NABTEB Agricultural Science Syllabus 2026/2026 & Textbooks

The NABTEB Agricultural Science Syllabus 2026 covers foundational agricultural concepts, including the meaning, branches, and importance of agriculture, as well as problems of agricultural development in Nigeria. Key areas include soil science, crop production, animal husbandry, agricultural engineering, and economics, likely focusing on practical, sustainable techniques for the 2026 examination cycle.

Aims of NABTEB Agricultural Science Syllabus

  • Impart in the candidates a functional knowledge and practical skills in agriculture. 
  • Prepare candidates for further studies in agriculture.
  • Prepare candidates for occupations in agriculture. 
  • Stimulate and sustain candidates’ interest in agriculture. 
  • Enable the candidates to explore the rich agricultural resources of Nigeria’s environment.

NABTEB Marking Guide for Agricultural Science

The examination consists of two compulsory papers: Paper I (Objective & Essay) and Paper II (Practical), with a total of 200 marks.

Paper I (140 marks) has two sections:

  • Section A: 50 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 50 minutes (50 marks).
  • Section B: 7 essay questions; candidates answer 5 in 1 hour 40 minutes (90 marks).

Paper II (60 marks) is a 2-hour practical test (actual or alternative), consisting of 4 compulsory questions.

Note: Schools take the actual practical during May/June, while private candidates take the alternative to practical during Nov/Dec examinations.

NABTEB Agricultural Science Syllabus 2026/2026

 NABTEB AGRIC SCIENCE SYLLABUS
SNTOPICSOBJECTIVES
 A: BASIC CONCEPTS
1MEANING & IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTUREi. Define agriculture

ii. Identify the different branches/areas of agriculture
2PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT & POSSIBLE SOLUTIONSi. Identify and discuss problems of agriculture development in Nigeria
3MEANING & DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUBSISTENCE & COMMERCIAL AGRICULTUREi. Students should explain the meaning of subsistence and commercial agriculture
4ROLES OF GOVERNMENT IN DEVELOPMENTi. State roles of government in the provision of:
a) Agricultural Finance
b) Agricultural education
5ROLES OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTi. Explain the meaning and importance of NGOs
6AGRICULTURAL LAWS & REFORMSi. List land tenure system

ii. Explain
a) Inheritance
b) Individual
 B: AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY
7MEANING & INFORMATION OF AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGYi. Define agricultural ecology and ecosystem

ii. Explain some basic concepts in ecology
8LAND & IT’S USESi. Students should be able to state
a) Meaning of land
b) Characteristics of land
9FACTORS AFFECTING LAND AVAILABILITY FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSESi. Identify factors affecting land availability for agricultural purposes.
10AGRO-ALLIED INDUSTRIES AND RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRYi. List the agro-based industries

ii. State raw materials in each industry
11ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING CROP & ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTIONi. State and explain climatic factors affecting crop and animal distribution and production
12ROCK FORMATIONi. Students should be able to
a. Define rock
b. Identify types of rocks
13SOIL FORMATION AND PROFILE DEVELOPMENTi. Define soil

ii. List factors of soil formation
14TYPES, COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIESi. Students should be able to recognize the different types of soil

ii. Define soil pH

iii. Determine the pH of different soil types

iv. State ways of correcting soil acidity
15PLANT NUTRIENTS AND NUTRIENT CYCLEi. Students should be able to distinguish between macro and micronutrients

ii. List the macronutrients

iii. State the functions of each macronutrient

iv. State their deficiency symptoms
16IRRIGATIONi. Define irrigation

ii. Describe underground irrigation
17DRAINAGEi. Students should be able to
a) Define drainage
b) State the importance of drainage
18AGRICULTURAL POLLUTIONi. Students should be able to
a. Define pollution
b. State the causes of agricultural land pollution
 C: AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING MECHANISM
19SIMPLE FARMS TOOLSi. Describe simple farm tools
20FARM MACHINERY AND IMPLEMENTSi. Identify types of farm machinery

ii. State the uses of farm machine
21MAINTENANCE PRACTICES AND PRE-CAUTIONARY MEASURESi. Explain the meaning of tractor/coupled

ii. List the parts and functions of a plow, harrow, and ridges
22AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATIONi. List the disadvantages of agricultural mechanization
23PROSPECTS OF AGRICULTURAL MECHANISMi. Possible ways of improving agricultural mechanization such as
developing less expensive machines and establishing agricultural engineering
schools for personnel and fabricating simple machines, etc.
24FARM POWERi. Define farm power

ii. Explain and state the advantages of human power
25FARM SURVEYINGi. Define farm surveying

ii. Survey Equipment
 D: CROP PRODUCTION
26CLASSIFICATION OF CROPS 
27HUSBANDRY OF SELECTED CROPSi. Student should be able to describe the production of the selected crops
e.g. cereal, groundnut, etc, under the following headings –
Origin – Local and common name
– Varieties/types
– Climates/soil requirements
28PASTURE AND FORAGE CROPSi. Explain the meaning of pasture and forage crops

ii. State uses of forage crops

iii. List types of pasture and characteristics of each type

iv. Identify the main pasture
29CROP IMPROVEMENTStudents should be able to;
i. Enumerate the aims of crop improvement

ii. Explain the methods of crop improvement

iii. State the Mendel’s law
 E: FORESTRY
30FOREST MANAGEMENTStudents should be able to;
i. Define the meaning of forest and forestry

ii. State the importance of the forest and forestry

iii. State forest regulations in Nigeria

iv. State and discuss forest management practices in Nigeria
 F: ORNAMENTAL PLANTS
31MEANING & IMPORTANCE OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTSi. Explain the meaning of ornamental plants

ii. Identify local ornamental plants
32COMMON TYPES OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTSi. Mention ornamental plants used for different purposes

ii. Identify ornamental plants belonging to each category
33SETTINGS & LOCATION FOR PLANTING ORNAMENTAL PLANTSStudents should be able to;
i. Identify locations or settings requiring ornamental plants

ii. Determines ornamental plants for each location.
34METHODS OF CULTIVATION OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS & The IMPORTANCE OFi. Mention methods of propagating
 G: CROP PRODUCTION
35DISEASES OF CROPSStudents should be able to;
i. State the meaning of the disease

ii. List the effects of disease on crop production

iii. Name the important diseases of major crops

iv. State the causal organism of each disease

v. State the preventive and control measures
36PEST OF CROPSStudents should be able to;
i. Classify pests into insects and non-insects pests

ii. Classify insect pests based on their mode of mouth part

iii. Discuss the important insect pests of major crops

iv. Recognize and name the important storage insect pests of farm produce

v. State the meaning of pests
37WEEDSStudents should be able to;
i. Define weeds

ii. List various types of weeds with their botanical names

iii. List the various features of weeds
 H: ANIMAL PRODUCTION
38TYPES & CLASSIFICATION OF FARM ANIMALSi. List the different types of farm animals
39ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY OF FARM ANIMALSi. Draw and label parts of a farm
animals

ii. Dissect a farm animal

iii. Sketch these mention their farm parts function
40ANIMAL REPRODUCTIONStudents should be able to;
i. Explain the role of sex hormones in reproduction

ii. Describe the process of egg formation

iii. Explain the process of reproduction in mammals and poultry

iv. Draw and label the parts of the male and female reproductive systems.
41ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSIOLOGYStudents should be able to;
i. Explain the meaning of environmental physiology

ii. State the effects of climate change
42LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENTStudents should be able to;
i. State the meaning of livestock management

ii. State the requirement for good livestock management

iii. Explain the importance of these management practices to livestock
43ANIMAL NUTRITIONStudents should be able to:
i. Classify feeds

ii. Mention sources and functions of food nutrients

iii. State the different types of rations/diet and their uses

iv. State causes and symptoms of malnutrition and their corrections in farm animals
44RANGELAND & PASTUREStudents should be able to;
i. State the meaning of range land

ii. List the importance of range land

iii. State the characteristics of the range of land

iv. Mention some common grasses of livestock range land

v. State factors affecting the level of production of herbage
45ANIMAL IMPROVEMENTStudents should be able to;
i. Explain the meaning of animal improvement

ii. State the aims of animal improvement

iii. Describe the various methods of animal improvement

iv. State the effects of each method and process on animal improvement.
46ANIMAL HEALTH MANAGEMENTStudents should be able to;
i. Define diseases

ii. State the causal organisms of animal diseases

iii. Identify some ecto and endo-parasites of livestock

iv. Name some important diseases of livestock and their casual organism
47AQUACULTUREStudents should be able to;
i. Define aquaculture and name different types of aquaculture.

ii. Explain the meaning of fish farming

iii. State the importance of farming

iv. State the conditions necessary for sitting in a fish pond

v. Establish and maintain a fishpond

vi. Identify different fishing tools and their uses.
48APICULTURE OR BEE KEEPINGStudents should be able to;
i. State the meaning of agriculture

ii. List different types of bees

iii. State the importance of beekeeping

iv. Prepare equipment for beekeeping and produce quality honey

v. State various methods of beekeeping and their
 I: AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND EXTENSION
49BASIC ECONOMIC PRINCIPLESStudents should be able to;
i. List the basic economic principles

ii. Discuss the basic economic principles
50FACTORS OF PRODUCTIONi. Define factors of production

ii. Mention examples of factors of production

iii. Discuss each factor of production
51PRINCIPLES OF DEMANDi. State the meaning of demand

ii. State the law of demand

iii. List the factors that affect the demand for agricultural goods and services.
52PRINCIPLES OF SUPPLYi. State the law of supply

ii. List the factors that affect supply; movements along the supply curve and the shift variables
53IMPLICATIONS OF DEMAND & SUPPLY FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONi. To discuss the meaning of price support

ii. Explain the meaning of price stabilization and control
54FUNCTIONS OF A FARM MANAGERi. Explain the meaning of farm manager

ii. State the functions of a farm manager
55PROBLEMS FACED BY FARM MANAGERSi. State the problems that farm managers face in the production process
56AGRICULTURAL FINANCEStudents should be able to;
i. Define agricultural finance

ii. State and discuss the importance of agricultural finance

iii. Determine and discuss sources of farm financing

iv. Mention types of credit based on periods and sources of credit

v. Mention problems faced by farmers in procuring agricultural credit

vi. State the meaning of agric-business

vii. State the source of funds for the capital market
57FARM RECORDS & ACCOUNTi. State the importance of farm records and account

ii. State types of farm records.

iii. Develop a farm record.
58MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCEi. State the meaning and importance of agricultural marketing

ii. List the various marketing agents/channels

iii. State the advantages and disadvantages of the various channels

iv. List the functions performed by marketing agents

v. Importance of exports to agricultural development
59AGRICULTURAL INSURANCEStudents should be able to;
i. Define agricultural insurance

ii. Name types of insurance that can be taken by agricultural operators
60AGRICULTURAL EXTENSIONi. State the meaning and importance of agricultural extension.

ii. List agricultural extension programs in Nigeria.

iii. State some methods of disseminating information to farmers.

iv. State some methods of disseminating information to farmers.

v. List problems faced by agricultural extension agents in Nigeria.

Other Syllabus

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