------.
5. If a heavy machinery moves on soil it --------- the soil structure.
6. The soil with a fine structure is ------------.
7. Name two organisms which live in the soil.
8. How does soil structure affect plant growth?
9. What type of soil structure is formed by sandy soil?
10. What type of soil structure is formed by loam soil?

W. SOIL PROFILE
• Cross section or side view of the layers of soil going down a pit
• Horizon – specific layers of soil
Humus – dead plants and animal remains found on surface earth’s surface
a) Top soil
b) Sub soil
c) Partially weathered rock (gravel)
d) Parent rock
Type of soils
• Black soil, grey soil, red soil and brown soil depending of type of rocks weathered

1. Horizon A – top soil: A lot nutrients of plants, most small organism are found, mostly
roots.
2. Horizon B – Sub soil: Little or few plant nutrients, few organisms sants, termites and
mice. Few plant roots, leached nutrients
3. Horizon C – gravel + weathered rocks: stones with soil, no organisms, leached nutrients
can be found.
 4. Horizon D – parent rock: Underground water is found above the parent rock.

EXERCISE
1. What is a soil particle?
2. Why are most living organisms found in horizon A?
3. State two characteristics of subsoil?
4. Soil color depends on type of ---------- weathered.
5. How many layers does a soil profile have?
6. Most plant nutrients are found in which horizon?
7. Weathered rock particles are found in Horizon --------.
8. Most plant roots are found in Horizon -------------.
9. What gives top soil black color.
10. Plant and animal remain make -----------.

X. SOIL FERTLITY
Management of soil fertility
1. Natural fertility found in the soil
2. Nutrient from legumes we add to soil
3. Crop rotation – add nutrients
4. Basal dress – fertilizer used for planting
5. Top dressing – addition of fertilizer after germination
6. Liming – controlling acid in soil
7. Green manuring – plough green plants whilst green at flowering stage
8. Plough crop stalks or stove in the soil
9. Mulching – grasses or stalks – will rot or decay

EXERCISE
1. Three major plant nutrients are -----------, ------------ and ----------.
2. Name three minor nutrients are ----------, ------------ and -----------.
3. Give examples of straight fertilizers -------------, ----------- and -------------.
4. State three ways of managing garden fertility.
5. List any four natural fertilizers.
6. Soil organisms in soil --------- the plants and animals.
7. Ammonium nitrate is a ---------- fertilizer.
8. In agriculture lime is used to ----------- acid.
9. In NPK, P stands for ------------.
10. The bacteria which fix nitrogen in the soil is called ----------------.
Y1. SOIL EROSION
Causes: Human Activities
a) Deforestation – cutting down of trees
b) Stream bank cultivation
c) Cultivating down slopes
d) Overgrazing which is usually caused by overstocking
e) Monoculture
f) Poorly sited roads and pathways which cause erosion
Importance of conserving soil
• Most plant roots in top soil
• Soil organisms are in top soil
• Movement of people, animals, cars and tractors easy
• Developmental projects
• Pastures and grazing land needs top soil
• Crop field will be safe and protected
Ways of controlling soil erosion
• Afforestation
• Reforestation
• Ploughing across slopes
• Practicing crop rotation
• Forbid shifting cultivation
• Contour ridges in sloppy areas
• Paddocking
• Crop cover always
• Educate people
• Stiff penalties on destruction of trees

EXERCISE
1. List down four ways of controlling soil erosion.
2. State three causes of soil erosion
3. State three importance of conserving soil.
4. What is soil conservation?
5. ---------- is an agent of soil erosion.
6. Cutting down of trees without replacing them is called ---------.
7. Overstocking leads to -----------.
8. If soil is eroded it results in having ------- in the area.
9. How do trees prevent erosion?
10. When a dam is filled with washed away soil, it is called -----------.
Y2. SOIL POLLUTION
Control of soil pollution
• Poisoning the soil
• Sources
• Effects of pollution
1. Not ideal for growing crops
2. Small organisms may die
3. Mercury and acid may stay on land for many years
4. Oils and chemicals from industries harm animals and people
5. Littering (plastics, broken bottles, empty tins) do not decay
6. Sewages pose health hazards
7. Oils cause poor aeration of soil
8. Acids destroy organic matter
Controlling pollution
1. Burst sewage pipes to be repaired as soon as possible
2. Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides should be applied when necessary
3. There should be a proper dumping area for litter
4. Proper disposing areas for industrial waste
5. Awareness campaign posters
6. Legislation to be made on pollution matter
7. Recycled sewage water to water pastures
EXERCISE
1. What is soil pollution.
2. Name three materials or substances which pollute soil.
3. Give two effects of soil pollution.
4. ------- is a soil pollutant.
5. Soil can be polluted by ------ in residential areas.
6. -------- can cause poor aeration in the soil.
7. An area with broken tins and bottles is --------- to work on.
8. ------- will result in death of small organisms.
9. Suggest any two ways of controlling soil pollution.
10. Awareness campaigns can be used to ------------- people on issues of pollution.
Z1. WATER CONSERVATION
WATER CYCLE
1. Evaporation – changing of liquid water into gas state from water sources
2. Transpiration – loosing water from plants into the atmosphere through stomata
3. Condensation – joining of tiny drops of vapour to form large drops
4. Precipitation – falling don of drops formed at condensation level (rain, snow, hail)
5. Run – off – flowing or water into water sources
6. Percolation – sinking down of water which move in the soil to water sources

EXERCISE
1. What is a water cycle?
2. Water flow on top soil is called -------.
3. Define precipitation.
4. Define transpiration.
5. Run – off goes into ----------.
6. Water is never lost but it --------.
7. Infiltration is also called ----------.
8. Hail stones is water in the form of ---------.
9. Define percolation.
10. Two forms of precipitation are ------- and ---------.

Z2. WATER POLLUTION

*Unwanted substances in water
Causes
• Agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, mining activities, sewage, dead animals and plants
Rectification
• Water guard is used for purifying water
Ways to control water pollution
• EMA – care and maintainance of safe environment
• Proper sewage treatment, management and disposal
• Reduce use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides
• Industries should abstain or stop washing chemicals and releasing oils and diesel into
rivers and dams
• Don’t dump waste into water bodies or near
• Fix burst sewage water pipes promptly
• Safety place to dump mine and industrial waste
• Proper education to people
 • Stiff penalties to offenders
Polluted water bodies in Zimbabwe
1. Lake Chivero
2. Lake Kariba
3. Manyame river
4. Gweru river
5. Shakashe river in Masvingo
6. Khami dam in Bulawayo
EXERCISE
1. Give two uses of clean water.
2. EMA stands for ---------.
3. Grease and oil which pollute the water are mainly from ------- and ----------.
4. Mercury cause pollution is near -----------.
5. Aqua life consists of -------- and ------------.
6. Which part of a sprayer needs to be clean regularly is ------------.
7. How do industries and factories cause water pollution?
8. Why should water pollution be controlled?
9. The damages caused by chemicals and acids from mines cause?
10. Proper ways of disposing agro – chemicals is to --------- or -------- them.