Agriculture and the environment — IGCSE Environmental Management (0680) questions by topic
Describing predicted global agricultural yield changes on a map, interpreting UK land-use percentages by type, distinguishing farming activities such as subsistence versus commercial production, and naming the term for crops grown specifically to sell are the recurring content here, worth 4 to 35 marks across 13 real questions from 2023 to 2025 papers.
State, suggest, describe, explain and calculate are the top command words, and explain expects the mechanism linking a farming practice to an environmental outcome, not just naming both. Examiners report a specific recurring confusion between insecticides and fertiliser mismanagement in eutrophication answers, so drafting a reasoned response and checking it against instant marking is a direct way to confirm that kind of mix-up hasn't crept in.
What examiners look for
- A recurring criticism is assuming subsistence farmers never use machinery, when it remains a common feature.
- Examiners note insecticides wrongly linked to eutrophication, which the mark scheme credits as a fertiliser-mismanagement issue only.
- Reports flag climate answers left vague, stating only 'climate' without specifying temperature or water availability, and rarely reflecting on aspect or altitude.
- A common misconception was that methane destroys the ozone layer, rather than acting as a greenhouse gas causing warming.
- Strong answers labelled diagrams effectively, cited biological control and crop rotation as common valid answers, and correctly linked a longer growing season to location further south or near lakes.
May–June 2025, Paper 11
The map shows the predicted change in global agricultural yield between 2018 and 2050. Describe the predicted changes shown on the map.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 13
The map shows the predicted change in global agricultural yield between 2018 and 2050. Describe the predicted changes shown on the map.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 11
The photograph shows irrigation of plants in a field, with water delivered through a network of pipes directly to the base of each plant. State the type of irrigation shown in the…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 13
The photograph shows irrigation of plants in a field, with water delivered through a network of pipes directly to the base of each plant. State the type of irrigation shown in the…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 13
Different types of agriculture are shown. Draw one straight line from each type of agriculture to the correct description. One has been drawn for you (commercial → production is…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 21
Türkiye is the world's largest producer of apricots. A farmer grows apricots to sell. The photograph shows an apricot fruit. State the term used for crops produced to be sold for…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 22
Cotton is a cash crop grown in Greece. Cotton is used to make textiles. The photograph shows a cotton plant in a field in Greece. Greece is the largest cotton-producing country in…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 11
The map shows the growing season for one crop in Michigan, a state in the USA. The growing season is the number of days that the crop can grow. The map is shaded by key: 140 days,…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 12
The table describes different farming activities: farming activity description --- --- A production mainly for selling B production mainly for own use C growing crops D using…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 13
The map shows the growing season for one crop in Michigan, a state in the USA. The growing season is the number of days that the crop can grow. The map is shaded by key: 140 days,…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 11
The total area of Africa is 30.37 million km². Calculate the percentage of land in Africa that was farmland at risk from locust swarms in April 2020 (0.9 million km²). Give your…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 21
The table shows the percentage of total land area for different types of land use in the UK: land use percentage of total land area of the UK --- --- pasture 46 arable 25 forest…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 23
The main crops grown by Zimbabwe's commercial farmers are sugar cane, maize, cassava and vegetables. State the name of this type of agriculture.
Answer this question and get it marked →