(a) A government officer is advising farmers in a highland area with steep slopes and an annual rainfall of 1800 mm. (i) State two factors the officer shoul...

(a)(i) Two factors the government officer should consider when advising on crop choice (any two):

1. The slope and gradient of the land, which determines the risk of erosion and which crops can be safely cultivated. [1]
2. Soil type and depth, which influences root development and water retention capacity. [1]

Other acceptable answers: altitude and temperature; access to markets and roads; availability of water for irrigation; farmer's capital and labour supply.

(a)(ii) Growing annual crops on steep slopes without conservation measures leads to loss of productivity because:

1. Rainwater runs off quickly down the steep gradient, carrying away the loosened topsoil (erosion). Each cultivation cycle loosens the soil further, making it more vulnerable to being washed away. [1]
2. The topsoil that is removed contains most of the organic matter and plant nutrients. Without these, the remaining subsoil is less fertile. [1]
3. Over successive seasons, the soil becomes progressively shallower and more infertile, so crop yields decline year on year. Eventually the land may become too degraded to cultivate at all. [1]

(b) Two land conservation methods for sloping land (any two, each described):

1. Terracing: Cutting horizontal steps (terraces) into the hillside to create level planting areas. Each terrace has a raised bank or lip at the outer edge. This dramatically slows the speed of water running downhill, gives it time to soak into the soil, and traps any eroded soil on the terrace rather than letting it wash to the bottom of the slope. [2]
2. Contour ploughing: Ploughing along the contour of the slope (across it, not up and down). The furrows act as small barriers that intercept water running downhill, slowing its speed and giving it time to infiltrate the soil. This is simpler than terracing and can be combined with contour strip cropping. [2]

(c) Dairy goats may be more suitable than dairy cattle on steep hillside farms because goats are lighter and more sure-footed on steep, uneven terrain, causing less trampling damage to fragile soils. [1] Goats can also browse on rough, scrubby vegetation that cattle cannot graze, making use of land that would otherwise be unproductive. They require less feed per unit of milk produced and represent a lower capital investment per animal, which is important for small-scale hillside farmers. [1]