JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus.

About this syllabus official

Summarised from the examining body's own published syllabus. 45 topics, verified 2026-10-24.

Current UTME syllabus as served by IBASS on 2026-10-24; JAMB does not print the applicable years in this document.

Structure (sections, topics, contents and objectives) summarised from JAMB's publicly published UTME syllabus, with citation and link. The document itself is not reproduced or redistributed.

Source: https://ibass.jamb.gov.ng/static/media/AgricPdf.9465f3cd595e9542868a.pdf

Source: https://ibass.jamb.gov.ng/e-syllabus

General objectives

• stimulate and sustain interest in agriculture
• acquire basic knowledge and practical skills in agriculture
• acquire knowledge of interpretation and use of data
• make deductions using acquired knowledge in agriculture

Topics

1. Meaning and scope of agriculture (SS 1-3)

• definition of agriculture
• branches of agriculture
• types of agriculture: subsistence and commercial

You should be able to:

• use the definition of agriculture in modern terms as it relates to production, processing and marketing
• differentiate between the branches of agriculture
• differentiate between the types of agriculture, their advantages, disadvantages and problems

2. Importance of agriculture (SS 1-3)

• provision of raw materials for agro-allied industries
• provision of employment
• development of rural areas

You should be able to:

• relate agricultural benefits to individual farmers
• relate agro-allied industries to their raw materials
• relate the contributions of agriculture to economic development in West Africa

3. Agricultural ecology (SS 1-3)

• ecological zones of West Africa
• agricultural products of each ecological zone
• environmental factors and their effects on crop and livestock production

You should be able to:

• differentiate between the features of the ecological zones in West Africa
• classify agricultural products by ecological zone
• differentiate abiotic from biotic factors affecting agricultural production

4. Agricultural genetics (SS 1-3)

• first and second laws of Mendel
• cell division
• terminologies, e.g. locus, alleles, genotype, dominance
• methods of crop improvement, e.g. introduction, selection, crossing, quarantine
• methods of animal improvement, e.g. introduction, breeding, quarantine, selection; breeding systems: inbreeding, line-breeding, cross-breeding, artificial insemination

You should be able to:

• apply Mendel's first and second laws to genetics
• differentiate between the types of cell division
• determine the outcome of genetic crosses involving homozygous and heterozygous traits
• compute simple probability ratios
• give reasons for crop improvement and distinguish methods with their advantages and disadvantages
• give reasons for animal improvement and differentiate methods with their advantages and disadvantages

5. Farm inputs (SS 1-3)

• planting materials, agrochemicals, etc.

You should be able to:

• classify types of farm inputs and their uses

6. History of agricultural development in West Africa (SS 1-3)

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

You should be able to:

• compare agricultural systems
• identify problems of agricultural development, their effects and solutions
• trace the history of research institutes from past to 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 (SS 1-3)

• fiscal policies favourable to agricultural production, e.g. import duties, ban on importation
• agricultural laws and reforms, e.g. Land Use Act
• government programmes, e.g. subsidies, credit facilities
• provision of infrastructure, e.g. transport and communication systems
• contribution of NGOs to agricultural development

You should be able to:

• evaluate the effects of government policies on agricultural development
• identify agricultural laws and their effect on production
• identify agricultural incentives provided by government and assess their effects
• compare infrastructural facilities provided by government and their uses
• examine the roles of NGOs in agricultural development

8. Rocks and soil formation (SS 1-3)

• rock formation
• factors affecting rock weathering and soil formation
• physical properties of soil: soil profile; soil components, texture and structure
• chemical properties of soil: acidity and alkalinity; chemical components (e.g. silicate)

You should be able to:

• identify the major types of rocks and their formation
• identify major types and properties of soils and the factors and processes of soil formation
• differentiate between the horizons in a soil profile
• differentiate between the components of soil
• compute the proportion of soil components
• analyse soil into its component parts
• determine the water-holding capacity of soil
• determine the soil pH

9. Soil water and soil conservation (SS 1-3)

• soil water: importance, sources, movement, management and 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

You should be able to:

• compare capillary, gravitational and hygroscopic water
• determine water-holding capacity, wilting points and plant available/unavailable water
• identify methods of soil water management and conservation
• identify the causes of erosion and leaching
• determine control methods
• classify irrigation and drainage systems
• examine the importance and challenges of irrigation and drainage

10. Soil fertility (SS 1-3)

• macro- and micro-nutrients and their roles in plant nutrition; carbon, water and nitrogen cycles
• living population of the soil (flora and fauna) and their roles in soil fertility
• maintenance of soil fertility, e.g. cover crops, organic manures
• nutrient deficiency symptoms, e.g. chlorosis, sickle leaves, stunting, apical necrosis

You 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 methods of maintaining soil fertility
• differentiate between organic and inorganic fertilizers and their methods of application
• determine common fertilizer ratios
• identify deficiency symptoms and their causes
• suggest remedies

11. Land preparation and soil tillage (SS 1-3)

• principles and practices of land preparation and soil tillage
• factors affecting choice of tillage methods: zero tillage, minimum tillage, etc.

You should be able to:

• compare methods of land preparation and tillage in relation to groups of crops
• state the advantages and disadvantages of the methods
• give reasons for the choice of tillage methods

12. Plant forms and functions (SS 1-3)

• parts of monocot and dicot crop plants and their functions
• anatomy and morphology of storage organs of common crop plants

You should be able to:

• identify crop plant parts and their functions
• distinguish between monocot and dicot crop plants
• identify the storage organs of crop plants

13. Growth, development and reproduction (SS 1-3)

• gametogenesis
• pollination
• fertilization
• embryo formation and development

You should be able to:

• examine the process of gamete formation
• identify the types of pollination
• analyse the process of fertilization
• trace embryo formation and development to the formation of seeds and fruits

14. Plant propagation methods (SS 1-3)

• sexual: use of seeds, seed viability, viability test, seed rate, seed germination
• asexual (vegetative propagation), e.g. cutting, budding, grafting, layering
• nursery and nursery management

You should be able to:

• classify crops propagated by sexual methods
• determine seed viability and seed rate
• differentiate between types of seed germination
• examine the conditions for seed germination
• classify crops by vegetative propagation method
• determine appropriate nursery sites and types, with advantages and disadvantages
• apply the techniques of transplanting seedlings

15. Cropping systems, planting patterns and plant densities (SS 1-3)

• cropping systems: monocropping, mixed, multiple, inter-, relay, strip and rotational cropping
• planting patterns: broadcasting, row spacing, drilling
• plant densities: single, double and multiple stands

You should be able to:

• identify and compare cropping systems
• apply cropping systems to solve agricultural problems
• differentiate between planting patterns
• examine types of plant densities and their effects on crop yield
• compute plant density per hectare

16. Crop husbandry (SS 1-3)

• common and scientific names, gross morphology, anatomy of storage organs, propagation, husbandry, harvesting, processing, storage, diseases and pests, and economic importance of:
• Group 1: cereals, e.g. maize, guinea corn, rice
• Group 2: legumes, e.g. cowpea, groundnut, soyabean
• Group 3: tubers, e.g. yam, cassava, sweet potatoes
• Group 4: vegetables and spices, e.g. tomatoes, eggplant, pepper, onions, okra, cabbage, Amaranthus sp.
• Group 5: fruits, e.g. citrus, pineapple, pawpaw
• Group 6: beverages, e.g. cocoa, kola, coffee
• Group 7: oils, e.g. oil palm, coconut, shea butter
• Group 8: latex, e.g. para rubber, gum arabic
• Group 9: fibres, e.g. jute, cotton, sisal hemp
• Group 10: sugars, e.g. sugarcane, beet

You should be able to:

• apply the methods of propagation, husbandry, harvesting, processing and storage for each crop
• identify common diseases and pests and their effects on yield
• determine the economic importance of each crop
• relate their importance to national economic development

17. Pasture and forage crops (SS 1-3)

• gross morphology, propagation and husbandry of common pasture grasses and legumes; establishment, maintenance, conservation and uses
• natural grasslands and their distribution in West Africa
• range management

You should be able to:

• classify common grasses and legumes used as pasture and forage
• differentiate between pasture and forage crops by common and scientific names
• distinguish methods of conserving pastures, e.g. hay- and silage-making
• relate vegetation zones to their dominant pasture species
• determine range types and utilization of range resources in Nigeria

18. Floriculture (SS 1-3)

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

You should be able to:

• distinguish between common ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers
• determine their uses and maintenance

19. Weeds (SS 1-3)

• gross morphology, reproduction, dispersal and effects of weeds
• weed control methods: weeding, mulching, cover cropping, tillage, herbicides, trap cropping

You should be able to:

• identify weeds by common and scientific names
• classify weeds by mode of dispersal
• identify the characteristic features of weeds
• apply weed control methods

20. Crop diseases (SS 1-3)

• identification of disease-causing organisms in store and field
• diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses: symptoms, damage, transmission and control
• side effects of preventive and control methods, e.g. pollution, poisoning, disruption of ecosystem

You should be able to:

• distinguish between common store and field disease-causing organisms
• relate disease-causing organisms to damage, symptoms and mode of spread
• apply appropriate control methods
• relate each control method to its side effect

21. Crop pests (SS 1-3)

• field and store pests: types, importance, principles and methods of prevention and control
• life cycles of biting insects (e.g. grasshopper), boring insects (e.g. weevils) and sucking insects (e.g. aphids, cotton stainer)
• common pesticides and their side effects

You should be able to:

• identify field and store pests
• assess their economic importance
• relate prevention and control methods to different pests
• describe the life cycles of the insects
• apply knowledge of life cycles to prevention and control
• differentiate between common pesticides
• examine their mode of action on pests

22. Forest management (silviculture) (SS 1-3)

• importance: wood, pulp, fibre and other forest products
• conservation: regulation, exploitation, regeneration, afforestation, agro-forestry; management systems (taungya, alley, ley, etc.)

You should be able to:

• relate forest products to their uses
• compare forest conservation methods
• apply the methods appropriately

23. Forms and classification of major farm animals in West Africa (SS 1-3)

• species, breeds, distribution and uses
• external features of cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, rabbits and poultry

You should be able to:

• classify breeds of farm animals
• locate where they are found
• identify the uses of different species
• identify their characteristic features

24. General terminologies in animal production (SS 1-3)

• common terms in animal husbandry, e.g. calving, kidding, castrate, tupping, veal, mutton

You should be able to:

• distinguish between terms used in animal husbandry

25. Anatomy and physiology of farm animals (SS 1-3)

• functions of tissues and organs
• body systems: digestive (ruminant and non-ruminant), reproductive, respiratory, urinary (excretory), nervous
• effect of environmental change (e.g. climate change: temperature, relative humidity, light) on physiological development

You should be able to:

• distinguish between functions of tissues and organs of farm animals
• compare body systems in farm animals
• determine the effects of climate change on farm animals

26. Reproduction in farm animals (SS 1-3)

• gametogenesis, oestrus cycle, signs of heat and heat periods, secondary sexual characters, gestation periods, parturition, role of hormones
• development, nourishment and birth of the young; mammary glands and lactation
• egg formation, incubation and hatching in poultry

You should be able to:

• give an account of reproduction in farm animals
• determine the role of hormones in reproduction
• trace development from fertilization to birth and care of the young
• trace egg formation and incubation in poultry

27. Animal nutrition (SS 1-3)

• feed nutrients and functions
• feeds and feeding: simple ration formulation; balanced ration; pasture/forage crops (e.g. guinea grass, elephant grass, giant star grass, Andropogon sp., Calopogonium sp.); hay and silage preparation; maintenance and production rations
• nutrient deficiencies: causes, symptoms and correction

You should be able to:

• identify feed nutrients, their sources and functions
• differentiate between types of animal feeds and their formulation
• relate types of rations to classes of livestock
• trace symptoms to nutrient deficiencies
• apply corrective measures to nutrient deficiencies

28. Livestock management (SS 1-3)

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

You should be able to:

• apply management practices for farm animals

29. Animal health (SS 1-3)

• animal diseases: predisposing environmental factors; causal organisms, symptoms, transmission and effects; preventive and curative methods for viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoan diseases
• parasites: life cycles and economic importance of endoparasites, ectoparasites and disease vectors; prevention and control (dipping, spraying, deworming, sanitation)

You should be able to:

• identify diseases of farm animals and causative agents
• classify livestock diseases by symptoms and mode of transmission
• apply preventive and curative measures
• classify livestock parasites
• determine their role in disease transmission
• trace parasite life cycles from egg to adult
• apply prevention and control methods against parasites

30. Fisheries and wildlife (SS 1-3)

• fish culture systems; common fishes (e.g. tilapia, catfish): extensive (inland and deep-sea fishing, lakes, rivers), semi-intensive (dams), intensive (fish ponds: establishment and management, e.g. fertilization, liming, desilting)
• fish harvesting and processing: drag nets, hook and line; curing, sun-drying, smoking; fishery regulations
• wildlife management: habitat conservation, feeding, domestication, harvesting, processing, wildlife regulations

You should be able to:

• identify common fishes in West Africa
• differentiate between systems of fish farming in West Africa
• determine factors to consider in intensive fish farming
• assess fish harvesting and processing methods
• determine appropriate methods of catching fish
• identify methods of fish preservation
• identify fishery regulations in Nigeria
• identify animals in West African game reserves
• give reasons for the establishment of game reserves
• identify common wildlife regulations

31. Bee-keeping (apiculture) (SS 1-3)

• meaning and importance of apiculture
• types of bees, e.g. exotic and indigenous
• methods of bee-keeping, e.g. traditional and modern
• equipment and safety measures

You should be able to:

• relate bee-keeping to economic development
• differentiate between types of bees
• classify methods of bee-keeping
• identify bee-keeping equipment, their uses and precautionary measures

32. Factors of agricultural production (SS 1-3)

• land: types of land ownership in West Africa
• labour
• capital
• management

You should be able to:

• explain the meaning of land and state its uses
• identify forms of land ownership and their effects on agriculture
• differentiate features of land and their effects on land use
• differentiate types and sources of labour and their effects on production
• compare sources of capital and associated problems
• determine the functions of a farm manager

33. Basic economic principles (SS 1-3)

• demand and supply
• production function: input/input, output/output and input/output relationships; stages of production; diminishing returns; scale of preference and choice
• characteristic features of agricultural production: small farm holdings, biological limits, susceptibility to climate, seasonality, price elasticity of demand and supply

You should be able to:

• relate demand to supply in agricultural production
• interpret graphs of demand and supply
• relate input to output
• deduce economic concepts from graphs
• distinguish the common features of agricultural production and produce
• compute elasticity of demand and supply

34. Labour management (SS 1-3)

• labour relations: supervision, etc.
• types of labour: permanent labour, etc.
• national labour laws and regulations

You should be able to:

• identify ways of achieving labour efficiency
• differentiate between types and sources of labour
• apply national labour laws and regulations

35. Farm management (SS 1-3)

• qualities, functions and problems of a farm manager
• records and record-keeping: types and importance; livestock records; profit and loss account
• stock evaluation: gross and net profits; appreciation, depreciation and salvage value
• agricultural insurance: meaning, importance, types, problems
• agricultural financing: meaning, importance, types, problems

You should be able to:

• identify the qualities, functions and problems of a farm manager
• differentiate between types of farm records and give reasons for keeping them
• determine gross and net margins, appreciation, depreciation and salvage value
• examine the relevance of agricultural insurance and determine the appropriate scheme and its problems
• identify the relevance and problems of agricultural finance

36. Marketing of agricultural produce (SS 1-3)

• importance of marketing
• marketing channels
• characteristics of agricultural products affecting their marketing

You should be able to:

• evaluate the importance of agricultural marketing
• classify marketing agents and their functions
• determine ways marketing channels pose problems
• determine characteristics of agricultural products affecting their marketing

37. Agricultural extension (SS 1-3)

• meaning and importance
• role of agricultural development programmes, universities, research institutes and farmers' organizations (cooperative societies)
• extension methods: demonstration plots, visual aids, mass media, etc.
• problems of agricultural extension in West Africa and possible solutions

You should be able to:

• identify the importance of agricultural extension
• analyse the roles of government and NGOs in extension education
• differentiate between extension methods
• examine the problems of agricultural extension in West Africa and provide solutions

38. Farm surveying and farmstead planning (SS 1-3)

• meaning and importance
• common surveying equipment, uses and care
• common survey methods
• principles of farmstead planning

You should be able to:

• examine the relevance of farm surveying to agriculture
• classify surveying equipment, their uses and care
• differentiate between common survey methods
• apply survey principles to farmstead layout
• identify factors to be considered in farmstead planning

39. Simple farm tools (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

• identify simple farm tools
• use and maintain farm tools
• compare the advantages and disadvantages of simple farm tools

40. Farm machinery and implements (SS 1-3)

• types: machinery (e.g. tractor, milking machine) and implements
• uses and maintenance

You should be able to:

• identify common farm machinery and implements
• classify farm machinery by use
• operate farm machines and implements
• apply maintenance routines to farm machines and implements

41. Mechanization and sources of farm power (SS 1-3)

• sources of farm power, e.g. animals and machines
• advantages and disadvantages of agricultural mechanization
• problems and prospects of mechanized agriculture in West Africa

You should be able to:

• compare sources of farm power and their application
• distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of mechanization
• assess the problems and prospects of mechanized agriculture in West Africa

42. Processing and storage (SS 1-3)

• processing: traditional and modern methods, e.g. gari, rice and groundnut processing
• storage

You should be able to:

• identify the importance of agricultural processing
• differentiate between methods of processing agricultural produce
• identify and compare storage methods
• apply appropriate storage methods to different crops

43. Introduction to biotechnology (SS 1-3)

• basic terms, e.g. tissue and anther culture, in vitro fertilization, genetic engineering

You should be able to:

• use basic terms in biotechnology
• give reasons for the importance and application of biotechnology

44. Application of ICT in agriculture (SS 1-3)

• features of computers
• uses of computers in agriculture: disease and weather forecasting, ration formulation, database and simulation studies
• communication gadgets, e.g. mobile phone, internet

You should be able to:

• identify the components of a computer
• use the computer to enhance agricultural practices
• use communication gadgets to improve agricultural production

45. Introduction to agricultural research and statistics (SS 1-3)

• basic concepts in planning agricultural experiments, e.g. hypothesis, treatment and control
• interpretation of results, e.g. measures of central tendency and experimental errors

You should be able to:

• use basic concepts in agricultural experiments
• draw inferences from experimental results
• compute simple measures of central tendency

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