Agriculture 2022 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure important components of the question are not missed
• have a clear understanding of key words and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• engage with any stimulus material provided and refer to it in the response
• communicate ideas and information using relevant examples
• expect to perform some mathematical functions, interpret data/graphs/tables and assess information for accuracy, reliability and/or validity
• consider using graphical solutions if appropriate
• show full and clear working out for all questions involving calculations
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify an invertebrate, for example, a dung beetle and provide a description of how the invertebrate decomposes organic matter to improve soil characteristics (a)
• understand the process occurring at X on the diagram and how it is part of the nitrogen cycle (b)
• provide clear links, using correct terminology, showing how nitrogen fixation contributes to the cycling of nitrogen (b).  

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a link to how invertebrates contribute to improved soil conditions, such as soil fertility (a)
• being familiar with different aspects of the nitrogen cycle, for example, the difference between nitrogen fixation and nitrification (b).

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a relevant example of the program, such as, Landcare's 20 million trees programme (a)
• describe the role of the government and community groups with examples within the program (a)
• name a plant or animal disease and provide features of how each aspect of the disease triangle interacts with each other (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting relevant examples of community and government programs (a)
• reviewing the environmental requirements for a disease, for example, leaf rust in wheat requires wet, humid and windy conditions (b).

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• show a behavioural and a physical characteristic of a farm animal and provide an example of how they are managed (a)
• provide points for and against a named ethical issue having impact on animal production, for example, caged egg production (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring both parts of the question are addressed based on a farm animal (a)
• demonstrating a clear understanding of an ethical issue related to agriculture (b).

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate understanding of the correct proportions of fat, muscle and bone in an animal through birth, puberty and maturity (a)
• detail how different environmental factors specifically changed fertility, for example, high temperature effect on sperm production (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the proportions of fat, muscle and bone at all stages of the life cycle (a)
• developing an understanding of more than one environmental factor affecting fertility (b)
• showing clear links between environmental factors and the specific effect on fertility (b).

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• show how interest rates and the dynamic nature of markets can influence farmers financially, for example, falling prices for a crop leading to reduced income (a)
• provide advantages and disadvantages for strategies to sell a farm product such as using cooperatives (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing understanding of interest rates and markets (a)
• provide points for and against more than one of the following market options; vertical integration, contract selling, direct marketing, cooperatives and marketing boards (b).

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• show a clear understanding of the genetic basis for two plant breeding techniques
• provide a clear link between two different plant breeding techniques and how they have improved plant production, with a specific example for each such as Hybridisation or Genetic modification.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding how plant breeding techniques are used to develop new plant varieties with desired traits
• using examples of new varieties formed using each breeding technique.

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• focus on multiple advertising or promotion strategies, rather than marketing and provide details and/or examples of each such as a current TV commercial (a)
• link a factor to the supply and demand for a product, for example, disease and price increase (b)
• give details about the specification, providing quantifiable measures against which the product is compared (c)
• provide advantages and disadvantages of a named strategy and provide a clear judgement (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the difference between supply and demand and the factors that influence demand (b)
• identifying the plurals in questions and addressing these in the response
• understanding the key terms in the content of the responses.

Question 28(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide reasons for research in the development of an agricultural technology, for example, improved safety to humans, increased production, environmental impact (i)
• describe a research study, including aspects of methodology, such as, replication, randomisation and standardisation and linking these elements to the reliability and validity of results (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing clear links to the effects of research on the development of new technologies (i)
• providing relevant examples of a range of technologies where further research can improve agricultural production efficiency, sustainability, biosecurity or profitability (i)
• focusing on the design of their identified research study rather than implementation of a technology (ii)
• demonstrating understanding of aspects of methodology and why these aspects are used (ii).

Question 28(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify ethical concerns related to multiple biotechnologies and provide a logical explanation of how ethical concerns influence the use of biotechnologies in agricultural production.
• use specific and relevant examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• focusing on the influence of concerns on the use of biotechnologies rather than evaluating the biotechnologies.

Question 29(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide reasons for research into management strategies for climate variability (i)
• describe a research study, including aspects of methodology such as replication, randomisation and standardisation and linking these elements to the reliability and validity of results (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating an understanding of the relationship between climate variability and management strategies (i)
• communicating ideas using relevant examples and/or providing clear reasons for the need for research (i)
• making the link between components of experimental design and the reliability of results in relation to a relevant research study or management strategies related to climate variability (ii)
• focusing on the design of the identified research study rather than implementation of a technology (ii)
• demonstrating understanding of aspects of methodology and why these aspects are used (ii).

Question 29(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify multiple management strategies related to climate variability and provide logical explanation of how management techniques minimse risk and maximise opportunities from climate variability
• use specific and relevant examples.

Areas for students to improve include:

• focusing on how management techniques minimise risk and maximise opportunities from climate variability rather than just describing the management strategy.

Question 30(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide reasons for research in the development of an agricultural technology such as improved safety to humans, increased production and environmental impact (i)
• describe a research study, including aspects of methodology, such as, replication, randomisation and standardisation and linking these elements to the reliability and validity of results (ii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing clear links to the effects of research on the development of new technologies (i)
• providing relevant examples of a range of technologies where further research can improve agricultural production efficiency, sustainability, biosecurity, or profitability (i)
• focusing on the design of their identified research study rather than implementation of a technology (ii)
• demonstrating understanding of aspects of methodology and why these aspects are used (ii).

Question 30(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify technological developments accurately and provide detailed descriptions of how the these operate or are used in the relevant industry
• provide clear links in how both developments assist the associated industry
• explain advantages of the technological development cohesively and logically.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing an understanding of how technological developments assist production, efficiency, or environmental sustainability
• arranging ideas logically within the response
• providing clear examples of the specifically identified development, with a comprehensive explanation of how it assists the enterprise or industry.