RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

GRADE 12 RESEARCH 2024

RESEARCH TOPIC: CONTRIBUTION OF MAIZE PRODUCTION TO FOOD
SECURITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

SUBJECT : GEOGRAPHY

CODE : GEOG

GRADE : 12

TERM : ONE

DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION : FEBRUARY- APRIL 2024

DATE OF COMPLETION : APRIL 2024

TERM WEIGHTING % : 25

TOTAL : 100
 RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

Write a research and investigate the contribution of maize production to food

security and economic development in your area.

RESEARCH TOPIC

Contribution of Maize Production on Food Security and

Economic Development in my area.

The Structure and Layout of your Research may follow the guidelines Marks
below.
1.1. Cover page 1 A4 Page 3

1.2 Index 1 A4 Page 4

2. Introduction Length
• Give a brief background about the economic sector to ½ A4 Page
which maize production is classified. State the type of
farming methods that are used to produce maize.
Outline the byproducts that are produced from maize
8
crop. Briefly state the uses of maize in your area, in
South Africa as well as some other parts of the world.
Cite main maize producing regions in South Africa.
Outline a brief description of the conditions that favour
and hinder maize production. Provide an overview of
what food security and economic development entails.
Enlist the indicators of economic development and
food security that will be used in this research to
measure the contribution of maize in economic
development and food security in your area.
3. Research Objectives 8
• State how researching on this topic will help to ½ A4 Page
improve/ change / stimulate / capacitate / make
awareness / revitalise the methods of maize farming
in your area. (Some focus areas may include
introducing new farming methods, influencing crop
maize yields, influencing transformation from small
scale to large scale maize farming, influencing
traditional maize farming methods to modernised
methods, motivating people in your area to consider
maize farming as an alternative food security,
providing awareness to your area on how maize can
stimulate economic development, introducing better
and sustainable ways that balance environmental
conservation and agricultural production etc)
 RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

4. Research Hypothesis
• Hypothesis is an assumption that has not yet been ½ A4 Page
researched and there is no tangible in depth data to
prove it yet. A researcher observes and identifies a
geographical problem / topic and then makes an
assumption based merely on the observation. After
data collection, in depth analysis and interpretation
the researcher makes findings which may prove the
8
assumption to be correct or incorrect. If findings prove
the assumption to be incorrect the hypothesis is
rejected. If the findings prove the assumption to be
correct the hypothesis is accepted.
o Refer to the background in your introduction
and the research topic and generate an
assumption about whether maize does or does
not contribute to food security and economic
development in your area. At this stage you
have not collected data yet to support
statement in the hypothesis, it is just an
assumption.
o Your hypothesis can be phrased in a statement
or in a question form and its application must
be in the research topic of your area of study.
5. Study Area
• Name, describe the geographic area where your 1 Paragraph
research will be conducted. A4 size Paper
• Decide the scale of the area under study ranging 5
from:
o Your location where you where you come
o Your municipal demarcation of a ward
o Your local municipality
o Your district municipality
o Your province

• Include a map of the study area.

• The area under study should be clearly demarcated
on the map. 5
• The map must be on scale and should have all map
elements (Map Title, map scale, north arrow, neat
map border).
• Maps with current location information may be
downloaded from high resolution satellite images
obtained from Google Earth or any other GIS
software.
 RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

6. Research Methodology 7
6.1 • Depending on availability, accessibility of data
and size of the Area of Study, you may use both
Primary and Secondary Data or use Secondary
Data only for this research.
(a) Primary Data Collection
• State the sources of primary data for your ½ A4 Page
research.
o Sources may include interviews,
observations from the field, pictures taken
by camera etc.

o NB You should only cite the sources of

data that will provide specific relevant
data for your research for each indicator
of economic development, indicator of
food security, influencing factors such
as topography, climate, etc.

o Example of citing sources of data may be

structured in the following way:
▪ Indicator of economic
development for employment
was collected through
interviews. I interviewed five
farmers in my area. Responses
were recorded in a questioner.
Questions were closed ended
and they required the data about
number of permanent and
seasonal employees as well as
their salary ranges etc.

• Indicate how sampling (number of people to be

interviewed) for primary data collection will be
done.
• Indicate the tools (e.g. questioners) that will be
used to record responses from primary data.
• Indicate how data will be analysed and
interpreted to be used.
 RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

(b) Secondary Data Collection

• State sources where secondary data will be ½ a Page
collected
o Sources may include geography
textbooks, geography study guides,
handouts, newspaper articles, internet
websites, satellite images, topographic
maps, orthophoto maps, atlas maps etc.
o NB You should cite only the sources of
data that you will use in your research.

• State the data that will be collected from each

choice of secondary data source.
o Actual data that may be collected as cited
above may include literature notes,
graphs, pictures or table information that
provide information about physical and
climatic factors such as rainfall, relief, soil,
etc that favour or hinder maize production
in your area.

o Example of citing secondary data sources

may be structured in the following way:
▪ Map of the Study Area was
downloaded from Google Earth
raster satellite image. I printed the
satellite image and used a tracing
paper to draw a vector feature to
demarcate a vector feature to
represent the boundary in order to
produce a map of the area of
study.

▪ Notes on Grade 12 Study guide

provided data of indicators of food
security and economic
development. I used the study
guide and collected data on
indicators of economic
development. I read literature to
know how maize production in
South Africa improves skills
development, stimulate growth in
the secondary sector and improve
of infrastructure in the country.
Literature data provided me with
information so that I could compare
is it to see how it applies to my
area.
 RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

▪ 1:50 000 topographic map provided

relief data. I interpreted contour
lines and obtained data about relief
factors that hinder maize
production in my area.

7. Discussion, Data analysis, Data Interpretation.

7.1 • Refer to data collected from primary and / OR 2 Pages
Secondary data sources.

• Discuss, describe, explain, analyse, interpret

and use illustrations and statistics to
demonstrate contribution of maize production to
economic development in your area.

• The discussion of the contribution may be shown

on the indicators of economic development such 14
as employment, source of income, skills
development, stimulating growth in the
secondary industry, improvement of
infrastructure, multiplier effect etc)

• Contribution to each indicator may be discussed

in a paragraph.

• Support your discussion with relevant

illustrations (tables, graphs, pictures, maps etc)
where appropriate.

7.2 • Refer to data collected from primary and / OR 2 Pages

secondary data sources.

• Discuss, describe, explain, analyse, interpret

and use illustrations and statistics to
demonstrate contribution of maize production to
food security in your area.

• Contribution of maize to food security may be 14

demonstrated by discussing each indicator of
food security.

• Each indicator may be discussed in a paragraph.

• Support your discussion with relevant

illustrations (tables, graphs, pictures, maps etc)
where appropriate.
 RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

8. Findings and Recommendations

• FINDINGS may show an EVALUATION of the 1 Page
contribution by maize to economic development
and food security for each indicator of economic
development and food security.
o Evaluation on each economic and food
security indicator may show findings that 12
the contribution of maize to economic
development and food security in your
area is, for example significant or
insignificant; is more or less; has
evidence of contribution or no evidence of
contribution; is increasing or decreasing;
is rapidly showing impacts or consistently
low; is direct or indirect etc.
o Provide reasons (influencing factors) of
the findings
• Propose recommendations to your findings.
1 paragraph to
9. Conclusion (Accept / Reject) Hypothesis ½ A4 Page.
• Refer to section 4 (Formulating Hypothesis).
8
Summarise the main points in your findings to
determine whether they agree / disagree with the
hypothesis you have formulated and decide if your
hypothesis is accepted or rejected.

10. Bibliography
4
• Write a bibliography using the Harvard method of 1 Page
referencing.
 RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024

Marking Rubric Name and Surname of Learner…………………………………………………

Activities Marks Information Required Length
Total Educator Moderator
Cover page 3 • Name & Surname 1 A4 page
• Grade and Class
• Educator’s Name
• Subject
• Research Topic:

Index 4 • Numbers 1 A4 page

• Topics
• Sub-topics
• Page numbers

Introduction 8 • Brief background of economic ½ A4 page

sectors
• Overview of farming activities
• Uses of maize in South Africa
• Main Maize producing regions
• Examples of economic
development indicators and food
security indicators

Research 8 • Indication of achievements that the ½ A4 page

Objectives researcher aims to see in the
community after the research has
been conducted.

Research 8 • Statement of Assumptions based ½ A4

Hypothesis on the research topic and pages
background information

Study Area 5 • Description of the study area 1 A4 page

5 • Map showing study area

Data Collection 7 • Sources of Primary and ½ A4 Page

Secondary Data.

Discussions, 14 • Discussions on economic 2 Pages

Analysis and 14 development.
Interpretation • Discussions on food security 2 Pages

Findings and 12 • Evaluation of information from 1 Page

recommendations. discussions.
• Proposing recommendations
from findings.

Conclusion 8 • Summarise main point in the ½ Page

findings
• Accept / Reject the hypothesis

Bibliography 4 • List of References 1 Page

Total 100 9 -10 A4
pages
RESEARCH / GRADE 12 / TERM 1 - 2024