Last updated: October, 2026
Writing Agricultural Science in the 2027 UTME? The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) syllabus tells you exactly what the examiners can ask, so you do not waste time reading what will not come out.
This page lists every topic in the official JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus, the skills you are expected to show on each one, and the textbooks JAMB recommends. You will also find a six-week study plan, sample questions and answers to frequently asked questions.
Note that JAMB lists this subject as “Agriculture” in its official syllabus document. It is the same subject people call Agricultural Science or Agric.
Quick Facts
- Exam: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), computer-based
- Subject: Agricultural Science (Agriculture)
- Syllabus sections: 5 (General Agriculture, Agronomy, Animal Production, Agricultural Economics and Extension, Agricultural Technology)
- Total topics: 45 main topics across the five sections
- Biggest section: Agronomy (15 topics)
- Source: Official JAMB syllabus
In This Guide
- Aim and objectives of the syllabus
- The five sections at a glance
- Detailed syllabus (topics and what you should be able to do)
- Recommended textbooks
- Six-week study plan
- Sample questions
- Subject combinations
- FAQs
Aim and Objectives
The aim of the UTME Agriculture syllabus is to prepare candidates for the Board’s examination and test how well they have achieved the course objectives. Candidates are expected to:
- Stimulate and sustain their interest in Agriculture.
- Acquire basic knowledge and practical skills in Agriculture.
- Acquire the knowledge of interpretation and the use of data.
- Stimulate their ability to make deductions using the acquired knowledge in Agriculture.
The Five Sections at a Glance
- Section A: General Agriculture (7 topics): scope, ecology, genetics, farm inputs, history and government roles
- Section B: Agronomy (15 topics): soils, crops, weeds, pests, diseases and forestry
- Section C: Animal Production (9 topics): farm animals, nutrition, health, fisheries and bee-keeping
- Section D: Agricultural Economics and Extension (6 topics): production factors, economics, farm management and marketing
- Section E: Agricultural Technology (8 topics): tools, machinery, processing, biotechnology, ICT and research
Detailed Syllabus
Section A: General Agriculture
- Meaning and Scope of Agriculture
- Definition, branches, and types (subsistence and commercial)
- You should be able to: define Agriculture in modern terms, and differentiate the branches and types with their advantages, disadvantages and problems.
- Importance of Agriculture
- Raw materials for agro-allied industries, employment, rural development
- You should be able to: relate agricultural benefits to farmers, link industries to their raw materials, and explain Agriculture’s contribution to West African economic development.
- Agricultural Ecology
- Ecological zones of West Africa, products of each zone, environmental factors affecting crops and livestock
- You should be able to: differentiate zone features, classify products by zone, and tell abiotic factors from biotic factors.
- Agricultural Genetics
- Mendel’s first and second laws, cell division, terms such as locus, alleles, genotype and dominance
- Crop improvement (introduction, selection, crossing, quarantine) and animal improvement (introduction, breeding, quarantine, selection, inbreeding, line-breeding, crossbreeding, artificial insemination)
- You should be able to: apply Mendel’s laws, predict outcomes of genetic crosses, compute simple probability ratios, and compare improvement methods.
- Farm Inputs
- Planting materials, agrochemicals and similar inputs
- You should be able to: classify farm inputs and state their uses.
- History of Agricultural Development in West Africa
- Agricultural systems (shifting cultivation, bush fallowing), problems of development (land tenure, poor infrastructure, finance, environmental degradation)
- Research institutes (NCRI, IAR, IAR&T, CRIN, NIFOR, FRIN, RRI, NRCRI, NIHORT, LCRI) and international ones (IITA, ILRI, ICRISAT, WARDA)
- Agricultural Development Projects (RTEP, FADAMA) and national programmes (OFN, NAFPP, NALDA, Green Revolution, NCRPs, NARP, PCU)
- You should be able to: compare systems, identify problems and solutions, trace the history of research institutes, and evaluate national programmes.
- Roles of Government and NGOs in Agricultural Development
- Fiscal policies (import duties, import bans), agricultural laws (Land Use Act), subsidies and credit, infrastructure, NGO contributions
- You should be able to: evaluate policy effects, identify incentives and laws, and examine the role of NGOs.
Section B: Agronomy
- Rocks and Soil Formation
- Rock formation, factors affecting weathering and soil formation
- Physical properties (soil profile, components, texture, structure) and chemical properties (acidity, alkalinity, chemical components)
- You should be able to: identify rock types, differentiate soil horizons, compute the proportion of soil components, and determine soil pH and water-holding capacity.
- Soil Water and Soil Conservation
- Soil water sources, movement and management; causes and control of leaching and erosion; irrigation and drainage
- You should be able to: compare capillary, gravitational and hygroscopic water, work out wilting points, and classify irrigation and drainage systems.
- Soil Fertility
- Macro and micro-nutrients, carbon, water and nitrogen cycles, soil flora and fauna, maintaining fertility, nutrient deficiency symptoms (chlorosis, stunting, apical necrosis)
- You should be able to: classify plant nutrients, compare fertility methods, differentiate organic from inorganic fertilizer, and determine common fertilizer ratios.
- Land Preparation and Soil Tillage
- Principles and practices, choice of tillage method (zero tillage, minimum tillage)
- You should be able to: compare methods and give reasons for the choice of tillage.
- Plant Forms and Functions
- Parts of monocot and dicot plants, anatomy and morphology of storage organs
- You should be able to: identify plant parts and storage organs and distinguish monocots from dicots.
- Growth, Development and Reproduction
- Gametogenesis, pollination, fertilization, embryo formation and development
- You should be able to: examine gamete formation, identify types of pollination, and trace development to seeds and fruits.
- Plant Propagation Methods
- Sexual (seeds, viability test, seed rate, germination), asexual (cutting, budding, grafting, layering), nursery management
- You should be able to: determine seed viability and seed rate, differentiate types of germination, and apply transplanting techniques.
- Cropping Systems, Planting Patterns and Plant Densities
- Monocropping, mixed, multiple, inter, relay, strip and rotational cropping; broadcasting, row spacing and drilling; single, double and multiple stands
- You should be able to: compare cropping systems and patterns, and compute plant density per hectare.
- Crop Husbandry
- Names, morphology, propagation, husbandry, harvesting, processing, storage, pests, diseases and economic importance of ten crop groups: cereals, legumes, tubers, vegetables and spices, fruits, beverages, oils, latex, fibres and sugars
- You should be able to: apply husbandry methods to each crop group, identify common pests and diseases, and relate crop importance to national development.
- Pasture and Forage Crops
- Morphology, propagation and husbandry of pasture grasses and legumes, natural grasslands in West Africa, range management
- You should be able to: classify pasture and forage crops, compare hay and silage making, and determine range types in Nigeria.
- Floriculture
- Identification, establishment, maintenance and uses of ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers
- Weeds
- Morphology, reproduction, dispersal and effects of weeds; control by weeding, mulching, cover cropping, tillage, herbicides and trap cropping
- You should be able to: identify and classify weeds and apply control methods.
- Crop Diseases
- Disease-causing organisms in the field and in store, diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses, side effects of control methods
- You should be able to: relate organisms to symptoms and spread, apply control methods, and link each method to its side effect.
- Crop Pests
- Field and store pests, life cycles of biting insects (grasshopper), boring insects (weevils) and sucking insects (aphids, cotton strainer), common pesticides and their side effects
- You should be able to: assess economic importance, describe life cycles, and examine how pesticides act.
- Forest Management (Silviculture)
- Importance of forests, conservation, regeneration, afforestation, agro-forestry, taungya, alley and ley systems
- You should be able to: relate forest products to their uses and compare conservation methods.
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Section C: Animal Production
- Forms and Classification of Major Farm Animals in West Africa
- Species, breeds, distribution, uses, and external features of cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, rabbits and poultry
- General Terminologies in Animal Production
- Terms such as calving, kidding, castrate, tupping, veal and mutton
- Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals
- Tissues and organs, body systems (digestive in ruminants and non-ruminants, reproductive, respiratory, urinary, nervous), effect of climate change
- Reproduction in Farm Animals
- Gametogenesis, oestrus cycle, signs of heat, gestation, parturition, hormones, lactation, egg formation, incubation and hatching in poultry
- Animal Nutrition
- Feed nutrients and functions, ration formulation, pasture and forage crops, hay and silage, maintenance and production rations, nutrient deficiencies
- Livestock Management
- Housing, feeding, sanitation and veterinary care under intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems
- Animal Health
- Diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa, parasites and their life cycles, prevention and control (dipping, spraying, deworming, sanitation)
- Fisheries and Wildlife
- Fish culture systems (extensive, semi-intensive, intensive), pond management (fertilization, liming, desilting), harvesting and processing (drag nets, hook and line, curing, sun-drying, smoking), fishery regulations, wildlife management
- Bee-keeping (Apiculture)
- Importance, types of bees, traditional and modern methods, equipment and safety
You should be able to, across Section C: classify breeds, compare body systems, trace reproduction from fertilization to birth, formulate simple rations, identify diseases and parasites with their control methods, and apply the right management practice for each class of livestock.
Section D: Agricultural Economics and Extension
- Factors of Agricultural Production
- Land (including types of land ownership in West Africa), labour, capital and management
- Basic Economic Principles
- Demand and supply, production function, stages of production, diminishing returns, characteristics of agricultural production
- You should be able to: interpret demand and supply graphs and compute elasticity.
- Labour Management
- Labour relations, types of labour, national labour laws
- Farm Management
- Qualities and functions of a farm manager, record-keeping, stock evaluation (gross and net profit, appreciation, depreciation, salvage value), agricultural insurance and financing
- You should be able to: determine gross and net margins and salvage value.
- Marketing of Agricultural Produce
- Importance, marketing channels, characteristics of agricultural products that affect marketing
- Agricultural Extension
- Meaning and importance, roles of ADPs, universities, research institutes and cooperatives, extension methods (demonstration plots, visual aids, mass media), problems and solutions in West Africa
Section E: Agricultural Technology
- Farm Surveying and Farmstead Planning
- Importance, equipment, survey methods, principles of farmstead planning
- Simple Farm Tools
- Identification, use, maintenance and comparison
- Farm Machinery and Implements
- Types (tractor, milking machine), uses and maintenance
- Mechanization and Sources of Farm Power
- Animal and machine power, advantages and disadvantages, problems and prospects in West Africa
- Processing and Storage
- Traditional and modern processing (gari, rice, groundnut), storage methods
- Introduction to Biotechnology
- Tissue and anther culture, in vitro fertilization, genetic engineering
- Application of ICT in Agriculture
- Features of computers, uses in disease and weather forecasting, ration formulation, databases and simulation, communication gadgets
- Introduction to Agricultural Research and Statistics
- Hypothesis, treatment and control, measures of central tendency, experimental errors
- You should be able to: draw inferences from results and compute simple measures of central tendency.
Recommended Textbooks
JAMB lists these texts for Agriculture:
- 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 to 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.
Six-Week Study Plan
- Week 1: Section A. Spend extra time on genetics, because it has calculation questions.
- Week 2: Section B, topics 1 to 4 (soils, water, fertility, tillage).
- Week 3: Section B, topics 5 to 15 (plants, propagation, crop husbandry, weeds, pests, diseases, forestry).
- Week 4: Section C (animal production, health, fisheries, bee-keeping).
- Week 5: Sections D and E. Practise the computations on elasticity, margins, depreciation and plant density.
- Week 6: Revise weak topics and practise past questions under timed conditions.
Tips:
- Agronomy carries the most topics, so give it the most study time.
- Learn the crop groups with examples, because crop husbandry questions are broad.
- Practise calculation topics: Mendelian ratios, fertilizer ratios, plant density, elasticity and gross margin.
- Use the syllabus objectives as a checklist. If you cannot do what an objective says, you are not ready on that topic.
Sample Questions
- Mendel’s first law is also known as the law of A. segregation B. independent assortment C. dominance D. linkage Answer: A
- A soil with a pH below 7 is A. alkaline B. neutral C. acidic D. saline Answer: C
- Which of the following is a legume? A. Maize B. Cowpea C. Yam D. Cocoa Answer: B
- Growing different crops on the same piece of land in a planned order over the years is called A. mixed cropping B. relay cropping C. crop rotation D. monocropping Answer: C
- Grass preserved in a moist, succulent state for feeding livestock is called A. hay B. silage C. concentrate D. fodder meal Answer: B
Subject Combinations
Agricultural Science is commonly required for courses such as Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Science, Crop Science, Fisheries, Forestry and Food Science. Always check your chosen course and university in the JAMB brochure for the exact combination.
Related:Â JAMB Subject Combination for Social Science and Management Students | JAMB Brochure | JAMB Recommended Textbooks for All Subjects | JAMB UTME Registration Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus? It is the official JAMB document that lists the topics and learning objectives candidates must cover for Agriculture in the UTME.
How many sections are in the JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus? Five: General Agriculture, Agronomy, Animal Production, Agricultural Economics and Extension, and Agricultural Technology.
Is Agriculture the same as Agricultural Science in JAMB? Yes. The syllabus is titled “Agriculture”, but candidates and schools also call it Agricultural Science or Agric.
Which section has the most topics? Agronomy, with 15 topics covering soils, crops, weeds, pests, diseases and forestry.
Does the syllabus include calculations? Yes. Expect Mendelian ratios, fertilizer ratios, soil component proportions, plant density per hectare, elasticity of demand and supply, gross and net margins, and simple measures of central tendency.
Where can I get past questions for Agricultural Science?
Click here
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