Past Questions and Answers

2026 NECO Objective & Essay Agricultural Science examination Questions and Answers

Etima Harrison July 19, 2026

345 10 minutes read

2026 NECO Objective & Essay Agricultural Science examination Questions and Answers

Paper I

Objective Test (Questions 1–60)

Instructions: Choose the option that best answers each question.

1. Agriculture is best defined as the

A. extraction of mineral resources from the earth

B. science and art of cultivating crops and rearing animals for man’s use

C. manufacture of industrial products

D. processing of crude oil

Answer: B

2. Which of the following is NOT a branch of agriculture?

A. Crop Production

B. Animal Husbandry

C. Forestry

D. Civil Engineering

Answer: D

3. One major importance of agriculture is that it

A. reduces food production

B. provides food for humans and animals

C. increases unemployment

D. discourages industrial development

Answer: B

4. Agricultural ecology is the study of the relationship between

A. plants and machines

B. living organisms and their agricultural environment

C. industries and banks

D. soil and buildings

Answer: B

5. Which climatic factor greatly influences crop growth?

A. Temperature

B. Electricity

C. Telephone network

D. Road construction

Answer: A

6. Soil is formed mainly through the

A. evaporation of water

B. weathering of rocks

C. burning of forests

D. mining of minerals

Answer: B

7. Which of the following is a physical property of soil?

A. Soil texture

B. Soil acidity

C. Soil fertility

D. Soil nutrients

Answer: A

2026 NECO Objective & Essay Agricultural Science examination Questions and Answers

8. Sandy soil is characterized by

A. poor drainage

B. large soil particles and good drainage

C. high clay content

D. waterlogging

Answer: B

9. Which soil type is generally considered most suitable for crop production?

A. Sandy soil

B. Clay soil

C. Loamy soil

D. Gravel

Answer: C

10. Soil erosion is the

A. formation of rocks

B. wearing away of the topsoil by water or wind

C. planting of crops

D. application of fertilizer

Answer: B

11. Which of the following is a method of controlling soil erosion?

A. Bush burning

B. Contour farming

C. Overgrazing

D. Deforestation

Answer: B

12. Tillage refers to the

A. harvesting of crops

B. preparation of land for planting

C. transportation of produce

D. storage of seeds

Answer: B

13. Which farm tool is mainly used for digging holes?

A. Hoe

B. Cutlass

C. Spade

D. Rake

Answer: C

14. The cutlass is mainly used for

A. spraying chemicals

B. clearing bushes and cutting weeds

C. milking cattle

D. measuring land

Answer: B

15. A tractor is an example of

A. simple farm equipment

B. farm machinery

C. farm building

D. irrigation equipment

Answer: B

16. Which farming system involves growing only one type of crop on a piece of land?

A. Mixed cropping

B. Crop rotation

C. Monocropping

D. Mixed farming

Answer: C

17. Crop rotation helps to

A. increase soil erosion

B. maintain soil fertility and reduce pests

C. encourage weed growth

D. reduce crop yield

Answer: B

18. Weeds are plants that

A. are always medicinal

B. grow where they are not wanted

C. produce edible fruits only

D. improve crop diseases

Answer: B

19. Which of the following is a mechanical method of weed control?

A. Herbicide application

B. Hand weeding

C. Biological control

D. Crop breeding

Answer: B

20. Herbicides are chemicals used for

A. controlling weeds

B. controlling insects

C. treating animals

D. preserving harvested crops

Answer: A

21. Crop pests cause damage mainly by

A. improving soil fertility

B. feeding on crops and reducing yield

C. increasing pollination

D. improving seed quality

Answer: B

22. Which of the following is an example of an insect pest?

A. Grasshopper

B. Earthworm

C. Mushroom

D. Algae

Answer: A

23. Plant diseases may be caused by

A. bacteria, fungi, and viruses

B. rainfall only

C. sunlight only

D. fertilizer only

Answer: A

24. One method of preventing crop diseases is

A. planting infected seeds

B. practicing crop rotation

C. excessive irrigation

D. overstocking

Answer: B

2026 NECO Objective & Essay Agricultural Science examination Questions and Answers

25. Organic manure is obtained mainly from

A. petroleum

B. plant and animal wastes

C. cement factories

D. mining activities

Answer: B

26. Which of the following is an inorganic fertilizer?

A. Compost

B. Farmyard manure

C. NPK fertilizer

D. Poultry droppings

Answer: C

27. The main purpose of applying fertilizer is to

A. destroy crops

B. improve soil fertility and crop yield

C. reduce seed germination

D. increase erosion

Answer: B

28. Irrigation is the

A. natural occurrence of rainfall

B. artificial application of water to crops

C. harvesting of crops

D. drying of harvested produce

Answer: B

29. Drainage is important because it

A. prevents waterlogging

B. encourages flooding

C. increases erosion

D. reduces crop growth

Answer: A

30. Farm records are kept mainly to

A. waste farm time

B. assist management and decision-making

C. increase production costs

D. discourage farm planning

Answer: B

31. Animal husbandry is concerned with the

A. cultivation of crops only

B. breeding, feeding, housing, and management of farm animals

C. mining of minerals

D. construction of farm buildings only

Answer: B

32. Which of the following is a ruminant animal?

A. Pig

B. Rabbit

C. Goat

D. Chicken

Answer: C

33. The largest compartment of the stomach of a ruminant is the

A. Omasum

B. Rumen

C. Reticulum

D. Abomasum

Answer: B

34. A balanced ration is one that

A. contains only carbohydrates

B. contains all essential nutrients in the correct proportions

C. contains only proteins

D. is supplied once every week

Answer: B

35. Which nutrient is mainly responsible for body building and tissue repair?

A. Carbohydrate

B. Protein

C. Fat

D. Water

Answer: B

36. Which of the following is an example of a concentrate feed?

A. Hay

B. Silage

C. Maize grain

D. Fresh pasture

Answer: C

37. Newcastle disease commonly affects

A. Cattle

B. Poultry

C. Goats

D. Sheep

Answer: B

38. Vaccination is carried out mainly to

A. treat broken bones

B. prevent infectious diseases

C. increase feed consumption

D. improve soil fertility

Answer: B

39. Artificial insemination involves

A. natural mating only

B. introducing semen into the female reproductive tract without natural mating

C. feeding breeding animals

D. vaccinating breeding stock

Answer: B

40. Which of the following is an external parasite of livestock?

A. Tapeworm

B. Liver fluke

C. Tick

D. Roundworm

Answer: C

41. Fisheries is the branch of agriculture that deals with

A. poultry production

B. fish production and management

C. forest conservation

D. crop processing

Answer: B

42. One advantage of fish farming is that it

A. increases soil erosion

B. provides a rich source of animal protein

C. destroys water bodies

D. reduces employment opportunities

Answer: B

2026 NECO Objective & Essay Agricultural Science examination Questions and Answers

43. Forestry is concerned with the

A. cultivation and management of forest trees

B. processing of minerals

C. breeding of livestock

D. manufacture of fertilizers

Answer: A

44. One importance of forests is that they

A. increase desertification

B. provide timber and help conserve the environment

C. reduce rainfall

D. destroy wildlife habitats

Answer: B

45. Agricultural economics is the study of

A. weather forecasting

B. efficient use of agricultural resources for production and profit

C. crop diseases only

D. animal breeding only

Answer: B

46. Farm budgeting helps a farmer to

A. estimate expected income and expenditure

B. reduce crop yield

C. increase pest infestation

D. prevent rainfall

Answer: A

47. Which of the following is a fixed farm asset?

A. Fertilizer

B. Seeds

C. Tractor

D. Animal feed

Answer: C

48. Agricultural extension services are mainly concerned with

A. manufacturing fertilizers

B. transferring improved farming technologies to farmers

C. processing farm produce

D. importing farm machinery

Answer: B

49. An agricultural extension agent primarily serves as a

A. livestock trader

B. link between research institutions and farmers

C. transport operator

D. tax collector

Answer: B

50. An agricultural cooperative society is formed mainly to

A. increase production costs

B. enable farmers to work together for mutual benefits

C. discourage farm investment

D. reduce farm output

Answer: B

51. One major benefit of joining a cooperative society is

A. easier access to farm credit and inputs

B. increased taxation

C. reduced access to markets

D. higher production losses

Answer: A

52. Agricultural marketing involves the

A. production of crops only

B. buying, selling, transportation, storage, and distribution of agricultural products

C. breeding of livestock only

D. processing of minerals

Answer: B

53. Which of the following is a function of agricultural marketing?

A. Improving product distribution

B. Causing food spoilage

C. Increasing production costs unnecessarily

D. Discouraging consumers

Answer: A

54. Farm management is the

A. application of management principles to farming for maximum profit

B. cultivation of crops only

C. sale of fertilizers

D. repair of roads

Answer: A

55. One characteristic of a good farm manager is

A. poor planning

B. effective decision-making

C. laziness

D. dishonesty

Answer: B

56. Agricultural entrepreneurship encourages

A. dependence on imports only

B. innovation and profitable agribusiness development

C. reduction in food production

D. abandonment of farming

Answer: B

57. Which of the following is an example of an agribusiness enterprise?

A. Poultry farming

B. Cement production

C. Road construction

D. Textile manufacturing

Answer: A

58. Sustainable agriculture aims to

A. maximize production while conserving natural resources for future generations

B. exhaust all available soil nutrients

C. increase environmental pollution

D. eliminate biodiversity

Answer: A

59. Climate change can negatively affect agriculture through

A. improved rainfall distribution every year

B. increased droughts, floods, and unpredictable weather patterns

C. permanent increase in soil fertility

D. elimination of pests

Answer: B

60. One major goal of Agricultural Science is to

A. improve food security and promote sustainable agricultural development

B. eliminate all rural communities

C. discourage mechanized farming

D. reduce agricultural productivity

Answer: A

2026 NECO Objective & Essay Agricultural Science examination Questions and Answers

Paper II

Essay Questions

Instructions

Answer Question 1 (Compulsory) and any four other questions.
Give detailed answers with relevant examples where necessary.

Question 1 (Compulsory)

(a) Define agriculture.

(b) Explain five importance of agriculture to the Nigerian economy.

(c) State and explain three major branches of agriculture.

Model Answer

(a) Definition of Agriculture

Agriculture is the science, art, and business of cultivating the soil, producing crops, rearing livestock, processing agricultural products, and managing natural resources to provide food, raw materials, employment, and income for human use. It combines scientific knowledge with practical farming techniques to increase productivity while ensuring the sustainable use of land and other natural resources.

Agriculture is one of the oldest occupations in the world and remains the backbone of many developing economies, including Nigeria.

(b) Importance of Agriculture to the Nigerian Economy

1. Provision of Food

Agriculture is the primary source of food for the growing population. It supplies cereals such as maize, rice, millet, and sorghum; root and tuber crops such as cassava and yam; fruits and vegetables; livestock products such as meat, eggs, and milk; and fish from inland and marine sources.

A stable agricultural sector contributes to national food security and reduces dependence on imported food.

2. Employment Generation

Agriculture employs millions of Nigerians directly and indirectly. Farmers, livestock producers, fisheries operators, extension workers, agro-processors, transporters, marketers, and agricultural researchers all depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

The sector also creates employment opportunities for young entrepreneurs involved in agribusiness.

3. Source of Raw Materials

Many industries rely on agricultural products as raw materials.

Examples include:

Cotton for textile industries.
Cocoa for beverage and confectionery industries.
Oil palm for soap and vegetable oil production.
Rubber for tyre manufacturing.
Timber for furniture and construction.
Hides and skins for leather industries.

The availability of these raw materials promotes industrial growth.

4. Source of Foreign Exchange

Nigeria earns foreign exchange by exporting agricultural commodities such as cocoa, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, ginger, rubber, coffee, and palm products.

Foreign exchange generated from agricultural exports is used to finance national development projects and import essential goods and services.

5. Contribution to National Income

Agriculture contributes significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Increased agricultural productivity leads to higher national income, stimulates economic activities, and supports rural and urban development.

(c) Three Major Branches of Agriculture

1. Crop Production

Crop production involves the cultivation of food crops, cash crops, fruits, vegetables, and plantation crops. Farmers engage in activities such as land preparation, planting, weed control, fertilization, irrigation, pest control, harvesting, and storage.

Examples of crops include rice, maize, cassava, yam, cocoa, oil palm, vegetables, and tomatoes.

2. Animal Husbandry

Animal husbandry is the breeding, feeding, housing, health care, and management of domesticated animals for the production of meat, milk, eggs, hides, skins, wool, manure, and other useful products.

Examples include cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry, rabbits, and snails.

3. Forestry

Forestry is concerned with the establishment, management, conservation, and utilization of forest resources. It includes tree planting, timber production, wildlife conservation, watershed protection, and environmental management.

Forests provide timber, fuelwood, medicinal plants, wildlife habitats, and help regulate climate.

Conclusion

Agriculture remains indispensable to Nigeria’s economic development. By providing food, employment, industrial raw materials, foreign exchange, and environmental protection, it contributes significantly to national growth and improved living standards.

2026 NECO Objective & Essay Agricultural Science examination Questions and Answers

Question 2

Explain soil formation and discuss the physical properties of soil that influence crop production.

Model Answer

Meaning of Soil

Soil is the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust that supports plant growth. It is composed of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms. Healthy soil provides crops with nutrients, water, anchorage, and a suitable environment for root development.