BGCSE Agricultural Science 1517 study plan

Map the crop-production syllabus into a one-page table of the major field crops grown in Botswana (sorghum, maize, millet, cowpea, groundnut, sunflower, beans, melons), giving for each the planting season, spacing, fertilizer need and harvest window.

Explain in writing the factors that form soil and classify ten local soil descriptions into sand, loam and clay using the feel and ribbon tests, stating one management consequence of each class.

Calculate seed rate, plant population and expected yield for three worked crop examples, showing every step and the unit conversion at each stage.

Diagram water movement through a soil profile and label infiltration, percolation, capillary rise, evaporation and run-off, then state one practice that improves each.

Compare ruminant and non-ruminant digestive systems and match eight livestock species and breeds kept in Botswana to the correct system, noting one feeding implication for each.

Design a 30-day ration for a growing goat or pig using the Pearson square, and show the crude-protein calculation line by line.

Sequence the field operations for one cereal and one legume from land preparation to storage, giving the timing and the reason for each operation in order.

Diagnose six common crop disorders from written symptom descriptions, deciding in each case whether the cause is nutrient deficiency, disease or pest.

Label the main reproductive organs of the cow and the hen and state the timing and signs of oestrus and the length of the cycle in each species.

Classify fifteen livestock diseases of cattle, goats, poultry and pigs by cause (viral, bacterial, parasitic, nutritional) and by body system affected.

Outline a twelve-month vaccination, dipping and deworming programme for a mixed farm, giving the timing and the target stock for each action.

Explain the steps for reporting a suspected notifiable disease, naming who is contacted, what information is given and why movement controls are imposed.

Prepare a profit-and-loss statement and a gross margin budget for a five-hectare mixed enterprise, calculating gross margin per hectare and comparing two enterprises.

Distinguish fixed, variable and sunk costs and classify twenty listed farm costs into those categories, justifying three borderline cases in writing.

Evaluate contour bunds, terracing, mulching and cover cropping against the erosion type and slope each suits, and recommend one measure for four given field scenarios.

Interpret soil pH and organic-matter results for four soil test reports and recommend liming, acidifying or organic-matter action with a stated quantity or rate.

Identify twenty crop pests and diseases from written descriptions and select an integrated control measure for each, respecting resistance management, withholding periods and residue limits.

Distinguish selective from non-selective and contact from systemic pesticides, and state the protective clothing and storage rules for each class used on the school farm.

Match twenty-five farm tools and implements to their purpose and maintenance routine, and identify the parts that most often fail.

Compare hand, animal-drawn and tractor power for a smallholding on cost, timeliness and suitability for Botswana conditions, then recommend one system for a stated farm.

Describe nutrient cycling, crop rotation and agroforestry and explain how each practice maintains or restores soil fertility on a smallholding.

Analyse the causes and controls of soil erosion, overgrazing and bush encroachment in Botswana and rank five conservation practices by likely impact and cost.

Explain the main methods of vegetative propagation (cuttings, budding, grafting, layering, suckers) and state when each is preferred over seed.

Outline one crop improvement method (mass selection, cross-breeding or tissue culture) with a named crop example and its stated advantage.

Write numbered step-by-step procedures for eight practicals: soil sampling, seedbed preparation, transplanting, budding or grafting, dehorning, castration, ear-tagging and safe pesticide mixing.

Draw and label a farm layout to scale, placing the homestead, kraal, store, water point and cropping blocks correctly relative to slope and wind.

Re-test the weak areas flagged in the Week 4 quiz and re-drill every missed item until it is answered correctly twice.

Complete two full-length timed mock papers under exam conditions and mark both honestly against the mark scheme.

Rank the ten domains by mock-paper accuracy and spend the remaining sessions on the two weakest, not the two easiest.

Build a single summary sheet of every formula and key figure needed across the ten domains, including seed rate, plant population, gross margin, feed ration and spray dilution.