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JAMB Agricultural Science Syllabus

This is the JAMB UTME syllabus for Agricultural Science, covering 48 topics. Each topic lists what you are expected to study and the objectives — what you should be able to do — based on the official JAMB syllabus.

General Objectives

The Agricultural Science syllabus is designed to enable candidates to:

  • Stimulate and sustain candidates' interest in Agriculture
  • Enable candidates to acquire basic knowledge and practical skills in Agriculture
  • Enable candidates to acquire the knowledge of interpretation and the use of data
  • Stimulate candidates' ability to make deductions using the acquired knowledge in Agriculture

Detailed Agricultural Science Syllabus

48 topics. For each topic: what to study (contents) and the objectives you should be able to meet.

  1. Meaning and Scope of Agriculture

    Contents

    • Definition of Agriculture
    • Branches of Agriculture
    • Types of Agriculture (subsistence and commercial)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Use modern agricultural definitions relating to production, processing and marketing
    • Differentiate between various branches of Agriculture
    • Differentiate between types of Agriculture
  2. Importance of Agriculture

    Contents

    • Provision of raw materials for agro-allied industries
    • Provision of employment
    • Development of rural areas

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Relate agro-allied industries to their respective raw materials
    • Relate various contributions of Agriculture to economic development in West Africa
  3. Agricultural Ecology

    Contents

    • Ecological zones of West Africa
    • Agricultural products of each ecological zone
    • Environmental factors and their effects on crop and livestock production

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Differentiate between features of ecological zones in West Africa
    • Classify agricultural products according to each ecological zone
    • Differentiate abiotic from biotic factors affecting agricultural production
  4. Genetics

    Contents

    • First and second laws of Mendel
    • Cell division
    • Genetics terminologies (locus, alleles, genotype, dominance)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Apply the first and second laws of Mendel to genetics
    • Differentiate between types of cell division
    • Determine the outcome of genetic crossing involving homozygous and heterozygous traits
    • Compute simple probability ratios
  5. Farm Inputs

    Contents

    • Planting materials
    • Agrochemicals and other farm inputs

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Classify different types of farm inputs and their uses
  6. History of Agricultural Development in West Africa

    Contents

    • Agricultural systems (shifting cultivation, bush fallowing, etc.)
    • Problems of agricultural development (land tenure systems, inadequate infrastructure, finance, pollution)
    • Establishment of national research institutes (NCRI, IAR, IAR&T, CRIN, NIFOR, FRIN, RRI, NRCRI, NIHORT, LCRI) and international research institutes (IITA, ILRI, ICRISAT, WARDA)
    • Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) such as RTEP and FADAMA
    • National agricultural programmes (OFN, NAFPP, NALDA, Green Revolution, NCRPs, NARP, Project Coordinating Unit)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Compare various agricultural systems
    • Identify problems of agricultural development and proffer solutions
    • Trace the history of research institutes from the past to the present
    • Assess the role of research institutes in agricultural development
    • Give reasons for the establishment of ADPs
    • Evaluate the contributions of national agricultural programmes
  7. Roles of Government and NGOs in Agricultural Development

    Contents

    • Development of fiscal policies favourable to agricultural production (import duties, ban on importation)
    • Agricultural laws and reforms (Land Use Act)
    • Government programmes (subsidies, credit facilities)
    • Provision of infrastructure (transport and communication systems)
    • Contribution of NGOs to agricultural development

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Evaluate the effects of government policies on agricultural development
    • Identify agricultural laws and their effect on production
    • Identify various agricultural incentives provided by government
    • Assess the effects of incentives on agricultural development
    • Compare various infrastructural facilities provided by government and their uses
    • Examine the roles of NGOs in agricultural development
  8. Rocks and Soil Formation

    Contents

    • Factors affecting rock weathering and soil formation
    • Physical properties of soil (soil profile, soil texture and structure)
    • Chemical properties of soil (soil acidity and alkalinity, chemical components such as silicate)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify major types and properties of rocks and soils, and the factors and processes of soil formation
    • Differentiate between horizons in a soil profile
    • Differentiate between components of soil
    • Compute the proportion of soil constituents
    • Analyse soil into its constituent parts
    • Determine the water-holding capacity of soil
    • Determine soil pH
  9. Soil Water and Soil Conservation

    Contents

    • Soil water (importance, sources, movement, management, conservation)
    • Soil conservation (meaning, importance, causes, effects, prevention and control of leaching, erosion, continuous cropping, burning and oxidation of organic matter)
    • Irrigation and drainage methods

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Compare capillary, gravitational and hygroscopic water
    • Determine water-holding capacity, wilting points and plant available/unavailable water
    • Identify causes of erosion and leaching
    • Determine control methods for erosion and leaching
    • Classify irrigation and drainage systems
    • Examine the importance and challenges of irrigation and drainage
  10. Soil Fertility

    Contents

    • Macro and micro-nutrients and their roles in plant nutrition (carbon, water and nitrogen cycles)
    • Living population of soil (flora and fauna) and their roles in soil fertility
    • Maintenance of soil fertility (use of cover crops, application of organic manures)
    • Nutrient deficiency symptoms (chlorosis, sickle leaves, stunting, apical necrosis)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Classify plant nutrients
    • Identify factors affecting nutrient availability
    • Examine the roles of soil flora and fauna in maintaining soil fertility
    • Compare different methods of maintaining soil fertility
    • Differentiate between organic and inorganic fertilizer and their methods of application
    • Determine common fertilizer ratios
    • Identify deficiency symptoms and their causes
    • Suggest remedies for nutrient deficiencies
  11. Land Preparation and Soil Tillage

    Contents

    • Principles and practices of land preparation and soil tillage
    • Factors affecting choice of tillage methods (zero tillage, minimum tillage)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Compare different methods of land preparation and soil tillage in relation to different crop groups
    • Give reasons for the advantages and disadvantages of land preparation and soil tillage
    • Give reasons for the choice of tillage methods
  12. Plant Forms and Functions

    Contents

    • Parts of monocot and dicot crop plants and their functions
    • Anatomy and morphology of storage organs of common crop plants

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify crop plant parts and their functions
    • Distinguish between monocot and dicot crop plants
    • Differentiate various storage organs of crop plants
  13. Growth, Development and Reproduction

    Contents

    • Gametogenesis
    • Pollination
    • Fertilization
    • Embryo formation and development

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Examine the process of gamete formation
    • Give reasons for different types of pollination
    • Analyse the process of fertilization
    • Trace the process of embryo formation and development to the formation of seeds and fruits
  14. Plant Propagation Methods

    Contents

    • Sexual propagation (use of seeds, seed viability, viability test, seed rate, seed germination)
    • Asexual/vegetative propagation (cutting, budding, grafting, layering)
    • Nursery and nursery management

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Classify crops propagated by sexual methods
    • Determine seed viability and seed rate
    • Differentiate between types of seed germination
    • Examine conditions for seed germination
    • Classify crops into different vegetative propagation methods
    • Determine appropriate nursery sites and types and their advantages and disadvantages
    • Apply techniques of transplanting seedlings
  15. Cropping Systems, Planting Patterns and Plant Densities

    Contents

    • Cropping systems (monocropping, mixed cropping, multiple cropping, intercropping, relay cropping, strip cropping, rotational cropping)
    • Planting patterns (broadcasting, row spacing, drilling)
    • Plant densities (single, double and multiple stands)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Compare cropping systems
    • Apply different cropping systems to solve agricultural problems
    • Differentiate between various planting patterns
    • Examine various types of plant densities and their effects on crop yield
    • Compute plant density per hectare
  16. Crop Husbandry

    Contents

    • For each crop group, study common and scientific names, gross morphology, anatomy of storage organs, methods of propagation, husbandry practices, harvesting, processing and storage, common diseases and pests, and economic importance
    • Group 1 - Cereals (maize, guinea corn, rice)
    • Group 2 - Legumes (cowpea, groundnut, soyabean)
    • Group 3 - Tubers (yam, cassava, sweet potatoes)
    • Group 4 - Vegetables and Spices (tomatoes, eggplant, pepper, onion, okro, cabbage, amaranthus)
    • Group 5 - Fruits (citrus, pineapple, pawpaw)
    • Group 6 - Beverages (cocoa, kola, coffee)
    • Group 7 - Oils (oil palm, coconut, shea butter)
    • Group 8 - Latex (para rubber, gum arabic)
    • Group 9 - Fibres (jute, cotton, sisal hemp)
    • Group 10 - Sugars (sugarcane, beet)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Apply different methods of crop propagation, husbandry, harvesting, processing and storage for each crop
    • Identify common diseases and pests and their effects on crop yield
    • Determine the economic importance of each crop
    • Relate the importance of crops to national economic development
  17. Pasture and Forage Crops

    Contents

    • Gross morphology, methods of propagation and husbandry of common pasture grasses and legumes; establishment, maintenance, conservation and uses of pastures and forage crops
    • Study of natural grasslands and their distribution in West Africa
    • Range management

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Classify common grasses and legumes used as pastures and forage
    • Differentiate between pasture and forage crops by their common and scientific names
    • Distinguish between various methods of conserving pastures (hay-making and silage-making)
    • Relate different vegetational zones to their dominant pasture species
    • Determine range types and the utilization of range resources in Nigeria
  18. Floriculture

    Contents

    • Identification, establishment, maintenance and uses of ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Distinguish between common ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers
    • Determine their uses and maintenance
  19. Weeds

    Contents

    • Gross morphology, methods of reproduction, dispersal and effect of weeds
    • Weed control methods (weeding, mulching, cover cropping, tillage, herbicides, trap cropping)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify weeds with their common and scientific names
    • Classify weeds according to their mode of dispersal
    • Apply various weed control methods
  20. Crop Diseases

    Contents

    • Identification of disease-causing organisms both in store and in the field
    • Simple account of diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses; nature of damage, methods of transmission and common methods of control
    • Side effects of application of preventive and control methods (pollution, poisoning, ecosystem disruption)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Distinguish between common store and field disease-causing organisms
    • Relate various disease-causing organisms to the damage caused, symptoms and mode of spread
    • Apply appropriate control methods
    • Relate each control method to its side effect
  21. Crop Pests

    Contents

    • General account of pests of agricultural plants both in the field and in store, their types, importance, principles and methods of prevention and control
    • Life cycles of biting insects (grasshopper), boring insects (weevils) and sucking insects (aphids, cotton strainer)
    • Common pesticides and their side effects

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify various field and store pests
    • Assess their economic importance
    • Relate various prevention and control methods to different pests
    • Describe the life cycles of various insects
    • Apply knowledge of insect pest life cycles to their prevention and control
    • Differentiate between common pesticides
    • Examine their mode of action on pests
  22. Forest Management (Silviculture)

    Contents

    • Importance of forests (source of wood, pulp, fibre and other forest products)
    • Forest conservation (regulation, exploitation, regeneration, afforestation, agro-forestry and taungya system)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Relate various forest products to their uses
    • Compare different forest conservation methods
    • Apply various forest conservation methods appropriately
  23. Crop Improvement

    Contents

    • Methods of crop improvement (introduction, selection, crossing, quarantine)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Give reasons for crop improvement
    • Distinguish between various methods of crop improvement
  24. Forms and Classification of Major Farm Animals in West Africa

    Contents

    • Species, breeds and distribution of farm animals
    • External features of cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, rabbits and poultry

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Classify various breeds of farm animals
    • Locate where they are found
    • Identify their characteristic features
  25. General Terminology in Animal Production

    Contents

    • Common terms used in animal husbandry (calving, kidding, castrate, capon, veal, mutton)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Use various terms in animal husbandry
  26. Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals

    Contents

    • Functions of tissues and organs of farm animals
    • Animal body systems (digestive systems of ruminants and non-ruminants, reproductive, respiratory, urinary/excretory and nervous systems)
    • Effect of environmental changes on physiological development of farm animals (climate change)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Distinguish between various functions of tissues and organs of farm animals
    • Compare different body systems in farm animals
    • Determine the effects of climate change on farm animals
  27. Reproduction in Farm Animals

    Contents

    • Gametogenesis, oestrus cycle, signs of heat and heat periods, secondary sexual characters, gestation periods, parturition and the role of hormones in reproduction
    • Development, nourishment and birth of the young; mammary glands and lactation in farm animals
    • Egg formation, incubation and hatching in poultry

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Give an account of the reproduction process in farm animals
    • Determine the role of hormones in reproduction
    • Trace development from fertilization to birth and care of the young
    • Trace the process of egg formation and incubation in poultry
  28. Animal Nutrition

    Contents

    • Feed nutrients and their functions
    • Feeds and feeding: simple ration formulation, balanced ration, common pasture/forage crops (guinea grass, elephant grass, giant star grass, Andropogon sp., Calopogonium sp.); hay and silage preparation; types of rations (maintenance and production rations)
    • Nutrient deficiencies: causes and symptoms of malnutrition and their correction in farm animals

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify various feed nutrients, their sources and functions
    • Differentiate between types of animal feeds and their formulation
    • Relate various types of rations to different classes of livestock
    • Trace symptoms to nutrient deficiencies in farm animals
    • Apply appropriate corrective measures to nutrient deficiencies in farm animals
  29. Livestock Management

    Contents

    • Housing, feeding, sanitation and veterinary care of ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry under intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems of management from birth to slaughter

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Apply different management practices for farm animals
  30. Animal Health

    Contents

    • Animal diseases (pathology): environmental factors predisposing animals to diseases; causal organisms, symptoms, transmission and effects; preventive and curative methods for diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa
    • Parasites (parasitology): life cycles and economic importance of livestock parasites (endoparasites, ectoparasites, disease vectors); prevention and control (dipping, spraying, deworming, sanitation)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify diseases of farm animals and their causative agents
    • Classify livestock diseases based on symptoms and mode of transmission
    • Apply appropriate preventive and curative measures against diseases caused by pathogens
    • Classify livestock parasites
    • Determine their role in disease transmission
    • Trace life cycles of parasites from egg to adult stage
    • Apply appropriate prevention and control methods against livestock parasites
  31. Fisheries and Wildlife

    Contents

    • Fish culture systems and common types of fishes (Tilapia, Catfish): extensive systems (inland and deep-sea fishing, lakes and rivers), semi-intensive systems (dams), intensive systems (fish ponds); factors to consider in pond establishment and management (pond fertilization, liming, desilting)
    • Fish harvesting and processing methods: use of drag nets, hook and line; curing, sun-drying, smoking; fishery regulations
    • Wildlife management: habitat conservation, feeding, domestication, harvesting, processing and wildlife regulations

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify common types of fishes in West Africa
    • Differentiate between various systems of fish farming in West Africa
    • Determine factors to be considered in intensive fish farming
    • Assess advantages and disadvantages of different fish harvesting and processing methods
    • Use various methods of catching fish
    • Apply various methods of fish preservation
    • Apply fishery regulations in Nigeria
    • Identify animals found in West African game reserves
    • Give reasons for the establishment of game reserves
    • Apply common wildlife regulations
  32. Bee-keeping (Apiculture)

    Contents

    • Meaning and importance of apiculture
    • Types of bees (exotic and indigenous)
    • Methods of bee-keeping (traditional and modern)
    • Equipment and safety measures in bee-keeping

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Relate bee-keeping to economic development
    • Differentiate between various types of bees
    • Classify methods of bee-keeping
    • Identify bee-keeping equipment and their uses
  33. Animal Improvement

    Contents

    • Methods of animal improvement (introduction, breeding, quarantine, selection)
    • Breeding systems (inbreeding, line-breeding, cross-breeding, artificial insemination)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Give reasons for animal improvement
    • Differentiate between various methods of animal improvement
  34. Factors of Agricultural Production

    Contents

    • Land (types of land ownership in West Africa)
    • Labour
    • Capital
    • Management

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Understand the meaning of land and state its uses
    • Identify various forms of land ownership
    • Examine the effects of land ownership on agriculture
    • Differentiate between various features of land and their effects on land use
    • Differentiate between types and sources of labour and their effects on agricultural production
    • Compare sources of capital and associated problems
    • Determine the function of a farm manager in an agricultural enterprise
  35. Basic Economic Principles

    Contents

    • Demand and supply
    • Production function (input/input, output/output and input/output relationships; stages of production; concepts of diminishing returns, scale of preference and choice)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Relate demand to supply in agricultural production
    • Interpret graphical representation of demand and supply
    • Relate input to output
    • Deduce economic concepts from graphic representation
  36. Characteristic Features of Agricultural Production

    Contents

    • Smallness of farm holdings
    • Biological limits of farm production and susceptibility to climate
    • Seasonality of farm production
    • Price elasticity in demand and supply of agricultural produce

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Distinguish between common features of agricultural production and produce
    • Compute elasticity of demand and supply
  37. Labour Management

    Contents

    • Labour relations (supervision)
    • Types of labour (permanent labour)
    • National labour laws and regulations

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify various ways of achieving labour efficiency
    • Differentiate between various types and sources of labour
    • Apply national labour laws and regulations
  38. Farm Management

    Contents

    • Qualities, functions and problems of a farm manager
    • Records and record-keeping (types and importance; livestock records, profit and loss account book)
    • Stock evaluation (gross and net profits in farm management; appreciation, depreciation and salvage value)
    • Agricultural insurance (meaning, importance and types; problems of agricultural insurance)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify the qualities, functions and problems of a farm manager
    • Differentiate between types of farm records
    • Give reasons for keeping farm records
    • Determine gross and net margins, appreciation, depreciation and salvage value
    • Examine the relevance of agricultural insurance
    • Determine the appropriate agricultural insurance scheme
    • Determine problems associated with agricultural insurance
  39. Marketing of Agricultural Produce

    Contents

    • Importance of marketing
    • Marketing channels
    • Characteristic features of agricultural products affecting their marketing

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Evaluate the importance of agricultural marketing
    • Classify marketing agents and their functions
    • Determine various ways in which marketing channels pose problems in agricultural production
    • Determine characteristics of agricultural products affecting their marketing
  40. Agricultural Extension

    Contents

    • Meaning and importance of agricultural extension
    • Role of agricultural development programmes, universities, research institutes and farmers' organizations (cooperative societies)
    • Extension methods (demonstration plots, use of visual aids, mass media)
    • Problems of agricultural extension in West Africa and possible solutions

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify the importance of agricultural extension
    • Analyse the roles of government and non-governmental organizations in agricultural extension education
    • Differentiate between various extension methods
    • Examine problems of agricultural extension in West Africa
    • Provide possible solutions to extension problems
  41. Farm Surveying and Farmstead Planning

    Contents

    • Meaning and importance of farm surveying
    • Common surveying equipment, their uses and care
    • Common survey methods
    • Principles of farmstead outlay

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Examine the relevance of farm surveying to agriculture
    • Classify common surveying equipment, their uses and care
    • Differentiate between common survey methods
    • Apply survey principles to farmstead outlay
  42. Simple Farm Tools

    Contents

    • Types of simple farm tools, their uses and maintenance

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify simple farm tools
    • Use and maintain farm tools
    • Compare advantages and disadvantages of simple farm tools
  43. Farm Machinery and Implements

    Contents

    • Types of farm machinery (tractor, milking machine) and implements
    • Uses and maintenance of farm machinery and implements

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify common farm machinery and implements
    • Classify farm machinery according to their uses
    • Apply appropriate maintenance routines on farm machines and implements
    • Operate farm machines and implements
  44. Mechanization and Sources of Farm Power

    Contents

    • Sources of farm power (animal and machines)
    • Advantages and disadvantages of agricultural mechanization
    • Problems and prospects of mechanized agriculture in West Africa

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Compare advantages and disadvantages of various sources of farm power and their application
    • Distinguish between advantages and disadvantages of mechanization
    • Assess problems and prospects of mechanized agriculture in West Africa
  45. Processing and Storage

    Contents

    • Processing (traditional and modern methods of food processing: gari, rice and groundnut processing)
    • Storage methods

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify the importance of agricultural processing
    • Differentiate between various methods of processing agricultural produce
    • Compare different storage methods
    • Apply different storage methods
  46. Introduction to Biotechnology

    Contents

    • Basic terms (tissue and anther culture, in vitro fertilization, genetic engineering)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Use basic terms in biotechnology
    • Provide reasons for the importance and application of biotechnology
  47. Application of ICT in Agriculture

    Contents

    • Features of computers
    • Uses of computers in agriculture (disease and weather forecasting, ration formulation, database and simulation studies)
    • Use of communication gadgets to enhance agricultural production (mobile phone, internet)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Identify various components of a computer
    • Use the computer to enhance agricultural practices
    • Use communication gadgets to enhance agricultural production
  48. Introduction to Agricultural Research and Statistics

    Contents

    • Basic concepts in planning agricultural experiments (hypothesis, treatment, control)
    • Interpretation of results (measures of central tendency and experimental errors)

    Objectives — candidates should be able to:

    • Use basic concepts in agricultural experiments
    • Draw inferences from experimental results
    • Compute simple measures of central tendency

Recommended Texts

  • Adeniyi, M. O. et al. (1999). Countdown to Senior Secondary Certificate Examination Agricultural Science. Ibadan: Evans.
  • Akinsanmi, A. O. (2000). Junior Secondary Agricultural Science. UK: Longman.
  • Akinsanmi, O. A. (2000). Senior Secondary Agricultural Science. UK: Longman.
  • Anthonio, Q. B. O. (1999). General Agriculture for West Africa. London: George Allen.
  • Are, L. A. et al. (2010). Comprehensive Certificate Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary School. University Press Plc.
  • Egbuna, C. K. et al. (2014). Modern Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools. Extension Publication.
  • Emmanuel, C. A. (2003). A Dictionary of Agriculture. Makurdi, Benue: Agitab Publisher.
  • Falusi, A. O. and Adeleye, I. O. A. (2000). Agricultural Science for Junior Secondary Schools Books 1-3. Ibadan: Onibonoje.
  • Komolafe, M. F., Adegbola, A. A., Are, L. A. and Ashaye, T. I. (2004). Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools 1, 2 and 3. Ibadan: University Press Ltd.
  • Philips, T. A. (1986). Agricultural Notebook. Lagos: Longman.
  • STAN (1999). Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools. Lagos: Longman.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus organized?
The syllabus is divided into five sections: A) General Agriculture, B) Agronomy, C) Animal Production, D) Agricultural Economics and Extension, and E) Agricultural Technology. Together these span roughly 48 topics covering crop science, livestock, soil, farm economics and farm technology.
What are the aims of the JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus?
It aims to stimulate and sustain candidates' interest in Agriculture, help them acquire basic knowledge and practical skills, develop the ability to interpret and use data, and stimulate their ability to make deductions using acquired agricultural knowledge.
Which section has the most topics?
Agronomy (Section B) is the largest, with 16 topics ranging from rocks and soil formation through soil fertility, crop husbandry, weeds, crop diseases and pests, to crop improvement. Animal Production follows with 10 topics.
What crops should I study under Crop Husbandry?
The syllabus groups crops into ten categories: cereals, legumes, tubers, vegetables and spices, fruits, beverages, oils, latex, fibres and sugars. For each you should know common and scientific names, morphology, propagation, husbandry, harvesting, processing, storage, common pests and diseases, and economic importance.
Does the JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus include any calculations?
Yes. Candidates are expected to compute simple genetic probability ratios, plant density per hectare, fertilizer ratios, soil constituent proportions, elasticity of demand and supply, gross and net margins, depreciation and salvage value, and simple measures of central tendency.
Is modern technology covered in the syllabus?
Yes. Section E (Agricultural Technology) covers farm surveying, farm tools, machinery and implements, mechanization, processing and storage, an introduction to biotechnology (tissue culture, in vitro fertilization, genetic engineering) and the application of ICT in agriculture.
How is JAMB Agricultural Science tested in the UTME?
Like other UTME subjects, it is examined as objective multiple-choice questions drawn from across all five sections. Questions test recall, interpretation of data, and the ability to apply and make deductions from agricultural knowledge, so candidates should cover every topic rather than focusing on a single section.
What textbooks are recommended for JAMB Agricultural Science?
The syllabus lists standard Nigerian texts including Anthonio's General Agriculture for West Africa, Komolafe et al.'s Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools, Akinsanmi's Senior Secondary Agricultural Science, the STAN Agricultural Science series, and Are et al.'s Comprehensive Certificate Agricultural Science.

Source: the official JAMB UTME syllabus (jamb.gov.ng / IBASS). Always confirm details against the official syllabus.

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