Question Simulator

O Level Pakistan Studies (2059)

Agriculture

7 questions · about 6% of the marks we indexed · examined in 7 of 9 sessions.

Questions by year

2026

  • 2026 May/June · Paper 21 · Q4 (a(i), a(iii), b, c(i), c(ii))7.8 marksMajor crops · Types of farming and farming systems

2025

  • 2025 Oct/Nov · Paper 21 · Q2 (a(i), a(ii), b(ii), b(iii), c(i), c(ii), c(iii), c(iv), d)13.8 marksAgricultural problems, land reform and output · Livestock farming · Types of farming and farming systems

2024

  • 2024 Oct/Nov · Paper 21 · Q2 (b(iv), c(i), c(ii), d)7.8 marksAgricultural problems, land reform and output
  • 2024 May/June · Paper 21 · Q3 (a(i), a(ii), a(iii), b(i), b(iii), d)12 marksOfficial paper ↗Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Major crops

2023

  • 2023 May/June · Paper 21 · Q3 (a(i), a(ii), b(i), b(ii), c(i), c(ii), c(iii), d)15 marksAgricultural problems, land reform and output · Livestock farming · Major crops · Types of farming and farming systems

2022

  • 2022 Oct/Nov · Paper 21 · Q2 (a(i), a(ii), a(iii), b(i), b(ii))6.6 marksLivestock farming · Types of farming and farming systems
  • 2022 May/June · Paper 21 · Q4 (a(i), a(ii), a(iii), b(i), b(ii), c(i), c(ii))11.4 marksMajor crops · Types of farming and farming systems

References only, not question text. Open Official paper ↗ where Cambridge publishes the paper, or see the official Cambridge past-papers page; for other papers, ask your school. “Paper 42” means Paper 4, variant 2.

Practice questions

Original questions written by HomiLabs in the style of the exam, with answers and mark schemes. They are not Cambridge past paper questions and have not been reviewed by Cambridge. Try each one before opening the answer.

Q1Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Core · Paper 2 style · 7 marks
  1. (a) State three problems faced by small farmers in Pakistan. [3]
  2. (b) Explain two reasons why crop yields per hectare in Pakistan are lower than in many other countries. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) Any three: small and fragmented holdings; shortage of irrigation water; waterlogging and salinity; lack of credit / dependence on money-lenders; poor-quality seed; high cost of fertiliser and pesticides; pests and diseases; low prices from middlemen; floods and droughts; lack of storage; low literacy / lack of advice.
    1 mark each.
  2. (b) Many farmers use uncertified seed, so plants are weaker and give less grain; irrigation water is wasted by flood irrigation and unlined canals, so crops at the tail end get too little; fertiliser is expensive, so poor farmers apply too little; waterlogging and salinity reduce the fertility of the soil; lack of training means modern methods are not used.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q2Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Core · Paper 2 style · 6 marks
  1. (a) The Green Revolution began in Pakistan in the 1960s. State three inputs that it introduced or increased. [3]
  2. (b) Explain why the Green Revolution benefited large landowners more than small farmers. You should develop your answer. [3]
Show answer
  1. (a) Any three: high-yielding varieties of seed (e.g. of wheat and rice); chemical fertilisers; pesticides; tube wells for irrigation; tractors and machinery.
    1 mark each.
  2. (b) The new seeds only gave high yields with plenty of fertiliser, water and pesticides, which cost money; large landowners could afford these inputs and tube wells, or get bank loans, so their yields and profits rose most; small farmers often could not afford the full package.
    1 mark per point; 3 marks for a developed explanation.
Q3Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Core · Paper 2 style · 6 marks

A farmer owns 12 acres. Under inheritance, the land is divided equally among his four sons. Later each son's share is divided equally among his three children.

  1. (a) Calculate the area of land each grandchild receives. [1]
  2. (b) Explain two problems caused by the division of land into small, scattered plots. You should develop your answer. [4]
  3. (c) Suggest one way of reducing the fragmentation of land holdings. [1]
Show answer
  1. (a) 1 acre
    12 ÷ 4 = 3 acres per son; 3 ÷ 3 = 1 acre per grandchild.
  2. (b) Plots are too small to use tractors or other machines efficiently, so costs per acre are high; time and land are wasted walking between scattered plots and on boundary ridges and paths; small plots give too little output to feed a family or produce a surplus to sell, keeping families poor; disputes over boundaries and water turns.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
  3. (c) Consolidation of holdings (exchanging plots so each farmer has one compact block) / co-operative farming.
    1 mark.
Q4Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Standard · Paper 2 style · 7 marks
  1. (a) Complete the following information about land reforms: in 1959 the ceiling on individual holdings was set at ____ acres of irrigated land; in 1972 it was reduced to ____ acres of irrigated land. [2]
  2. (b) By what percentage was the irrigated-land ceiling reduced between 1959 and 1972? [1]
  3. (c) Explain two reasons why the land reforms had only a limited effect on the distribution of land. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) 500 acres (1959); 150 acres (1972).
    1 mark each.
  2. (b) 70%
    (500 − 150) ÷ 500 × 100 = 70%.
  3. (c) Landlords transferred land into the names of relatives and servants before the reforms, so they kept control; ceilings were per individual, so families kept large estates; much of the land taken was poor, barren land; exemptions (e.g. for orchards, stud farms) and weak enforcement by officials linked to landlords.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q5Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Standard · Paper 2 style · 5 marks

Two wheat farms in the same district in one season (hypothetical data):Farm X: 1.5 hectares, produced 4.2 tonnesFarm Y: 3.0 hectares, produced 9.9 tonnes

  1. (a) Calculate the yield of wheat per hectare on each farm. Give your answers in tonnes per hectare. [2]
  2. (b) Suggest three reasons why Farm Y has a higher yield than Farm X. [3]
Show answer
  1. (a) Farm X 2.8 t/ha; Farm Y 3.3 t/ha
    4.2 ÷ 1.5 = 2.8; 9.9 ÷ 3.0 = 3.3. 1 mark each.
  2. (b) Any three: Farm Y uses certified / high-yielding seed; applies more or better-timed fertiliser; has a tube well, so a reliable water supply; uses laser land levelling; has less waterlogged or saline soil; uses machinery to sow on time; farmer has more training and credit.
    1 mark each.
Q6Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Standard · Paper 2 style · 7 marks

A farmer needs to borrow Rs 150,000 for six months to buy seed and fertiliser. A village money-lender charges simple interest of 3% per month. An agricultural bank such as ZTBL charges simple interest of 12% per year (hypothetical rates).

  1. (a) Calculate the interest the farmer would pay to the money-lender. [1]
  2. (b) Calculate the interest the farmer would pay on a bank loan, and how much he would save by borrowing from the bank. [2]
  3. (c) Explain two reasons why many small farmers still borrow from money-lenders or middlemen (arthis) rather than banks. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) Rs 27,000
    150,000 × 0.03 × 6 = Rs 27,000.
  2. (b) Bank interest Rs 9,000; saving Rs 18,000
    150,000 × 0.12 × 6 ÷ 12 = Rs 9,000 (M1); 27,000 − 9,000 = Rs 18,000 (A1).
  3. (c) Banks require land titles or other collateral, which tenants and small farmers often lack; bank procedures need paperwork, which is hard for farmers with little education; banks are far away in towns, while the money-lender is in the village and lends quickly; the arthi also buys the crop, so the loan is repaid at harvest without forms.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q7Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Standard · Paper 2 style · 7 marks

Wheat area and production in a country over three years (hypothetical data):Year 1: area 8.8 million hectares, production 24.0 million tonnesYear 2: area 9.0 million hectares, production 26.2 million tonnesYear 3: area 9.2 million hectares, production 28.0 million tonnes

  1. (a) Calculate the yield (tonnes per hectare) for each year. Give your answers to two decimal places. [3]
  2. (b) Calculate the percentage increase in production from Year 1 to Year 3. Give your answer to one decimal place. [2]
  3. (c) Use the data to explain whether the increase in production was mainly due to a larger area or to higher yields. [2]
Show answer
  1. (a) Year 1 2.73, Year 2 2.91, Year 3 3.04 t/ha
    Production ÷ area for each year; 1 mark each.
  2. (b) 16.7%
    (28.0 − 24.0) ÷ 24.0 × 100 (M1) = 16.7% (A1).
  3. (c) Area rose by only about 4.5% (8.8 → 9.2 million ha) but production rose by 16.7%, and yield rose from 2.73 to 3.04 t/ha, so higher yields were the main cause.
    1 mark for comparing area change with production change; 1 mark for using yield figures.
Q8Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Challenge · Paper 2 style · 10 marks
  1. (a) Explain two advantages of mechanisation (using machines such as tractors and combine harvesters) for farmers. You should develop your answer. [4]
  2. (b) Read these two views:View A: 'Mechanisation is the best way to increase agricultural output in Pakistan.'View B: 'Mechanisation does more harm than good in rural Pakistan.'Which view do you agree with more? Give reasons for your answer, referring to examples you have studied. [6]
Show answer
  1. (a) Ploughing and sowing are faster, so crops are sown at the best time and yields rise; harvesting by combine reduces losses from rain and shattering; fewer labourers are needed, cutting labour costs; laser levelling saves irrigation water.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
  2. (b) View A: timely sowing and harvesting; higher yields and less waste; allows double cropping (e.g. rice then wheat); saves water with laser levelling. View B: machines are too expensive for most small farmers, and holdings are too small and fragmented to use them; landless labourers lose jobs and migrate to cities; burning of rice stubble left by combines adds to smog; dependence on imported fuel and spare parts. Judgement required.
    Level marking. L1 (1–2): simple points, one side or generic. L2 (3–4): developed points on one side, or simple points on both sides. L3 (5–6): developed points on both sides with a named Pakistani example and a reasoned judgement.
Q9Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Challenge · Paper 2 style · 10 marks
  1. (a) Explain how waterlogging and salinity reduce crop output. You should develop your answer. [4]
  2. (b) Evaluate the extent to which solving water problems would increase agricultural output in Pakistan. [6]
Show answer
  1. (a) Seepage from unlined canals and over-irrigation raises the water table, so roots are surrounded by water and cannot get air, and plants die; in hot weather water rises by capillary action and evaporates, leaving salt on the surface; salt makes it hard for plants to take in water and is toxic, so yields fall and land may be abandoned.
    Up to 4 marks for a developed explanation of both waterlogging and salinity (max 2 if only one).
  2. (b) Water problems are central: most crops depend on irrigation; water shortages at canal tails; waterlogging and salinity have damaged large areas; lining canals, drainage tube wells and drip/sprinkler irrigation would raise yields. Other limits on output: small fragmented holdings, poor seed, lack of credit, pests (e.g. locusts in 2019–20), low prices and middlemen, lack of storage, floods. Judgement required.
    Level marking. L1 (1–2): simple points, one side or generic. L2 (3–4): developed points on one side, or simple points on both sides. L3 (5–6): developed points on both sides with a named Pakistani example and a reasoned judgement.
Q10Agricultural problems, land reform and output · Challenge · Paper 2 style · 10 marks
  1. (a) Explain two ways in which the floods of 2022 affected agriculture in Sindh. You should develop your answer. [4]
  2. (b) Read these two views:View A: 'Building more dams and flood embankments is the best way to protect farming from floods.'View B: 'Farmers must adapt to climate change, for example with new crop varieties, better forecasts and insurance.'Which view do you agree with more? Give reasons for your answer, referring to examples you have studied. [6]
Show answer
  1. (a) Standing crops such as cotton and rice were destroyed, so farmers lost their income for the season; floodwater stayed on fields for months, delaying the sowing of the next wheat crop; livestock drowned and fodder was lost; canals, roads and storage were damaged, so inputs and crops could not be moved.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
  2. (b) View A: dams store floodwater for irrigation and electricity; embankments protect towns and fields; reduce peak flows. View B: dams are very expensive and slow to build and silt up; extreme rainfall (as in 2022) can overwhelm structures; drought- and flood-tolerant seed, changed sowing dates, early warning systems, crop insurance and keeping floodplains clear reduce losses cheaply. Judgement, possibly that both are needed.
    Level marking. L1 (1–2): simple points, one side or generic. L2 (3–4): developed points on one side, or simple points on both sides. L3 (5–6): developed points on both sides with a named Pakistani example and a reasoned judgement.
Q11Major crops · Core · Paper 2 style · 7 marks
  1. (a) Is wheat a rabi or a kharif crop? [1]
  2. (b) State when wheat is sown and when it is harvested in Pakistan. [2]
  3. (c) Describe the conditions needed to grow wheat. [3]
  4. (d) Name the province that produces most of Pakistan's wheat. [1]
Show answer
  1. (a) Rabi.
    1 mark.
  2. (b) Sown October–December (mainly November); harvested April–May.
    1 mark each.
  3. (c) Cool, moist growing season; warm, dry and sunny weather for ripening and harvest; moderate water from rain or irrigation; fertile, well-drained loamy soil; flat land suitable for machines.
    1 mark per point up to 3.
  4. (d) Punjab.
    1 mark.
Q12Major crops · Core · Paper 2 style · 5 marks
  1. (a) What is meant by a 'kharif' crop? [2]
  2. (b) Sort these crops into rabi and kharif: wheat, rice, cotton, gram, maize, mustard. [3]
Show answer
  1. (a) A crop sown at the start of the summer / monsoon season (around April–July) and harvested in autumn (around October–November).
    1 mark sowing season; 1 mark harvest season.
  2. (b) Rabi: wheat, gram, mustard. Kharif: rice, cotton, maize.
    3 marks all six correct; 2 marks four or five; 1 mark two or three.
Q13Major crops · Core · Paper 2 style · 5 marks
  1. (a) Name the province where maize is an especially important food crop in the hilly districts. [1]
  2. (b) Give two uses of maize in Pakistan. [2]
  3. (c) Suggest why maize production has increased in Punjab in recent years. [2]
Show answer
  1. (a) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
    1 mark.
  2. (b) Any two: human food (flour / bread); poultry feed; animal fodder (green maize); starch and cooking oil industries.
    1 mark each.
  3. (c) Demand from the poultry feed industry has grown; hybrid seeds give high yields; it can be grown in both spring and autumn seasons; it gives better returns than cotton in some areas.
    1 mark each for two reasons.
Q14Major crops · Standard · Paper 2 style · 8 marks
  1. (a) Describe the conditions needed for growing rice. [3]
  2. (b) Name one district in Punjab famous for Basmati rice. [1]
  3. (c) Explain two reasons why rice is important to Pakistan's economy. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) High temperatures during growth (above about 20°C); plenty of water, as fields are flooded for much of the growing period; clay soil that holds water; flat land so water stays on the fields.
    1 mark per point up to 3.
  2. (b) Any one: Gujranwala; Sialkot; Sheikhupura; Hafizabad; Narowal; Mandi Bahauddin.
    1 mark.
  3. (c) It is a major export (especially Basmati), earning foreign exchange; it is a staple food, especially in Sindh, so it supports food security; rice milling and husking create jobs; rice-wheat rotation keeps land in use all year, raising farm incomes.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q15Major crops · Standard · Paper 2 style · 9 marks
  1. (a) Name two districts in the cotton-growing belt of Pakistan. [2]
  2. (b) Describe the climatic conditions needed for cotton. [3]
  3. (c) Explain two reasons why cotton production in Pakistan has been unreliable in recent years. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) Any two: Multan; Bahawalpur; Rahim Yar Khan; Vehari; Khanewal; Lodhran; Sanghar; Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah); Mirpur Khas; Khairpur.
    1 mark each.
  2. (b) A long frost-free growing season (about 200 days); high temperatures; plenty of sunshine, especially when the bolls open; moderate water from irrigation; dry weather during picking.
    1 mark per point up to 3.
  3. (c) Pest attacks such as pink bollworm and whitefly (cotton leaf curl virus) destroy crops; poor-quality and fake seed and pesticides; farmers have switched to sugarcane, rice or maize, which give better returns; heatwaves and floods (e.g. 2022) damage the crop; water shortages at sowing time.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q16Major crops · Standard · Paper 2 style · 6 marks

Wheat production by province in one year, million tonnes (hypothetical data):Punjab 21.0; Sindh 4.2; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1.4; Balochistan 1.4

  1. (a) Calculate the angle needed for each province on a pie chart of wheat production. [3]
  2. (b) Calculate the percentage of wheat produced in Punjab. [1]
  3. (c) Suggest two reasons why Punjab produces far more wheat than Balochistan. [2]
Show answer
  1. (a) Punjab 270°, Sindh 54°, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 18°, Balochistan 18°
    Total = 28.0 million t. Value ÷ 28.0 × 360. 3 marks all correct; 1 mark method only.
  2. (b) 75%
    21.0 ÷ 28.0 × 100 = 75%.
  3. (c) Punjab has large areas of flat, fertile alluvial plains; it has an extensive canal irrigation system; Balochistan is mostly dry, mountainous plateau with little water and poor soils.
    1 mark each.
Q17Major crops · Standard · Paper 2 style · 6 marks
  1. (a) Match each fruit with an area where it is grown: kinnow, mango, dates, apples. Areas: Sargodha, Multan, Khairpur, Quetta. [2]
  2. (b) Explain two reasons why Pakistan exports only a small share of the fruit it grows. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) Kinnow – Sargodha; mango – Multan; dates – Khairpur; apples – Quetta.
    2 marks all correct; 1 mark two correct.
  2. (b) Lack of cold storage and refrigerated transport means much fruit spoils before reaching ports; many orchards do not meet foreign quality and pest-control standards, so importers reject the fruit; poor packaging and grading lower prices; high air-freight costs; most fruit is sold in the large home market.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q18Major crops · Challenge · Paper 2 style · 10 marks
  1. (a) Explain two reasons why many farmers choose to grow sugarcane. You should develop your answer. [4]
  2. (b) Read these two views:View A: 'Pakistan should grow less sugarcane because it uses too much water.'View B: 'Sugarcane should still be grown widely because it supports farmers and industry.'Which view do you agree with more? Give reasons for your answer, referring to examples you have studied. [6]
Show answer
  1. (a) Sugar mills guarantee a buyer and a government-supported price, so income is more certain; sugarcane is hardy and less affected by pests than cotton; it needs less day-to-day labour once planted; mills nearby mean low transport costs.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
  2. (b) View A: sugarcane occupies land for most of the year and needs very large amounts of irrigation water in a water-short country; it has replaced cotton in parts of the cotton belt; sugar exports earn little compared with the water used. View B: it supports sugar mills, which provide jobs; by-products (molasses for ethanol, bagasse for fuel and paper); farmers earn a reliable income; sugar is a basic food. Judgement required.
    Level marking. L1 (1–2): simple points, one side or generic. L2 (3–4): developed points on one side, or simple points on both sides. L3 (5–6): developed points on both sides with a named Pakistani example and a reasoned judgement.
Q19Major crops · Challenge · Paper 2 style · 7 marks

Cotton production in a country (million bales) (hypothetical data):Year A 12.0; Year B 8.4 (whitefly and pink bollworm attack); Year C 10.5

  1. (a) Calculate the percentage fall in production from Year A to Year B. [2]
  2. (b) Calculate the percentage increase from Year B to Year C. [1]
  3. (c) Explain two effects of a poor cotton harvest on Pakistan's economy. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) 30.0%
    (12.0 − 8.4) ÷ 12.0 × 100 (M1) = 30.0% (A1).
  2. (b) 25.0%
    (10.5 − 8.4) ÷ 8.4 × 100 = 25.0%.
  3. (c) Textile mills must import raw cotton, using scarce foreign exchange and raising costs; ginning factories and farm workers lose income and jobs; cotton farmers fall into debt; lower exports of yarn and cloth widen the trade deficit; less cottonseed for edible oil.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q20Types of farming and farming systems · Core · Paper 2 style · 6 marks
  1. (a) What is meant by 'subsistence farming'? [2]
  2. (b) What is meant by 'commercial farming'? [2]
  3. (c) Give two examples of cash crops grown in Pakistan. [2]
Show answer
  1. (a) Farming to produce food mainly for the farmer's own family, with little or nothing left over to sell.
    1 mark: food for the family; 1 mark: little surplus for sale.
  2. (b) Farming to produce crops or livestock mainly for sale to make a profit.
    1 mark: for sale; 1 mark: profit / market.
  3. (c) Any two: cotton; sugarcane; Basmati rice; tobacco; fruit such as mangoes or kinnow.
    1 mark each.
Q21Types of farming and farming systems · Core · Paper 2 style · 5 marks
  1. (a) A wheat farm can be seen as a system. Classify each of the following as an input, a process or an output: seed, ploughing, grain, fertiliser, harvesting, straw. [3]
  2. (b) State two physical inputs and two human inputs to a farm system. [2]
Show answer
  1. (a) Inputs: seed, fertiliser. Processes: ploughing, harvesting. Outputs: grain, straw.
    3 marks all six correct; 2 marks four or five; 1 mark two or three.
  2. (b) Physical: any two of climate (rainfall, temperature, sunshine), soil, relief / slope, water. Human: any two of labour, capital / money, machinery, seed, fertiliser, government policy, market demand.
    1 mark for two physical; 1 mark for two human.
Q22Types of farming and farming systems · Standard · Paper 2 style · 8 marks
  1. (a) What is meant by 'barani' farming? [1]
  2. (b) Name one area of Pakistan where barani farming is common, and two crops grown there. [3]
  3. (c) Explain two problems faced by barani farmers. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) Farming that depends on rainfall, not irrigation (rain-fed farming).
    1 mark.
  2. (b) Area: Pothwar Plateau (or Thal). Crops: any two of wheat, groundnut, gram, millet, sorghum, pulses.
    1 mark area; 1 mark each crop.
  3. (c) Rainfall is unreliable, so in a dry year crops fail and farmers lose income; heavy monsoon showers on sloping land cause soil erosion and gullies, reducing farmland; yields are lower than on irrigated land, so incomes are low; few water-storage facilities (small dams) to store rain.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q23Types of farming and farming systems · Standard · Paper 2 style · 7 marks
  1. (a) Describe how terraces are made and used in the northern mountains. [3]
  2. (b) Explain two advantages of terrace farming in mountain areas. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) Steep hillsides are cut into a series of flat steps; each step is held up by a stone or earth wall; water from streams or glacial meltwater is led along small channels to the terraces; crops such as wheat, maize, potatoes and fruit trees are grown on them.
    1 mark per point up to 3.
  2. (b) Flat steps slow down run-off, so soil erosion is reduced; water stays on the land longer, so crops get more moisture; they create flat land where there would otherwise be none, increasing the area that can be farmed.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q24Types of farming and farming systems · Standard · Paper 2 style · 6 marks

A farmer grows wheat on 5 acres. Each acre gives 1,600 kg of wheat, sold at Rs 95 per kg. Costs per acre are (hypothetical data): seed Rs 9,000; fertiliser Rs 24,000; irrigation water Rs 6,000; ploughing, harvesting and labour Rs 28,000; pesticide Rs 5,000.

  1. (a) Calculate the income from selling the wheat grown on one acre. [1]
  2. (b) Calculate the total cost per acre and the profit per acre. [2]
  3. (c) Calculate the profit from the whole 5-acre farm. [1]
  4. (d) Suggest two ways the farmer could increase this profit. [2]
Show answer
  1. (a) Rs 152,000
    1,600 × 95 = Rs 152,000.
  2. (b) Cost Rs 72,000; profit Rs 80,000
    9,000 + 24,000 + 6,000 + 28,000 + 5,000 = Rs 72,000 (M1); 152,000 − 72,000 = Rs 80,000 (A1).
  3. (c) Rs 400,000
    80,000 × 5 = Rs 400,000.
  4. (d) Use certified high-yielding seed; laser-level the land to save water and raise yields; sell directly to a government procurement centre or mill instead of a middleman; use the correct amount of fertiliser at the right time; grow a second crop in the kharif season.
    1 mark each.
Q25Types of farming and farming systems · Challenge · Paper 2 style · 9 marks
  1. (a) Describe the karez system of irrigation used in Balochistan. [3]
  2. (b) Read these two views:View A: 'Subsistence farming should be replaced by commercial farming throughout Pakistan.'View B: 'Subsistence farming is still the best choice for many farmers in Pakistan.'Which view do you agree with more? Give reasons for your answer, referring to examples you have studied. [6]
Show answer
  1. (a) A series of vertical wells dug at the foot of the mountains connected by an underground tunnel; the tunnel slopes gently, so groundwater flows by gravity to the fields; being underground, little water is lost to evaporation in the hot, dry climate.
    1 mark per point up to 3.
  2. (b) View A: commercial farming earns money and foreign exchange (cotton, rice, fruit); uses modern inputs and raises yields; feeds the growing cities. View B: small, remote holdings in mountains, deserts and barani areas cannot easily reach markets; subsistence farming spreads risk and provides food security; commercial farming needs capital and loans, which can lead to debt; a crop failure or price fall can ruin a farmer who grows one cash crop. Judgement required.
    Level marking. L1 (1–2): simple points, one side or generic. L2 (3–4): developed points on one side, or simple points on both sides. L3 (5–6): developed points on both sides with a named Pakistani example and a reasoned judgement.
Q26Livestock farming · Core · Paper 2 style · 7 marks
  1. (a) Name one breed of buffalo and one breed of cattle found in Pakistan. [2]
  2. (b) State three products obtained from livestock. [3]
  3. (c) Explain why livestock are important to poor rural families. You should develop your answer. [2]
Show answer
  1. (a) Buffalo: Nili-Ravi or Kundi. Cattle: Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Cholistani or Tharparkar.
    1 mark each.
  2. (b) Any three: milk; meat; hides and skins (leather); wool; eggs (poultry); dung for fuel or manure; draught power.
    1 mark each.
  3. (c) Milk and meat improve the family diet; animals can be sold in an emergency, acting as savings.
    1 mark point + 1 mark development.
Q27Livestock farming · Core · Paper 2 style · 6 marks

A broiler farmer near Rawalpindi buys 5,000 day-old chicks. 4% of them die before they are sold. The birds that survive weigh an average of 2.1 kg when sold (hypothetical data).

  1. (a) Calculate the number of chicks that survive to be sold. [1]
  2. (b) Calculate the total mass of the birds sold. [1]
  3. (c) Explain two reasons why commercial poultry farming has grown quickly in Pakistan. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) 4,800
    5,000 × 0.96 = 4,800.
  2. (b) 10,080 kg
    4,800 × 2.1 = 10,080 kg.
  3. (c) Broilers are ready for market in about six weeks, so farmers get a quick return on their money; chicken is cheaper than beef or mutton, so demand from a growing urban population is high; sheds need little land, so farms can be set up near cities; feed mills and hatcheries supply chicks and feed.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q28Livestock farming · Standard · Paper 2 style · 7 marks
  1. (a) What is meant by 'transhumance'? [2]
  2. (b) Explain why herders in the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan and northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa move their animals during the year. You should develop your answer. [4]
  3. (c) State one problem faced by nomadic herders today. [1]
Show answer
  1. (a) The seasonal movement of herders and their animals between summer pastures in the mountains and winter pastures in the lowlands.
    1 mark seasonal movement; 1 mark between high and low pastures.
  2. (b) In winter high pastures are covered in snow and very cold, so animals are taken down to valleys and plains where there is grazing; in summer lowland grass dries up in the heat while melting snow leaves fresh grass in high alpine pastures, so herds move up; moving prevents overgrazing in one place.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
  3. (c) Loss of grazing land to farming or forests being protected; overgrazing; long distances from schools and health care; disputes over grazing rights; droughts.
    1 mark.
Q29Livestock farming · Standard · Paper 2 style · 8 marks

A dairy farm near Lahore keeps 40 buffaloes that give an average of 7 litres of milk a day each, and 20 crossbred cows that give an average of 15 litres a day each. Milk is sold at Rs 160 per litre (hypothetical data).

  1. (a) Calculate the farm's total daily milk production. [1]
  2. (b) Calculate the average daily milk yield per animal. Give your answer to two decimal places. [1]
  3. (c) Calculate the farm's income from milk in a 30-day month. [2]
  4. (d) Explain two reasons why milk yields per animal in Pakistan are generally low. You should develop your answer. [4]
Show answer
  1. (a) 580 litres
    40 × 7 + 20 × 15 = 280 + 300 = 580 L.
  2. (b) 9.67 litres
    580 ÷ 60 = 9.67 L.
  3. (c) Rs 2,784,000
    580 × 30 = 17,400 L (M1); × Rs 160 = Rs 2,784,000 (A1).
  4. (d) Animals are often underfed with poor-quality fodder, so they produce less milk; little veterinary care, so diseases such as foot-and-mouth reduce yields; most animals are of low-yielding local stock, with little use of improved breeding; heat stress in summer without shade or cooling.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
Q30Livestock farming · Challenge · Paper 2 style · 10 marks
  1. (a) Explain two problems in the marketing of milk in Pakistan. You should develop your answer. [4]
  2. (b) Read these two views:View A: 'Large commercial dairy farms are the best way to increase milk production in Pakistan.'View B: 'Helping small farmers with one or two animals would do more for the country.'Which view do you agree with more? Give reasons for your answer, referring to examples you have studied. [6]
Show answer
  1. (a) Most milk is sold loose through middlemen (gawalas), who pay farmers low prices; there is little cold storage or chilling, so milk spoils quickly in summer; milk is often adulterated with water or chemicals, causing health risks; long distances from villages to cities.
    1 mark for each of two reasons + 1 mark each for development (a consequence or 'which leads to').
  2. (b) View A: commercial farms use improved breeds, balanced feed, veterinary care and machines, giving much higher yields; they can supply processors with chilled, safe milk; they attract investment. View B: millions of rural families keep a few animals, so support (vaccination, training, collection centres, chilling units, microloans) would raise incomes widely and reduce poverty, especially for women; commercial farms need capital, imported breeds, and may suffer heat stress. Judgement required.
    Level marking. L1 (1–2): simple points, one side or generic. L2 (3–4): developed points on one side, or simple points on both sides. L3 (5–6): developed points on both sides with a named Pakistani example and a reasoned judgement.

Similar questions

Questions that test the same subtopic in different years, grouped so you can work on one skill at a time.

References only: find each question in its paper (official link where available, otherwise through your school).

Agricultural problems, land reform and output 4 questions · 4/9 sessions
Major crops 4 questions · 4/9 sessions
Types of farming and farming systems 5 questions · 5/9 sessions
Livestock farming 3 questions · 3/9 sessions

Subtopics

Our analysis of how often each subtopic was examined and how many marks it carried, 2022 to May/June 2026.

SubtopicMarks indexedSessions
Agricultural problems, land reform and output 24.64/9
Major crops 22.24/9
Types of farming and farming systems 155/9
Livestock farming 12.63/9

← All Pakistan Studies topics