After doing research on what I should write to help JAMB candidates in the impending JAMB UTME examination, i found that many candidates are searching for areas of concentration for Agriculture in JAMB 2020 examination. At first, i didn’t want to write anything on that because it will be very stressful. However, because it is something that will help thousands of JAMB candidates to pass the impending JAMB examination, i have decided to share the right topics every Jambite taking Agriculture should concentrate in JAMB 2020 examination.
On that note, if you have been searching for areas of concentration for Agriculture in JAMB 2020 examination, this is the right post for you to read. Here, I will share with you JAMB areas of concentration for Agricultural science and JAMB syllabus for Agriculture. Reading this will go a long way to help you pass the impending JAMB examination.
Nonetheless, before going to the crux of this work, i would like to let you know that the areas of concentration mentioned in this work are not officially from JAMB. To be frank, i have done a thorough research on how JAMB ask questions on Agriculture and based on my research, these are the areas you should concentrate on in the impending JAMB examination.
More so, it is wise not to read only the topics mentioned here for your JAMB examination on Agriculture. In my view, you are supposed to read all the topics in your Agriculture textbook but concentrate more on the topics mentioned below.
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Areas of concentration for Agriculture in JAMB 2020/2021 examination
Below are the areas of concentration for Agriculture in JAMB examination:
- General Agriculture
- Agronomy
- Animal production
- Agricultural Technology
- Agriculture Economics
Under General Agriculture, you should concentrate on the following subtopics:
Meaning and Scope of Agriculture: Here, you are expected to know the Definition of Agriculture, Importance of Agriculture and Branches of Agriculture. In reading for this topic, i enjoin you to use the recommended textbook by JAMB.
Agricultural Ecology: You are also expected to read the Ecological zones of West Africa very well. Know the Agricultural products of each ecological zone, Environmental factors and their effects on crop and livestock production
Genetics: Genetics is a topic that often comes out. Here, you are expected to know First and second laws of Mendel. Read about Cell division and also about Dominance and recessive Ness traits.
Farm Inputs: Under Farm Inputs, you just have to know planting materials, agrochemicals e.t.c.
History of Agricultural Development in
West Africa: This is where JAMB normally ask most of their questions. Under this topic, you should know almost all the agricultural systems e.g. shifting
cultivation, subsistence farming e.t.c
Accordingly, study the evolution of national research institutes, e.g. NCRI, IAR, IAR&T, CRIN, NIFOR, FRIN, RRI, NRCRI, NIHORT, LCRI, e.t.c. and international research institutes e.g. IITA, ILRI, ICRISAT, WARDA e.t.c., leading to increased application of science to the development of agriculture.
Also know all the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) e.g. RTEP, FERDAMA programmes in Nigeria
Study the various National agricultural programmes such as OFN, NAFPP, NALDA, Green Revolution, NCRPs, NARP, Project
Coordinating Unit (PCU) e.t.c. And lastly, know the Roles of NGOs in agricultural
development.
Role of Government in Agricultural
Development: Questions might also come from this topic. So, i enjoin you to read it. Know the development of fiscal policies
favourable to agricultural production e.g. import duties, ban on importation,
e.t.c.
Conversely, you should have knowledge of Government programmes aimed at agricultural development e.g. subsidies,
credit facilities, e.t.c.
Last thing you should do under this topic is to know how government partake in the provision of infrastructures e.g. transport systems, communication systems, e.t.c
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Under agronomy, you are expected to read the following topics:
Rocks and Soil formation: You are expected to know the factors affecting rock weathering and soil formation. Read Soil texture and structure very well.
Soil Water and Soil Conservation: In the last few years, JAMB has been asking questions from this particular topic. Read soil water: its importance, sources, movement, management and conservation.
Conversely, you should study soil conservation, leaching, erosion, importance, causes, prevention and control, cropping, burning, oxidation of organic matter and their effects on plant nutrients in the soil Irrigation and drainage methods.
Soil Fertility: Please don’t joke with this particular topic. Make sure you read about Macro and micro-nutrients and their
roles in plant nutrition: Carbon and
Nitrogen cycles. Read about the living population of the soil (flora and fauna) and their roles in soil Fertility.
Lastly, read about the maintenance of soil fertility: Methods of maintaining soil Fertility e.g. use of cover crops, application of organic manures e.t.c. Nutrient deficiency symptoms e.g. chlorosis, sickle leaves, stunting, apical necrosis e.t.c.
Land Preparation and Soil Tillage: Under this topic, you should know the principles and practices of land preparation and soil tillage. Also study the factors affecting choice of tillage methods: Zero tillage, minimum tillage, e.t.c.
Plant Forms and functions: Here, you should know the parts of monocot and dicot plants and their functions. Also read the anatomy and morphology of the storage organs of the common crop plants.
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Growth, Development and Reproduction
Plant Propagation and Methods: Read about the uses of seeds, seed viability, viability test, seed rate and seed germination. Also, read about vegetative propagation e.g. cutting, budding, grafting, layering, e.t.c. Lastly, you are supposed to have knowledge of nursery and nursery management
Cropping Systems, Planting Patterns and Plant Densities: Carefully read about Monocropping, mixed-multiple-, inter-, relay-, strip and rotational cropping.
Planting patterns: Broadcasting, row spacing and drilling. Plant densities: single, double and multiple stands
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.
Pasture and Forage Crop: JAMB normally ask questions from this topic too. I enjoin you to study gross morphology, methods
of propagation and husbandry of common grasses and legumes, and establishment, maintenance, conservation and uses of pastures
Accordingly, painstakingly study natural grasslands and their distribution in West Africa. Questions are likely to come from here.
Floriculture: Here, you should read about the establishment, maintenance and uses of ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers. Trust me; questions are likely to come from here too.
Weeds: What you should concentrate on here are; Gross morphology, methods of
reproduction, dispersal and control of
weeds. Weed control methods weeding,
mulching, cover cropping, Tillage, herbicides and trap copping
Crop Diseases: Carefully study the Identification of crop disease, causing
organisms both in store and in the field.
Also known 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.
Crop pests: JAMB usually ask questions from this topic. Here, you are supposed to know the 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. Make sure you have knowledge of the Life cycles of: biting insects e.g. grasshopper; boring insects e.g. weevils; sucking insects e.g. aphids and cotton strainer.
Lastly, you should know the common pesticides and their side effects.
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Under Animal production, you are to concentrate on the following subtopics:
Forms and classification of major
animals in West Africa: Concentrate on species, breeds and distribution of animals. Also know the external features of cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, rabbits and poultry.
General terminology in animal
production: Here, you are expected to concentrate on the common terms used in animal husbandry, e.g. calving, kidding, castrate, capon, veal, mutton, e.t.c.
Anatomy and physiology of farm
animals
Reproduction in farm animals: Here, you are to study and know the following: Gametogenesis, oestrus cycle, signs
of heat and heat periods, secondary
sexual characters, gestation periods,
parturition and the role of hormones
in reproduction.
Conversely, it is pertinent to study the development, nourishment and birth
of young, mammary glands and lactation in farm animals. Egg formation and incubation in poultry.
Animal nutrition: JAMB usually ask questions from Animal nutrition. What you should know here are; feed nutrients and functions. 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.
Nutrient deficiencies: Causes and
symptoms of malnutrition and their
correction in farm animals.
Livestock management: Under Livestock management, you expected to know about 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.
Fisheries and Wide Life: Study about Fish harvesting and processing methods very well.
Animal Improvement: Under Agricultural Technology you should concentrate on the following subtopics:
Surveying and farmstead Planning: Under this topic, you are supposed to study the meaning and importance of surveying and farmstead planning. Know all the common surveying equipment, their uses and care, common survey methods and Principles of farmstead outlay.
Farm Machinery: Know the types, uses and maintenance of farm Machinery. e.g. ploughs, harrows, etc
Mechanization and sources of farm
power: This is another MUST READ topic to pass Agriculture in JAMB. Make sure you read about the sources of farm power: e.g. animal and machines. Also know the Advantages and disadvantages of mechanization of Agriculture and the problems and prospects of mechanized
agriculture in West Africa.
Processing and storage: This topic is always asked in JAMB examination too. Under Processing, read about the traditional and modern methods of food processing e.g. gari, rice and groundnut processing, etc.
Introduction to biotechnology: This topic is a “must read“. Make sure you know all the basic terms in this topic, e.g. tissue, culture etc.
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Computers in Agriculture: JAMB normally ask questions from here too. Make sure you read the features of computers very well. Also know the uses of computers agriculture: disease and weather forecasting, ration formulation, database and simulation studies, etc.
Introduction to agricultural research
and statistics: Questions don’t normally come from here, but i still enjoin you to read it. Know the Basic concepts in agricultural experiments. Interpretation of results, e.g. measures of central tendency and experimental errors.
Under Agriculture Economics and Extension JAMB candidates are to concentrate on the following subtopics:
Factors of agricultural production: This topic usually come out in JAMB Agriculture examination. Make sure you do extensive reading on the factors of agricultural production. That is, Land, Labour, Capital and Management.
Basic Economic Principles: Production function: Under the Production function, you supposed to read about Input/input, Output/output Input/output relationships. Also know the stages of production, the concepts of diminishing returns and scale of preference and choice. These are the places where questions normally come from.
Characteristic 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.
Labour Management
Labour relations: Here, you are expected to read the types of labour: Permanent labour etc and National labour laws and regulations. Questions do not usually come from this topic anyways.
Farm Management
Marketing of Agricultural Produce: Under this subtopic, you are expected to know the qualities, functions and problems of farm manager. Importance of channels and features of agricultural product affecting their marketing.
Records and record-keeping: Read about the types and importance of record-keeping. Also go through Stock evaluation, gross and net profits in farm management.
Agricultural Extension: This topic always come out in JAMB examination. What you should know here is the Meaning and importance of Agricultural Extension. The role of Agricultural Development
programmes, universities, research
institutes and farmers’ organizations
(Cooperative societies) and extension methods including demonstration plots, use of visual aids, mass media, etc.
It is pertinent that you know the problems of agricultural extension in West Africa and possible solutions to those problems because questions also come from here sometimes.
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That is all I have on the areas of concentration for Agriculture in JAMB 2020/2021 examination. Remember to make use of the instructions at the beginning of this work before using this areas of concentration. Trust me; if you use this work aptly, you will pass your JAMB examination on Agriculture excellently.
Meanwhile, if you have any question or comment on these areas of concentration, please let me know using the comment section. I will be glad to help you out.
Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC, is a Law Student and a Certified Mediator/Conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a Developer with knowledge in HTML, CSS, JS, PHP and React Native. Samuel is bent on changing the legal profession by building Web and Mobile Apps that will make legal research a lot easier.