AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
PAPER 2
GRADE 12 
AMENDED SCE PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS
MAY/JUNE 2018 

MEMORANDUM 

SECTION A
QUESTION 1:
1.1
1.1.1 C ✔✔
1.1.2 A ✔✔
1.1.3 B ✔✔
1.1.4 D ✔✔
1.1.5 C ✔✔
1.1.6 D ✔✔
1.1.7 B ✔✔
1.1.8 B ✔✔
1.1.9 A ✔✔
1.1.10 C ✔✔ (10 x 2) (20)
1.2
1.2.1 C ✔✔
1.2.2 H ✔✔
1.2.3 F ✔✔
1.2.4 B ✔✔
1.2.5 A ✔✔(5 x 2) (10)
1.3
1.3.1 Promotion ✔✔
1.3.2 Assets✔✔
1.3.3 Artificial selection ✔✔
1.3.4 Biometrics ✔✔
1.3.5 Epistasis ✔✔ (5 x 2) (10)
1.4
1.4.1 Cost ✔
1.4.2 Hedging ✔
1.4.3 Phenotype ✔
1.4.4 Gene ✔
1.4.5 Atavism/throw-back ✔ (5 x 1) (5)

TOTAL SECTION A: 45

SECTION B 
QUESTION 2: AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING 
2.1 Marketing channel used by farmers in a free marketing system 
2.1.1 Identification of the marketing channel  

• Fresh produce marketing channel ✔ (1) 

2.1.2 TWO advantages of a fresh produce marketing channel  

• Able to sell large quantities of farm produce/attracts more  buyers ✔ 
• Producers can use an agent to market their produce ✔ 
• Producers take advantage of the higher prices in times of short  supply ✔ 
• Cash on the spot/no delay in payment ✔ (Any 2) (2) 

2.1.3 TWO disadvantages of a free marketing system for a producer 

• Prices fluctuate ✔ 
• High market costs ✔ 
• Time-consuming/ producer responsible to market own products ✔ 
• Limited bargaining power ✔ 
• Great risk as production decisions may lead to financial  losses/surplus production can lead to a price drop ✔ 
• Price fixing/competition ✔ 
• Producers can monopolize ✔  
• Attracting consumers may not be so easy ✔ (Any 2) (2)

2.2 Cooperative marketing  
2.2.1 Marketing system preferred for the producers  

• Cooperative marketing ✔ (1) 

2.2.2 Term describing the system where produce is brought together 

• Pool system ✔ (1) 

2.2.3 THREE benefits of the system  

• More bargaining power ✔ 
• Lower marketing costs ✔ 
• Easy access to funding/support ✔ 
• Cheaper services ✔ 
• Higher average price/dividends ✔  
• Risk sharing ✔ 
• Producers can secure larger contracts ✔ 
• Time saving/time for farming activities ✔ (Any 3) (3)

2.3 Products and their quantities demanded at different prices  
2.3.1 TWO factors influencing the demand of PRODUCT 2 

• Preference/taste of the consumer ✔ 
• Usefulness of the product ✔  
• Income of consumers ✔ 
• Number of consumers ✔ 
• Price of competitive products ✔ 
• Season of the year/seasonal fluctuation ✔ 
• Consumer lifestyle ✔ 
• Advertising/promotion ✔ 
• Research/healthy tendencies/legislation ✔ 
• Substitute products ✔  
• Quality of the product ✔ (Any 2) (2) 

2.3.2 Trend of quantities demanded for PRODUCT 2 

• Even when the price was going up ✔ the consumers continued to buy the product ✔ 
• No huge difference in quantities demanded ✔ even when there  was an increase in price ✔  
• Slight drop in quantities demanded ✔ even when there was an  increase in price ✔ (Any 1) (2)

2.3.3 Line graph of the quantities demanded for PRODUCT 1 

CRITERIA/RUBRIC/MARKING GUIDELINES  

• Correct heading ✔ 
• X axis: Correctly calibrated with label (Quantities demanded) ✔ 
• Y axis: Correctly calibrated with label (Price) ✔ 
• Correct units (R and kg) ✔ 
• Line graph ✔  
• Accuracy ✔ (6)

2.3.4 The relationship between price and quantity demanded 

• When the price is high ✔ the quantity demanded is low ✔ 
• When the price is low ✔ the quantity demanded is high ✔(Any 1) (2)

2.4 Business chain  
2.4.1 Wholesaler ✔ (1)
2.4.2 Yoghurt plant ✔ (1)
2.4.3 Chain store ✔ (1)
2.4.4 Milk producer ✔ (1)
2.4.5 Warehouse ✔ (1) 
2.5 The price trend of two agricultural products over a period of six months  
2.5.1 The product mostly responsive to seasonal fluctuation 

• Product 2 ✔ (1) 

2.5.2 The effect of seasonal production on the price of product 2 

•  When the product is out of season ✔ the price is high ✔ 
• When the product is in season ✔ the price is low ✔ (Any 1) (2) 

2.5.3 ONE reason related to production that lead to a constant price of  product 1 

• Production occurs throughout the year/consistent production/ available throughout the year/products not seasonal/storage ✔ (1) 

2.6 FOUR phases of the entrepreneurial process  

• Identification of the opportunity ✔ 
• Evaluate the opportunity ✔ 
• Determining resources required ✔ 
• Developing the business plan ✔ 
• Starting and managing the enterprise ✔ 
• Growing the business ✔ (Any 4) (4) [35] 

QUESTION 3: PRODUCTION FACTORS 
3.1 Economic characteristics of land 
3.1.1 TWO economic characteristics of land  

• Production potential varies ✔ 
• Land is fixed/found in a specific environment/restrictedness ✔ 
• Land is subject to the law of diminishing return ✔ 
• Land is indestructible ✔ 
• Land is durable ✔  
• Land is a passive factor ✔ 
• Land can be bought or sold ✔ 
• Value appreciates over time ✔ 
• Land is limited ✔  
• Land is a primary production factor ✔ (Any 2) (2)

3.1.2 TWO measure to improve productivity of land 

• Use of technology/precision farming ✔ 
• Adapt to scientific methods/practices ✔ 
• Improve water management/provision ✔ 
• Changing cropping practices ✔ 
• Consolidating uneconomical units/farming more efficiently ✔ 
• Restore land potential/application of indigenous knowledge ✔   (Any 2) (2) 

3.1.3 TWO functions of land as a production factor 

• For production/provision/supply of food ✔ 
• It provides physical space ✔ 
• It is a source of minerals ✔ 
• It is a source of raw materials ✔  
• Can be used as collateral ✔ (Any 2) (2)

3.2 Activities on the farm regulated by legislation 
3.2.1 Indication of the labour legislation  

1. Occupational Health and Safety Act (85 of 1993) ✔ (1)
2. Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) ✔ (1) 
3. Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act  (130 of 1993) ✔ (1)
4. Basic Conditions of Employment Act (75 of 1997) ✔ (1) 

3.2.2 Classification of the farm worker  

• Permanent/fulltime farm worker ✔ (1) 

3.2.3 TWO labour issues that might have led to the protest action 

• Poor working conditions ✔ 
• Failure to adhere to legislation ✔ 
• Farm evictions ✔ 
• Poor living conditions ✔ 
• Poor wages/salaries ✔ 
• Lack of training/education ✔ 
• Poor labour management ✔ (Any 2) (2) 

3.2.4 TWO measures by the farmer to address the labour issues 

• Better working conditions ✔ 
• Better wages/bonuses/incentives ✔ 
• Better living conditions/housing ✔ 
• Improved relations/communications/recognition for work well  done ✔ 
• Provision of training/education ✔  
• Better labour management ✔  
• Refrain from evictions ✔ 
• Adherence to legislation ✔ (Any 2) (2)

3.3 Capital for running an enterprise  
3.3.1 Examples of capital items 

1. Tractor ✔ (1)
2. Pesticides/fertilizers/seeds ✔ (1)
3. Land/borehole ✔ (1) 

3.3.2 TWO sources of capital for the family farming enterprise 

• Loan ✔ 
• Pension package pay-out ✔ (2) 

3.3.3 The total value of the assets  

•  R1 189 000 
  + R 280 000 ✔ 
  R1 469 000 ✔ (2) 

3.3.4 Deduction of two problems from the scenario  

• Insufficient capital/scarcity/undercapitalisation ✔ 
• Credit that will attract interest/high interest rates ✔  
• Capital is subject to high risk ✔ 
• Capital depreciates ✔ (Any 2) (2)

3.4 The steps that forms part of the decision-making process
3.4.1 The correct sequence of steps  

• B ✔ (1) 
• D ✔ (1) 
• A ✔ (1) 
• C ✔  (1) 

3.4.2 TWO factors influencing effective decision making 

• Speed with which decisions are taken/timing of the decisions ✔
• The degree of accuracy with which decisions are taken ✔ 
• The acceptability of the decisions ✔ 
• Business sense ✔ 
• Social views/ethics ✔  
• Economics ✔  
• Profitability ✔  
• Environmental sustainability ✔ 
• Politics ✔  
• Outcome of the SWOT analysis ✔ 
• Past experience/available information/research ✔ (Any 2) (2)

3.5 Farm with different operations that are managed with success  
3.5.1 Identification of the risk management strategy  

• Diversification ✔ (1) 

3.5.2 Justification  

• It is a means of managing risk/risk is spread amongst many farming  enterprises/a means of spreading farm investment over several  enterprises ✔ (1)

3.5.3 The management skill to decide in advance on a strategy 

• Planning ✔ (1) 

3.5.4 TWO examples of production risks  

• Unpredictable weather and climatic conditions ✔ 
• Drought and flooding ✔ 
• Disease outbreak in crops and live stock ✔ 
• Insect infestation ✔  
• Theft/predation ✔ (Any 2) (2) [35] 

QUESTION 4: BASIC AGRICULTURAL GENETICS  
4.1 Animal breeding pairs 
4.1.1 The percentage of red offspring  

• PAIR 1: ¾ x 100 ✔ = 75% ✔ [[(2) 

4.1.2 Punnet square of the genotype of the offspring in PAIR 2    

Marking guidelines/criteria 

• Correct gametes ✔ 
• Correct offspring ✔ 
• Punnet square (with gametes and offspring) ✔ (3) 

4.1.3 Phenotype ratio of the offspring 

• 1 white:3 red ✔ 
  OR 
• 3 red:1 white ✔ 
  OR 
• white:red = 1:3/red:white = 3:1 ✔ (Any 1) (1) 

4.1.4 Breeding pair with dominant alleles 

• Pair 2 ✔ (1) 

4.1.5 Reason  

• D represents dominant alleles for red pigs/both parents are red ✔ (1)

4.2 Selection  
4.2.1 Genetic term responsible for improved yield 

• Hybrid vigour/heterosis ✔ (1) 

4.2.2 Reason for using cultivars in a breeding programme  

• Superior parents with the required characteristics ✔ can produce the  offspring needed/with the required characteristics ✔ (2)

4.2.3 TWO factors influencing variation  

• Genes/internal ✔ 
• Environment/external ✔ (2) 

4.2.4 TWO importance of variation 

• Helps to improve plant cultivars ✔ 
• Leads to development of new cultivars/cultivars become more  evolved and cope with changing environment ✔ 
• Biodiversity ✔ (Any 2) (2)

4.3 Dwarf-sized piglets  
4.3.1 Identification of the breeding system  

• Upgrading ✔ (1) 

4.3.2 ONE disadvantage of the breeding system 

• Male animals/boars of the first few generations cannot be sold  as breeding stock ✔ 
• Improvement is relatively slow ✔ 
• Offspring cannot be bred 100% pure ✔ 
• Male animals/boars must always be bought ✔ (Any 1) (1) 

4.3.3 The factor determining the success of the selection process The selection of superior males/boars/AA ✔ (1) 
4.3.4 Explanation for selecting boars 

• Boars have superior genetic characteristics ✔and sows have inferior  genetic characteristics ✔ (2) 

4.3.5 Term for an animal responsible for a recessive gene 

• Carrier ✔ (1) 

4.3.6 Genotype of a dwarf piglet  

• aa ✔ (1)

4.4 Breeding systems  
4.4.1Linking the breeding systems

1. Outcrossing ✔ (1) 
2. Species crossing ✔ (1) 
3. Cross breeding ✔ (1) 
4. Inbreeding ✔  (1) 

4.4.2 TWO types of mutagenic agents  

• Physical ✔ 
• Chemical ✔ 
• Biological ✔ (Any 2) (2)

4.5 Genetic modification versus conventional hybrids 
4.5.1 Two techniques used to develop genetically modified plants 

• Electroporation ✔ 
• Micro- injection ✔ 
• Bacterial carriers ✔ 
• Viral carriers ✔ 
• Biolistic/gene gun ✔ 
• Calcium phosphate precipitation ✔ 
• Gene splicing ✔ 
• Gene silencing ✔ 
• Lipofection ✔ (Any 2) (2) 

4.5.2 Differentiation between 

Conventional hybrid seed (1) 

• Produced through normal breeding practices ✔ 

Genetic modified seed (1) 

• Produced by intentionally inserting desired genes ✔ 

4.5.3 THREE advantages of genetic engineering 

• Process is fast ✔ 
• More precise ✔ 
• Not limited to the crossing of species that are related ✔ (3) [35] 

TOTAL SECTION B: 105 
GRAND TOTAL: 150