Last reviewed: 2 November 2026
Updated November 2026. These Grade 6 Agriculture notes follow the rationalised Grade 6 Agriculture and Nutrition design: controlling soil erosion, conserving water with sunken seedbeds and shallow pits, keeping wild animals away from crops, rearing rabbits or guinea pigs, sun-drying fruits and vegetables, stewing and baking, good grooming, removing blood and grass stains, crocheting, and building a moist bed garden. Each topic gives the key steps in order, because most Grade 6 agriculture work is practical.
The strands below come from the KICD Grade 6 curriculum designs (Agriculture and Nutrition, revised 2024), which allocate 120 lessons across four strands.
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Grade 6 Agriculture Notes: Topic List
| Strand | Sub-strands |
|---|---|
| 1.0 Conservation of Resources | Controlling soil erosion; Conserving water; Conserving wild animals |
| 2.0 Food Production Processes | Rearing small domestic animals; Preserving crop products; Cooking food (stewing and baking) |
| 3.0 Hygiene Practices | Good grooming; Laundry: stain removal |
| 4.0 Production Techniques | Crocheting; Constructing a moist bed garden |
Strand 1: Conservation of Resources
Controlling soil erosion
Soil erosion is the removal of topsoil by water or wind. The four types in the design are:
- Splash erosion: raindrops hit bare soil and scatter it.
- Sheet erosion: a thin, even layer of soil is washed off a wide area.
- Rill erosion: running water cuts small channels.
- Gully erosion: rills grow into deep, wide channels that are hard to repair.
Control: keep the soil covered with grass, cover crops or mulch; plant trees; dig terraces and cut-off drains on slopes; plant grass strips; fill small gullies with stones or brushwood. Conserving soil keeps it fertile for growing food.
Conserving water: sunken seedbeds and shallow pits
A sunken seedbed is dug below the surrounding ground level so rain and irrigation water collect in it and stay longer. A shallow pit (planting basin) is a small hole filled with soil mixed with manure, where crops such as vegetables are planted. Both hold moisture around the roots, so plants survive dry spells. Add mulch on top to cut evaporation.
Conserving wild animals
Wild animals such as monkeys, porcupines, birds and elephants can destroy crops and attack livestock. Instead of harming them, use deterrents: mesh or thorny fences, safe traps, flashing lights, noise makers and deflectors (scarecrows and shiny strips). This protects crops and domestic animals while conserving wildlife. The design also suggests a bird feeding table using waste food.
Strand 2: Food Production Processes
Rearing small domestic animals
Rabbits and guinea pigs are small, cheap to keep and provide meat. Routine practices:
- Housing: a raised hutch with a wire-mesh floor, a roof against rain and sun, good air flow, and protection from dogs and cats.
- Feeding: fresh greens such as sukuma wiki, grass and carrots, plus pellets if available; remove old food each day.
- Watering: clean water at all times in a container that cannot tip over.
- Sanitation: clean out droppings regularly; the droppings make good manure.
- Parasite control: check for mites and fleas, and keep the hutch dry and clean.
Preserving crop products: sun-drying
Sun-drying removes water so that germs cannot spoil the food. Steps: choose fresh, ripe produce such as mangoes, bananas, kales or cowpea leaves; wash; slice thinly; spread on a clean tray or rack raised off the ground; cover with a net against flies; turn often; and store in a clean, dry, airtight container once fully dry. Drying reduces waste when harvests are plenty.
Cooking food: stewing and baking
Stewing is slow cooking of food in a small amount of liquid in a covered pan, as with beans, ndengu or meat stew. It softens tough foods and keeps nutrients in the gravy. Baking cooks food in dry heat in an oven or a jiko with a lid of hot charcoal. The rubbing-in method (for scones and rock buns) means rubbing fat into flour with the fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs, then adding the other ingredients.
Strand 3: Hygiene Practices
Good grooming and body cleanliness
As children grow, they sweat more and may get pimples. Bathe daily with soap and clean water, use a clean towel, wear clean clothes and change underwear daily, and wash the face gently instead of squeezing pimples. Girls should change sanitary pads regularly and dispose of them properly; everyone should keep their private parts clean and dry.
Laundry: removing blood and grass stains
- Blood: soak and rinse in cold water as soon as possible, then wash with soap. Hot water fixes the stain.
- Grass: rub soap into the stain and scrub gently, then wash as usual; repeat if needed.
Treat stains while fresh, and test on a hidden part of coloured clothes first.
Strand 4: Production Techniques
Crocheting
Crocheting uses a hook and yarn to make loops. The two stitches in the design are the single crochet and the double crochet (taller, because the yarn is wrapped over the hook once before inserting it). Start with a slip knot and a chain, then work rows of stitches to make household articles such as mats, cleaning rags and surface wipers, which saves money.
Constructing a moist bed garden
A moist bed garden is a seedbed built to keep soil moist for longer. It can be sunken or raised. Dig the bed, line the bottom with a material that slows water loss (such as a polythene sheet with small holes, or a thick layer of organic matter), refill with soil mixed with compost, plant a crop such as kales or spinach, mulch and water. Learners then care for the crop to harvest.
How Grade 6 Agriculture Is Assessed
Most of this subject is assessed through practical work and projects in school. At the end of Grade 6, learners sit the KPSEA Integrated Science paper, which the KNEC 2026 KPSEA timetable set at 1 hour 40 minutes. For the junior school version of this subject, see the Grade 9 Agriculture and Nutrition revision guide and our soil types and conservation revision.
Practise free on the Grade 6 CBC Challenge, sit a KPSEA Grade 6 Integrated Science practice paper, or open the Grade 6 notes hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics are in Grade 6 Agriculture and Nutrition?
Soil erosion control, water conservation, conserving wild animals, rearing small domestic animals, preserving crop products, stewing and baking, good grooming, stain removal, crocheting and moist bed gardens.
What are the types of soil erosion in Grade 6?
Splash, sheet, rill and gully erosion. Gully erosion is the most severe.
How do you remove a blood stain?
Soak and rinse it in cold water straight away, then wash with soap. Hot water sets blood stains, so avoid it.
Are these Grade 6 agriculture notes rationalised?
Yes. They follow the Grade 6 Agriculture and Nutrition curriculum design that KICD revised in 2024.
Want marked practice? The first five questions of each paper are free. A Day Pass (KSh 20) unlocks the full Grade 6 practice papers with worked answers for a day, and the Monthly Pass (KSh 500) opens every grade and subject for a month. Compare passes.