Current JAMB Syllabus For Agriculture [+Free PDF]

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See JAMB Agriculture syllabus with all the topics

Expect about 40 questions in your JAMB AGRIC EXAM from different topics under these 5 sections of the JAMB Agriculture syllabus:

GENERAL AGRICULTURE

1. Meaning and Scope of Agriculture.

• a. Definition of Agriculture.
• b. Branches of Agriculture.
• c. Types of Agriculture i.e. subsistence and commercial.

2. Importance of Agriculture.

• i. Provision of raw materials for agro-allied industries.
• ii. Provision of employment.
• iii. Development of rural areas, etc.

3. Agricultural Ecology.

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

4. Genetics.

• a. First and second laws of Mendel.
• b. Cell division.
• c. Terminologies e.g. locus, alleles, genotype, dominance.

5. Farm Inputs.

• e.g. planting materials, agrochemicals, etc.

6. History of Agricultural Development in West Africa.

• a. Agricultural systems e.g. shifting cultivation, bush fallowing, etc.
• b. Problems of Agricultural development e.g. land tenure systems, inadequate infrastructures, finance for agriculture, pollution, etc.
• c. Establishment of national research institutes e.g. NCRI, IAR, IAR&T, CRIN, NIFOR, FRIN, RRI, NRCRI, NIHORT, LCRI, etc. and international research institutes e.g. IITA, ILRI, ICRISAT, WARDA, etc., leading to increased application of science to the development of agriculture.
• d. Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) e.g. RTEP, FADAMA etc.
• e. National agricultural programmes such as OFN, NAFPP, NALDA, Green Revolution, NCRPs, NARP, Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) etc.

7. Roles of Government and NGOs in Agricultural Development.

• a. Development of fiscal policies favourable to agricultural production e.g. import duties, ban on importation, etc.
• b. Agricultural laws and reforms e.g Land Use Act.
• c. Government programmes aimed at agricultural development e.g. subsidies, credit facilities, etc.
• d. Provision of infrastructures e.g. transport systems, communication systems, etc.
• e. Contribution of NGOs to agricultural development.

AGRONOMY

1. Rocks and Soil formation.

• a. Factors affecting rock weathering and soil formation.
• b. Physical properties of soil.
  • i. Soil profile.
  • ii. Soil texture and structure.
• c. Chemical properties of soil.
  • i. Soil acidity and alkalinity.
  • ii. Chemical components of soil e.g. silicate.

2. Soil Water and Soil Conservation.

• a. Soil water: its importance, sources, movement, management and conservation.
• b. Soil conservation: meaning and importance, causes, effects, prevention and control of leaching, erosion, continuous cropping, burning and oxidation of organic matter.
• c. Irrigation and drainage methods.

3. Soil Fertility.

• a. Macro and micro-nutrients and their roles in plant nutrition: carbon, water and nitrogen cycles.
• b. The living population of the soil (flora and fauna), and their roles in soil fertility
• c. Maintenance of soil fertility:
• Methods of maintaining soil fertility e.g. use of cover crops, application of organic manures, etc.
• d. Nutrient deficiency symptoms e.g. chlorosis, sickle leaves, stunting, apical necrosis etc.

4. Land Preparation and Soil Tillage.

• a. Principles and practices of land preparation and soil tillage.
• b. Factors affecting choice of tillage methods: Zero tillage, minimum tillage, etc.

5. Plant Forms and Functions.

• a. Parts of monocot and dicot crop plants and their functions.
• b. The anatomy and morphology of the storage organs of common crop plants.

6. Growth, Development and Reproduction.

• a. Gametogenesis.
• b. Pollination.
• c. Fertilization.
• d. Embryo formation and development.

7. Plant Propagation Methods.

• a. Sexual: the use of seeds, seed viability, viability test, seed rate and seed germination.
• b. Asexual (vegetative propagation) e.g. cutting, budding, grafting, layering, etc.
• c. Nursery and nursery management.

8. Cropping Systems, Planting Patterns and Plant Densities.

• a. Cropping systems: Monocropping, mixed-, multiple-, inter-, relay-, strip and rotational cropping.
• b. Planting patterns: Broadcasting, row spacing and drilling.
• c. Plant densities: single, double and multiple stands.

9. Crop Husbandry.

• Common and scientific names, gross morphology, anatomy of storage organs, methods of propagation, husbandry practices, harvesting, processing and storage, common diseases and pests, economic importance of the following groups of crops.
  • 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, egg plant, 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.

10. Pasture and Forage Crops.

• a. Study of gross morphology, methods of propagation and husbandry of common pasture grasses and legumes. Establishment, maintenance, conservation and uses of pastures and forage crops.
• b. Study of natural grasslands and their distribution in West Africa.
• c. Range management.

11. Floriculture.

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

12. Weeds.

• a. Gross morphology, methods of reproduction, dispersal and effect of weeds.
• b. Weed control methods – weeding, mulching, cover cropping, tillage, herbicides and trap cropping.

13. Crop Diseases.

• a. Identification of disease–causing organisms both in store and in the field.
• b. A simple account of diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses; the nature of the damage, methods of transmission and common methods of control.
• c. Side effects of application of preventive and control methods e.g pollution, poisoning and distribution of ecosystem.

14. Crop Pests.

• a. General account of pests of agricultural plants both in the field and in the store, their types, importance, principles and methods of prevention and control.
• b. Life cycles of: biting insects e.g. grasshopper; boring insects e.g. weevils; sucking insects e.g. aphids and cotton strainer.
• c. Common pesticides and their side effects.

15. Forest Management (Silviculture).

• a. Importance: Source of wood, pulp, fibre and other forest products.
• b. Conservation: regulation, exploitation, regeneration, afforestation, agro-forestry and taungya system.

16. Crop improvement.

• Methods of crop improvement e.g. introduction, selection, crossing, quarantine etc.

ANIMAL PRODUCTION

1. Forms and classification of major farm animals in West Africa.

• a. Species, breeds and distribution.
• b. External features of cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, rabbits and poultry.

2. General terminology in animal production.

• Common terms used in animal husbandry, e.g. calving, kidding, castrate, capon, veal, mutton, etc.

3. Anatomy and physiology of farm animals.

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

4. Reproduction in farm animals.

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

5. Animal nutrition.

• a. Feed nutrients and functions.
• b. Feeds and feeding: Simple ration formulation – balanced ration, common pasture / forage crops e.g. guinea grass, elephant grass, giant star grass. Andropogon sp, Calopogonium sp. Hay and silage preparation, different types of rations, namely maintenance ration and production ration.
• c. Nutrient deficiencies: Causes and symptoms of malnutrition and their correction in farm animals.

6. Livestock management.

• 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.

7. Animal Health.

• a. Animal diseases (pathology).
  • i. Environmental factors predisposing animals to diseases; causal organisms, symptoms, transmission and effects.
  • ii. Preventive and curative methods for diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa.
• b. Parasites (parasitology).
  • i. Life cycles and economic importance of livestock parasites e.g. endoparasites, ectoparasites and disease vectors.
  • ii. Prevention and control.
    • dipping.
    • spraying.
    • deworming.
    • sanitation.

8. Fisheries and Wildlife.

• a. Fish culture systems; Common types of fishes e. g Tilapia, Catfish, etc.
  • i. Extensive systems: inland and deep sea fishing, lakes and rivers.
  • ii. Semi-intensive systems: dams.
  • iii. Intensive systems: fish ponds – Factors to consider in ponds establishment and pond management e.g. pond fertilization, liming and desilting.
• b. Fish harvesting and processing methods.
  • i. Use of drag nets, hook and line, etc.
  • ii. Curing, sun-drying and smoking.
  • iii. Fishery regulations.
• c. Wildlife management.
  • Habitat conservation, feeding, domestication, harvesting, processing and wildlife regulations.

9. Bee-keeping (Apiculture).

• a. Meaning and importance of apiculture.
• b. Types of bees e.g. exotic and indigenous bees.
• c. Methods of bee-keeping e.g. traditional and modern bee-keeping.
• d. Equipment and safety measures in beekeeping apply appropriate prevention and control methods against livestock parasites.

10. Animal Improvement.

• Methods of animal improvement e.g. introduction, breeding, quarantine and selection: Breeding systems – inbreeding, line-breeding, cross-breeding, artificial insemination.

AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND EXTENSION

1. Factors of agricultural production.

• a. Land.
  • i. Types of land ownership in West Africa.
• b. Labour.
• c. Capital.
• d. Management.

2. Basic Economic Principles.

• a. Demand and supply.
• b. Production function:
  • Input/input, Output/output.
  • Input/output relationships; stages of production, concepts of diminishing returns, scale of preference and choice.

3. Features of Agricultural Production.

• Smallness of farm holdings: biological limits of farm production and susceptibility of farm production to climate, seasonality of farm productions, price elasticity in demand and supply of agricultural produce.

4. Labour Management

• a. Labour relations: Supervision, etc.
• b. Types of labour: Permanent labour etc.
• c. National labour laws and regulations.

5. Farm Management.

• a. Qualities, functions and problems of a farm manager.
• b. Records and record-keeping: Types and importance of record-keeping – livestock records, profit and loss account book.
• c. Stock evaluation:
  • i. gross and net profits in farm management.
  • ii. Appreciation, depreciation and savage value.
• d. Agricultural insurance:
  • i. Meaning, importance and types of agricultural insurance.
  • ii. Problems of agricultural insurance.

6. Marketing of Agricultural Produce.

• a. Importance of Marketing.
• b. Marketing channels.
• c. Characteristics of agricultural products affecting their marketing.

7. Agricultural Extension.

• a. Meaning and importance.
• b. The role of Agricultural Development programmes, universities, research institutes and farmers’ organizations (Cooperative societies).
• c. Extension methods including demonstration plots, use of visual aids, mass media, etc.
• d. Problems of agricultural extension in West Africa and possible solutions.

AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

1. Farm surveying and farmstead planning.

• a. Meaning and importance.
• b. Common surveying equipment, their uses and care.
• c. Common survey methods.
• d. Principles of farmstead outlay.

2. Simple farm tools.

3. Farm machinery and implements.

• a. Types.
  • i. Machinery e.g. tractor, milking machine etc.
  • ii. Implements.
• b. Uses and maintenance of farm machinery and implements.

4. Mechanization and sources of farm power.

• a. Sources of farm power e. g. animal and machines.
• b. Advantages and disadvantages of agricultural mechanization.
• c. Problems and prospects of mechanized agriculture in West Africa.

5. Processing and storage.

• a. Processing: traditional and modern methods of food processing e.g. gari, rice and groundnut processing, etc.
• b. Storage.

6. Introduction to biotechnology.

• Basic terms, e.g. tissue and another culture in vitro fertilization and genetic engineering

7. Application of ICT in agriculture.

• a. Features of computers.
• b. Uses of computers in agriculture: disease and weather forecasting, ration formulation, database and simulation studies, etc.
• c. Use of communication gadgets e.g mobile phone, internet, etc. farm machines and implements.

8. Introduction to agricultural research and statistics.

• a. Basic concepts in planning agricultural experiments e.g. hypothesis, treatment and control, etc.
• b. Interpretation of results, e.g. measures of central tendency and experimental errors.

Source: JAMB IBASS

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