AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE: First Term's Scheme of Work for SSS 1 – 3

Below is first term's scheme of work for Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) 1 - 3.

First Term's Scheme of Work for SSS 1

Week 1: MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE

i. Definition of Agriculture

ii. Branches of Agriculture

iii. Importance of Agriculture to the individual, community and the nation

Week 2: PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Problems created by inadequate:

i. Land

ii. Basic amenities

iii. Finance

iv. Transportation

v. Shortage and processing facilities

vi. Agricultural education and extension

vii. Tools and machinery

viii. Farm inputs

Week 3: SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA

Possible solutions to identified problems

Week 4: HUSBANDRY OF SELECTED CROPS (ROOT AND TUBER CROPS) e.g.,YAM, CASSAVA, SWEET POTATOES.

i. Method of propagation

ii. Climatic and soil requirements

iii. Land preparation

iv. Manuring and fertilizer application

v. Harvesting, processing and storage of the selected crops

Week 5: HUSBANDRY OF SELECTED CROPS (CEREALS) e.g., MAIZE, RICE etc.

i. Method of propagation

ii. Climatic and soil requirements

iii. Land preparation, planting dates, seed rates, spacing, sowing depth

iv. Manuring and fertilizer requirements and application

v. Harvesting, processing and storage

Week 6: LAND AND ITS USES

i. Definition of land

ii. Uses of land for:

a. Agriculture

b. Forestry

c. Wildlife

Week 7: FACTORS AFFECTING LAND AVAILABILITY

Factors affecting land availability for Agricultural purposes:

i. Alternative uses of land, e.g. building of cities, towns, industries, roads

ii. Soil type and topography

Week 8: HUSBANDRY OF OIL CROPS, e.g., OIL PALM, MELON, GROUNDNUT

i. Method of propagation

ii. Climatic and soil requirements

iii. Land preparation (pre-planting and planting operations)

iv. Manuring and fertilizer requirements

v. Harvesting, processing and storage of oil crops

Week 9: HUSBANDRY OF BEVERAGE, e.g., COCOA, TEA AND COFFEE

i. Method of propagation

ii. Climatic and soil requirements

iii. Land preparation (pre-planting operations)

iv. Manuring and fertilizer requirements

v. Harvesting, processing and storage of beverage

Week 10: HUSBANDRY OF LATEX CROP, e.g. RUBBER

i. Method of propagation

ii. Climatic and soil requirements

iii. Land preparation, nursery requirements

iv. Manuring and fertilizer requirements and application

v. Harvesting, processing and storage

Week 11: PRACTICAL: IDENTIFICATION

Identification of the common crops available, e.g. oil palm fruits, cocoa pod, kola nut, rubber seed, cotton seed and lint, groundnut pod, different species of maize etc.

Week 12 – 13

REVISION/EXAMINATION

First Term's Scheme of Work for SSS 2

Week 1: AGRICULTURAL LAWS AND REFORMS

Land ownership and tenure systems in Nigeria

Week 2: LAND USE ACT OF NIGERIA

Land use Act of 1978:

i. Features of the Act

ii. The need for government to enforce the law etc.

Week 3: ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Role of government in Agricultural production, e.g.,

i. Making of agricultural policies

ii. Drawing of agricultural programmes

iii. Provision of loans and subsidies

iv. Provision of agricultural education etc.

Week 4: FOREST MANAGEMENT

Forest management techniques:

i. Forest regulation

ii. Selective exploration

iii. Deforestation

iv. Regeneration

v. Afforestation

vi. Taungya system

Week 5: DISEASES OF CROPS

Diseases of major crops: e.g.,

i. Cereals – smut, rice blast, leaf rust

ii. Legume – cercosporal leaf spot, rosette

iii. Beverages – cocoa blackpod, coffee leaf rust

iv. Tuber – cassava mosaic virus, bacterial blight etc.

Week 6: SYMPTOMS AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF CROP DISEASES

i. Symptoms of diseases, e.g., spots, yellowing, rots, wilting, stuntedness etc.

ii. Economic importance, e.g., increase cost of production, reduces quality of crops, reduces farmer's income etc.

Week 7: PREVENTIVE AND CONTROL MEASURES OF DISEASES

i. Cultural methods

ii. Biological methods

iii. Chemical methods

Week 8: IMPORTANT INSECT PESTS OF MAJOR CROPS:

i. Cereal – system borer, army-worm, ear-worm

ii. Legume – pod borer, aphids, sucki bugs,leaf beetle

iii. Beverage – cocoa myrids (capsids)

Week 9: OTHER IMPORTANT PESTS

i. Other important pests:

a. Birds

b. Rodents

c. Man

d. Monkey

ii. Nature of damages done:

a. Destruction of leaves

b. Destruction of tender stems

c. Destruction of root/tubers

Week 10: ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF SELECTED PESTS

i. Economic importance of pests:

a. Reduction in quality of crops

b. Reduction in quantity of crops

c. Makes vegetables unattractive and unmarketable etc.

ii. Preventive and control measures:

a. Cultural methods

b. Biological methods

c. Chemical methods

iii. Side effects of the various preventive and control methods:

a. Chemical pollution

b. Poisoning etc.

Week 11: PASTURE AND FORAGE CROPS

Morphology of the common grass and legume species of Nigerian pastures.

Week 12: TYPES OF PASTURE

i. Types of pasture:

a. Permanent pasture

b. Rotational pasture

c. Temporary pasture

d. Irrigated pasture

ii. Factors affecting pasture:

a. Establishment

b. Distribution

c. Productivity

iii. Management practices of a pasture land

Week 12 – 13

Revision/Examination

First Term's Scheme of Work for SSS 3

Week 1: CROP IMPROVEMENT

a. Meaning and aims of crop improvement

b. Mendelian Laws

Week 2: CROP IMPROVEMENT II

c. Processes of crop improvement

i. Introduction

ii. Selection

iii. Breeding

Week 3: PRINCIPLES OF ANIMAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT 

a. Susceptibility and resistance to diseases

b. Predisposing factors:

i. Health status of the animals

ii. Environment

iii. Nutrition

Week 4: PRINCIPLES OF ANIMAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT II

c. Symptoms, effects and mode of transmission, e.g.,

i. Viral – foot and mouth diseases, rinder pest, new castle disease

ii. Bacterial – anthrax, brucellosis, tuberculosis

iii. Fungal – scabbies, ringworm

iv. Protozoa – trypanosomiasis, coceidiosis

Week 5: PRINCIPLES OF ANIMAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT III

d. Ecto-Endo parasites, life cycles and mode of transmission

e. Methods of:

i. Preventing – quarantine, inoculation, vaccination, hygiene, breeding.

ii. Control – treatment by a veterinary doctor, destruction.

Week 6: FISH FARMING AND FISHERY REGULATIONS

a. Establishment and maintenance of fish pond

Week 7: FISHERY REGULATIONS

b. Fishery regulations

Week 8: ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT

a. Aims and Meaning of animal improvement

b. Methods of animal improvement:

i. Introduction

ii. Selection

Week 9: ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT II

iii. Breeding – inbreeding, line-breeding, cross breeding

Week 10: IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE

a. Importance of irrigation and drainage

b. Drainage system: channel, sprinkles, underground etc.

Week 11: IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE II

c. Merits and demerits of each: irrigation and drainage system

d. Problems associated with irrigation:

i. High cost of maintenance

ii. Water availability

iii. Build up of pest and diseases

Week 12 – 13

Revision/Examination