WAEC

WAEC Agricultural Science Syllabus

General Objectives

  • acquire knowledge and understanding of basic concepts in agriculture;
  • develop interest in agriculture as a business and a career;
  • acquire basic knowledge of agricultural practices and principles;
  • apply agricultural knowledge and principles to solve problems in agriculture;
  • appreciate the relationship between agriculture and other disciplines.
  • apply the knowledge of agricultural science to improve the standard of living.

1. PAPER I & 2

BASIC CONCEPTS

Content:

  • •MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
  • •Definition and branches of agricultural science.
  • •Types of Agriculture: subsistence and commercial.
  • •Importance of agriculture: provision of food, raw materials for agro-allied industries, employment, development of rural areas, etc.
  • •AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY
  • •Ecological zones of West Africa.
  • •Soil profile.
  • •Rocks: types, characteristics, mode of formation and uses.
  • •Weather and climate: elements and factors.
  • •Factors affecting agricultural production: biotic and abiotic factors.
  • •Soil factors: soil texture, soil structure, soil depth, soil chemistry, soil organisms.
  • •Climate factors: temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind, sunlight.
  • •Agricultural practices in different ecological zones.
  • •AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND EXTENSION
  • •Basic economic principles: demand and supply.
  • •Production function: input/input, output/output.
  • •Input/output relationships: stages of production, concepts of diminishing returns, scale of preference, and choice.
  • •Characteristics of agricultural production: seasonal, biological, land-bound.
  • •Agricultural marketing: meaning, importance, factors affecting marketing of agricultural produce.
  • •Agricultural extension: meaning, importance, methods, problems in West Africa.

Learning Objectives:

  • identify the branches of agricultural science;
  • distinguish between subsistence and commercial agriculture;
  • assess the importance of agriculture to the economy;
  • classify the ecological zones of West Africa;
  • determine the relationship between soil, climate and agricultural production;
  • analyze the factors affecting agricultural production;
  • analyze the characteristics of agricultural production;
  • examine the problems of agricultural marketing in West Africa;
  • evaluate the importance of agricultural extension in West Africa.

2. AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY

Soil

Content:

  • •Soil profile.
  • •Rocks: types, characteristics, mode of formation and uses.
  • •Soil formation: factors, processes.
  • •Soil texture, structure, depth, chemistry, organisms.
  • •Soil erosion: types, causes, effects, control measures.
  • •Soil conservation: methods and importance.
  • •Soil fertility: meaning, maintenance, improvement.
  • •Soil classification: based on texture, structure, color.
  • •Soil water: sources, movement, management.
  • •Soil pH and its importance.

Learning Objectives:

  • describe the soil profile;
  • classify different types of rocks and their uses;
  • examine the processes of soil formation;
  • analyze soil characteristics and their effects on crop production;
  • determine the causes and effects of soil erosion;
  • examine the methods of soil conservation;
  • assess soil fertility management practices;
  • classify soils based on different criteria;
  • analyze the movement and management of soil water;
  • determine the effects of soil pH on plant growth.

Climate and Weather

Content:

  • •Elements of weather and climate: temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind, sunlight.
  • •Instruments for measuring weather elements.
  • •Factors affecting climate.
  • •Effects of climate on agriculture.
  • •Climate change: causes, effects, and adaptation strategies.
  • •Weather forecasting: importance and methods.
  • •Micro-climate and its importance to agriculture.

Learning Objectives:

  • identify weather elements and their measurement;
  • determine the factors affecting climate;
  • analyze the effects of climate on agricultural production;
  • examine the causes and effects of climate change;
  • assess the importance of weather forecasting in agriculture;
  • analyze the importance of micro-climate to agriculture.

3. CROP PRODUCTION

Classification of Crops

Content:

  • •Cereals: maize, rice, guinea corn, millet.
  • •Pulses: cowpea, groundnut, soyabean.
  • •Tubers: yam, cassava, sweet potatoes.
  • •Vegetables and spices: tomatoes, eggplant, pepper, onion, okro, cabbage, amaranthus sp.
  • •Fruits: citrus, pineapple, pawpaw.
  • •Beverages: cocoa, kola, coffee.
  • •Oils: oil palm, coconut, shea butter.
  • •Latex: para rubber, gum arabic.
  • •Fibers: jute, cotton, sisal hemp.
  • •Sugars: sugarcane, beet.

Learning Objectives:

  • classify crops into different groups;
  • identify the economic importance of each crop group;

Crop Husbandry

Content:

  • •Botanical names and common names of crops.
  • •Varieties/types of crops.
  • •Climatic and soil requirements.
  • •Land preparation methods.
  • •Methods of propagation.
  • •Planting date, seed rate, spacing, sowing depth.
  • •Cultural practices: supplying, thinning, manuring and fertilizer application, weeding, pests and disease control.
  • •Harvesting, processing and storage of crops.

Learning Objectives:

  • apply the 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 of the crops;
  • relate their importance to national economic development.

Pasture and Forage Crops

Content:

  • •Meaning of pasture and forage crops.
  • •Uses of forage crops.
  • •Types of pasture.
  • •Common grasses and legumes used for grazing livestock.
  • •Factors affecting the distribution and productivity of pasture.
  • •Establishment of pasture.
  • •Management practices of pasture.

Learning Objectives:

  • classify common grasses and legumes used as pastures and forage;
  • identify the factors affecting pasture productivity;
  • apply appropriate pasture management practices.

4. ANIMAL PRODUCTION

Animal Breeds

Content:

  • •Common breeds of animals and types of animals available in the locality.
  • •Identification of breeds.
  • •Methods of restraints, handling and grooming of farm animals.
  • •Selection of livestock and poultry for breeding.
  • •Culling, ear-notching, tattooing, horn or skin branding, debeaking, dehorning, castration.

Learning Objectives:

  • identify different animal breeds;
  • apply appropriate methods of animal restraint and handling;
  • determine the criteria for animal selection and culling;

Animal Nutrition

Content:

  • •Animal feeds and feed stuffs and their local sources.
  • •Types of feeds: concentrates, roughages, supplements.
  • •Nutrient requirements of farm animals.
  • •Feed formulation.
  • •Deficiency symptoms and remedies.
  • •Feed processing and preservation.

Learning Objectives:

  • classify different types of animal feeds;
  • determine nutrient requirements for different animal categories;
  • apply feed formulation techniques;
  • identify deficiency symptoms and their remedies.

Animal Health

Content:

  • •Main pests and parasites of farm animals.
  • •Diseases of farm animals: causal organisms, symptoms, prevention and control.
  • •Vaccination and immunization.
  • •Sanitation and hygiene in animal production.
  • •Quarantine procedures.

Learning Objectives:

  • identify common pests and diseases of livestock;
  • apply appropriate disease prevention and control measures;
  • examine the importance of vaccination and immunization;
  • apply proper sanitation practices in animal production.

Fishery and Aquaculture

Content:

  • •Fish culture systems: extensive, semi-intensive, intensive.
  • •Common types of fishes: Tilapia, Catfish, etc.
  • •Fish harvesting and processing methods.
  • •Fishery regulations.
  • •Wildlife management: habitat conservation, feeding, domestication, harvesting, processing and wildlife regulations.

Learning Objectives:

  • classify different fish culture systems;
  • identify common fish species and their characteristics;
  • apply appropriate fish harvesting and processing techniques;
  • examine fishery regulations and their importance.

5. AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING/MECHANIZATION

Farm Tools and Equipment

Content:

  • •Types of farm tools and equipment.
  • •Uses and maintenance of farm tools and equipment.
  • •Simple farm tools: cutlass, hoe, spade, etc.
  • •Tractor and tractor-coupled implements.
  • •Harvesting, processing and storage equipment.
  • •Livestock and fishing equipment.
  • •Farm surveying equipment.

Learning Objectives:

  • identify different types of farm tools and equipment;
  • apply proper maintenance procedures for farm tools and equipment;
  • distinguish between different types of farm machinery and their uses.
  • use farm surveying equipment correctly.

Farm Power

Content:

  • •Sources of farm power: human, animal, mechanical.
  • •Advantages and disadvantages of different power sources.
  • •Limitations of agricultural mechanization.
  • •Prospects of agricultural mechanization in West Africa.

Learning Objectives:

  • identify different sources of farm power;
  • analyze the advantages and disadvantages of different power sources;
  • examine the limitations and prospects of agricultural mechanization in West Africa.

6. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND MARKETING

Agricultural Economics

Content:

  • •Basic economic principles: demand and supply.
  • •Production function: input/input, output/output.
  • •Input/output relationships: stages of production, concepts of diminishing returns, scale of preference, and choice.
  • •Characteristics of agricultural production: seasonal, biological, land-bound.
  • •Cost concepts: fixed cost, variable cost, total cost, marginal cost.
  • •Profit and loss analysis.

Learning Objectives:

  • apply basic economic principles to agricultural production;
  • analyze production functions and input/output relationships;
  • determine the costs and revenues associated with agricultural production;
  • compute profit and loss in agricultural enterprises.

Agricultural Marketing

Content:

  • •Meaning and importance of marketing of agricultural produce.
  • •Marketing agents and their functions.
  • •Marketing functions: assembling, transportation, processing, etc.
  • •Marketing of export crops.
  • •Export crops in West Africa.
  • •Guidelines for exporting crops in West Africa.
  • •Corporate bodies, cooperative societies and individuals engaged in exporting agricultural produce.
  • •Problems of marketing agricultural produce.

Learning Objectives:

  • examine the importance of marketing in agriculture;
  • identify the different marketing agents and their functions;
  • analyze the marketing functions for agricultural produce;
  • evaluate the problems of marketing agricultural produce.
  • assess the importance of export crop marketing.

7. AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

Agricultural Extension

Content:

  • •Meaning and importance of agricultural extension.
  • •Agricultural extension methods: individual contact methods, group contact methods.
  • •The role of agricultural development programmes, universities, research institutes, and farmers' organizations (Cooperative societies).
  • •Extension methods including demonstration plots, use of visual aids, mass media, etc.
  • •Problems of agricultural extension in West Africa and possible solutions.

Learning Objectives:

  • examine the importance of agricultural extension;
  • analyze different extension methods and their applications;
  • assess the role of various institutions in agricultural extension;
  • examine the problems of agricultural extension in West Africa;
  • provide possible solutions to the problems of agricultural extension.

8. AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE

Agricultural Insurance

Content:

  • •Meaning of agricultural insurance.
  • •Importance of agricultural insurance.
  • •Types of insurance policies for agricultural production: specific enterprise insurance (crop insurance, livestock insurance), farm vehicle insurance, fire disaster insurance, life assurance.
  • •Insurance premium.
  • •Problems of agricultural insurance: uncertainties of weather, losses due to natural disaster, etc.

Learning Objectives:

  • define agricultural insurance;
  • assess the importance of agricultural insurance;
  • classify different types of agricultural insurance policies;
  • examine the problems associated with agricultural insurance.

Recommended Textbooks

  • Adeniyi, M. O. et al (1999) Countdown to Senior Secondary Certificate Examination Agricultural Science, Ibadan: Evans.
  • Akinsanmi, O. A. (2000) Senior Secondary Agricultural Science, UK: Longman.
  • Antonio, 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) Extension Modern Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools (2010), 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

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