The JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus contains the topics candidates are expected to study when preparing for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). It covers different areas of Agricultural Science, including General Agriculture, Agronomy, Animal Production, Agricultural Economics and Extension, and Agricultural Technology.
Going through the JAMB Syllabus for Agricultural Science can help you know what to study and organise your revision properly. It can also help you focus on the topics covered in the examination instead of spending time on areas that are not included.
Below is the complete JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus, including the topics and contents candidates should cover during their preparation.
JAMB Agricultural Science Syllabus
Section A: General Agriculture
| No. |
Topic |
Contents |
| 1 |
Meaning and Scope of Agriculture |
Definition of Agriculture; branches of Agriculture; types of Agriculture, including subsistence and commercial Agriculture |
| 2 |
Importance of Agriculture |
Provision of raw materials for agro-allied industries; provision of employment; rural development; other contributions of Agriculture to economic development |
| 3 |
Agricultural Ecology |
Ecological zones of West Africa; agricultural products of each zone; environmental factors affecting crop and livestock production |
| 4 |
Agricultural Genetics |
First and second laws of Mendel; cell division; locus; alleles; genotype; dominance; crop improvement through introduction, selection, crossing and quarantine; animal improvement through introduction, breeding, quarantine and selection; breeding systems such as inbreeding, line-breeding, crossbreeding and artificial insemination |
| 5 |
Farm Inputs |
Planting materials; agrochemicals; other farm inputs and their uses |
| 6 |
History of Agricultural Development in West Africa |
Agricultural systems such as shifting cultivation and bush fallowing; problems of agricultural development, including land tenure, inadequate infrastructure, inadequate finance and environmental degradation; national and international agricultural research institutes; Agricultural Development Projects; national agricultural programmes |
| 7 |
Roles of Government and NGOs in Agricultural Development |
Fiscal policies such as import duties and import bans; agricultural laws and reforms such as the Land Use Act; subsidies; credit facilities; transport; communication; contributions of NGOs to agricultural development |
Agricultural Research Institutes and Programmes
| Category |
Areas to Study |
| National Research Institutes |
NCRI, IAR, IAR&T, CRIN, NIFOR, FRIN, RRI, NRCRI, NIHORT, LCRI |
| International Research Institutes |
IITA, ILRI, ICRISAT, WARDA |
| Agricultural Development Projects |
RTEP, FADAMA |
| National Agricultural Programmes |
OFN, NAFPP, NALDA, Green Revolution, NCRPs, NARP, PCU |
Section B: Agronomy
| No. |
Topic |
Contents |
| 1 |
Rocks and Soil Formation |
Rock formation; factors affecting weathering and soil formation; physical properties of soil; soil profile; soil components; soil texture and structure; chemical properties of soil; soil acidity and alkalinity; chemical components of soil such as silicate |
| 2 |
Soil Water and Soil Conservation |
Importance, sources, movement, management and conservation of soil water; soil conservation; leaching; erosion; continuous cropping; burning; oxidation of organic matter; prevention and control of soil degradation; irrigation and drainage methods |
| 3 |
Soil Fertility |
Macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients; roles of nutrients in plant nutrition; carbon cycle; water cycle; nitrogen cycle; soil flora and fauna; maintenance of soil fertility; cover crops; organic manure; nutrient deficiency symptoms such as chlorosis, sickle leaves, stunting and apical necrosis |
| 4 |
Land Preparation and Soil Tillage |
Principles and practices of land preparation and soil tillage; factors affecting the choice of tillage methods; zero tillage; minimum tillage and other tillage methods |
| 5 |
Plant Forms and Functions |
Parts of monocot and dicot plants and their functions; anatomy of storage organs; morphology of storage organs |
| 6 |
Growth, Development and Reproduction |
Gametogenesis; pollination; fertilization; embryo formation; embryo development |
| 7 |
Plant Propagation |
Sexual propagation using seeds; seed viability; viability tests; seed rate; germination; asexual propagation through cutting, budding, grafting and layering; nursery sites; types of nurseries; nursery management; transplanting |
| 8 |
Cropping Systems, Planting Patterns and Plant Densities |
Monocropping; mixed cropping; multiple cropping; intercropping; relay cropping; strip cropping; rotational cropping; broadcasting; row spacing; drilling; single, double and multiple stands |
| 9 |
Crop Husbandry |
Cereals; legumes; tubers; vegetables and spices; fruits; beverages; oil crops; latex crops; fibre crops; sugar crops; common and scientific names; morphology; storage anatomy; propagation; husbandry; harvesting; processing; storage; diseases; pests; economic importance |
| 10 |
Pasture and Forage Crops |
Morphology of common pasture grasses and legumes; propagation; husbandry; establishment; maintenance; conservation; uses; natural grasslands in West Africa; range management |
| 11 |
Floriculture |
Ornamental trees; shrubs; flowers; establishment; maintenance; uses of ornamental plants |
| 12 |
Weeds |
Morphology; reproduction; dispersal; effects of weeds; weeding; mulching; cover cropping; tillage; herbicides; trap cropping |
| 13 |
Crop Diseases |
Disease-causing organisms in the field and in storage; fungal, bacterial, nematode and viral diseases; symptoms; damage; transmission; control methods; effects of control methods such as pollution, poisoning and disruption of ecosystems |
| 14 |
Crop Pests |
Field and storage pests; types; importance; prevention and control; life cycles of grasshopper, weevil, aphid and cotton strainer; pesticides; side effects of pesticide use |
| 15 |
Forest Management (Silviculture) |
Importance of forests; wood; pulp; fibre; other forest products; conservation; regulation; exploitation; regeneration; afforestation; agroforestry; taungya, alley and ley systems |
Crops Covered Under Crop Husbandry
| Crop Group |
Crops |
| Cereals |
Maize, guinea corn, rice |
| Legumes |
Cowpea, groundnut, soyabean |
| Tubers |
Yam, cassava, sweet potatoes |
| Vegetables and Spices |
Tomatoes, eggplant, pepper, onions, okra, cabbage, Amaranthus |
| Fruits |
Citrus, pineapple, pawpaw |
| Beverages |
Cocoa, kola, coffee |
| Oils |
Oil palm, coconut, shea butter |
| Latex |
Para rubber, gum arabic |
| Fibres |
Jute, cotton, sisal hemp |
| Sugars |
Sugarcane, beet |
Section C: Animal Production
| No. |
Topic |
Contents |
| 1 |
Forms and Classification of Major Farm Animals |
Species; breeds; distribution; uses; external features of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits and poultry |
| 2 |
Animal Production Terminologies |
Calving; kidding; castration; tupping; veal; mutton and other terms used in animal production |
| 3 |
Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals |
Tissues; organs; digestive system of ruminants and non-ruminants; reproductive system; respiratory system; urinary or excretory system; nervous system; effects of environmental changes; climate; temperature; humidity; light |
| 4 |
Reproduction in Farm Animals |
Gametogenesis; oestrus; signs of heat; heat periods; secondary sexual characteristics; gestation; parturition; reproductive hormones; development and nourishment of young animals; mammary glands; lactation; egg formation; incubation; hatching |
| 5 |
Animal Nutrition |
Types, sources and functions of nutrients; animal feeds; feeding methods; ration formulation; balanced ration; guinea grass; elephant grass; giant star grass; Andropogon; Calopogonium; hay; silage; maintenance ration; production ration; nutrient deficiencies, causes, symptoms and correction |
| 6 |
Livestock Management |
Housing; feeding; sanitation; veterinary care; management of ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry; intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems; management from birth to slaughter |
| 7 |
Animal Health |
Animal diseases; environmental factors; causal organisms; symptoms; transmission; effects; viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoan diseases; prevention and control; endoparasites; ectoparasites; vectors; dipping; spraying; deworming; sanitation |
| 8 |
Fisheries and Wildlife |
Fish production systems; tilapia; catfish; inland fishing; deep-sea fishing; lakes; rivers; dams; fish ponds; pond establishment and management; fertilization; liming; desilting; harvesting; curing; sun-drying; smoking; fishery regulations; wildlife habitat conservation; feeding; domestication; harvesting; processing; wildlife regulations |
| 9 |
Bee-Keeping |
Meaning and importance of bee-keeping; exotic and indigenous bees; traditional and modern bee-keeping; equipment; uses of equipment; safety measures |
Section D: Agricultural Economics and Extension
| No. |
Topic |
Contents |
| 1 |
Factors of Agricultural Production |
Land; types of land ownership; uses and features of land; labour; types and sources of labour; effects of labour; capital; sources and problems of capital; management; functions of a farm manager |
| 2 |
Basic Economic Principles |
Demand and supply; production function; input-input relationship; output-output relationship; input-output relationship; stages of production; law of diminishing returns; scale of preference; choice; characteristics of agricultural production; small farm holdings; biological limits; climate; seasonality; price elasticity |
| 3 |
Labour Management |
Labour relations; supervision; types of labour; permanent labour; national labour laws and regulations |
| 4 |
Farm Management |
Qualities, functions and problems of a farm manager; farm records; record-keeping; livestock records; profit and loss accounts; gross profit; net profit; appreciation; depreciation; salvage value; agricultural insurance; types and problems of agricultural insurance |
| 5 |
Marketing of Agricultural Produce |
Importance of agricultural marketing; marketing channels; marketing agents; functions of marketing agents; characteristics of agricultural products affecting marketing |
| 6 |
Agricultural Extension |
Meaning and importance of agricultural extension; roles of Agricultural Development Programmes, universities, research institutes and farmers' organisations; cooperative societies; demonstration plots; visual aids; mass media; problems of agricultural extension and possible solutions |
Section E: Agricultural Technology
| No. |
Topic |
Contents |
| 1 |
Farm Surveying and Farmstead Planning |
Meaning and importance of farm surveying; surveying equipment; uses and care of equipment; survey methods; principles of farmstead planning; factors affecting farmstead planning |
| 2 |
Simple Farm Tools |
Types of simple farm tools; uses; maintenance; advantages and disadvantages |
| 3 |
Farm Machinery and Implements |
Farm machinery such as tractors and milking machines; types and uses of farm implements; maintenance of machinery and implements |
| 4 |
Mechanization and Sources of Farm Power |
Animal power; machine power; advantages and disadvantages of mechanization; problems of mechanized agriculture in West Africa; prospects of mechanized agriculture |
| 5 |
Processing and Storage |
Traditional and modern food processing; gari processing; rice processing; groundnut processing; storage methods for agricultural produce |
| 6 |
Biotechnology |
Tissue culture; anther culture; in vitro fertilization; genetic engineering |
| 7 |
Application of ICT in Agriculture |
Features and components of computers; disease forecasting; weather forecasting; ration formulation; database management; simulation studies; mobile phones; internet and other communication gadgets |
| 8 |
Agricultural Research and Statistics |
Hypothesis; treatment; control; planning agricultural experiments; interpretation of results; measures of central tendency; experimental errors; agricultural statistics |
Recommended Textbooks for JAMB Agricultural Science
The following textbooks can be used by candidates preparing for the JAMB Agricultural Science examination:-
- Adeniyi, M. O. et al. (1999), Countdown to Senior Secondary Certificate Examination Agricultural Science, Ibadan: Evans.
- Akinsanmi, O. (2000), Junior Secondary Agricultural Science, UK: Longman.
- Akinsanmi, O. (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 Schools, University Press Plc.
- Egbuna, C. K. et al. (2014), Extension Modern Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools, Extension Publication.
- Emmanuel, C. A. (2003), A Dictionary of Agriculture, Benue: Agitab Publisher, Makurdi.
- 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.
- Daramola, A. M. et al. (1999), Exam Focus Agricultural Science for SSCE and JME.
If you have any questions about the JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus or any of the topics listed above, feel free to ask in the comment section below.
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