WAEC Agricultural Science 2005 past questions

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 23 October 2026

Ten questions from the 2005 WAEC Agricultural Science paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 53 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.

WAEC Agricultural Science 2005 questions and answers

1. 1.Which of the following livestock endoparasites is a hermaphrodite?
   1. A
      Liver fluke
      Correct
   2. B
      Coccidium
   3. C
      Roundworm
   4. D
      Hookworm
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   Answer: A

   Liver fluke (Fasciola gigantica) is the hermaphrodite among these livestock endoparasites. It is a flatworm (trematode), and each single individual carries both male reproductive organs (testes) and female reproductive organs (ovary), so it can even self-fertilize. This is a general feature of flatworm endoparasites (flukes and tapeworms), unlike the roundworm-type parasites.

2. 2.Calculate the area of a rectangular vegetable garden measuring 100m by 26m in hectares.
   1. A
      0.26 hectares
      Correct
   2. B
      26 hectares
   3. C
      2.6 hectares
   4. D
      0.026 hectares
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   First find the area in square metres, then convert to hectares.

   Area = length × breadth = 100m × 26m = 2,600 m²

   To convert square metres to hectares, divide by 10,000 (since 1 hectare = 10,000 m²):

   2,600 ÷ 10,000 = 0.26 hectares

   This is the correct answer.

   Dividing by 1,000 instead of 10,000 wrongly gives 2.6 hectares — a common slip when a candidate forgets how many zeros are in the hectare conversion factor.

3. 3.Under which of the following conditions will organic matter in the soil decompose fastest?
   1. A
      When the soil is warm, moist and well-aerated
      Correct
   2. B
      When the soil is waterlogged and acidic
   3. C
      When the soil is cold, dry and compacted
   4. D
      When the soil is dry, sandy and alkaline
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   Answer: A

   Decomposition of organic matter in the soil is carried out mainly by micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi (decomposers). Like all living things, these micro-organisms work fastest when conditions favour their growth and activity.

   Therefore, the fastest decomposition occurs in a warm, moist, well-aerated soil, because that is the condition under which decomposer micro-organisms are most active.

4. 4.Which of the following types of survey reveals the physical features of farmlands?
   1. A
      Cadastral survey
   2. B
      Reconnaissance survey
   3. C
      Soil survey
   4. D
      Topographical survey
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   Topographical survey is correct. This type of survey is specifically carried out to study and map the physical features (relief) of a piece of land - its hills, valleys, slopes, drainage pattern and general elevation. A farmer or agricultural planner uses a topographical survey to know the lie of the land before deciding on drainage, irrigation, terracing or mechanization plans.

5. 5.Drainage refers to
   1. A
      the removal of excess water from the soil surface or soil profile
      Correct
   2. B
      the breaking up of compacted soil to improve root penetration
   3. C
      the supply of water to crops to meet their growth needs
   4. D
      the downward loss of plant nutrients beyond the reach of roots
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   Answer: A

   Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of excess (surplus) water from the soil surface or from within the soil profile. It is carried out so that the soil does not become waterlogged, which would otherwise exclude air from the root zone, encourage root rot, and slow down nutrient uptake by crops. Methods include open ditches, tile/pipe drains, and ridging.

6. 6.In West Africa, a greater part of the land is used for
   1. A
      Industrial and urban settlement
   2. B
      Agricultural purposes
      Correct
   3. C
      Mining of mineral resources
   4. D
      Forest reserves and wildlife conservation
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Agricultural purposes is correct. In West Africa, farming and livestock rearing are the main occupation of the vast majority of the population, and correspondingly the largest share of the region's total land area is used for growing crops, pasture and other agricultural activities.

   So when thinking about how land is used in West Africa, always remember: agriculture comes first, by a wide margin.

7. 7.Viral diseases of crop plants are best controlled by
   1. A
      Planting resistant varieties
      Correct
   2. B
      Flooding the farmland
   3. C
      Applying fungicides to the crop
   4. D
      Applying insecticides to the crop
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   Planting resistant varieties is the correct answer. Once a virus has infected a crop plant, there is no chemical that can cure it — unlike fungal or bacterial diseases, a virus lives inside the cells of the plant itself, so nothing you spray on the leaf can reach and destroy it. The most reliable way farmers deal with viral diseases such as cassava mosaic or groundnut rosette is to plant varieties that have been bred to resist the virus in the first place.

8. 8.The appropriate irrigation method for upland rice field is
   1. A
      Basin (flood) irrigation
   2. B
      Sprinkler irrigation
      Correct
   3. C
      Drip irrigation
   4. D
      Furrow irrigation
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Sprinkler irrigation is correct.

   Rice is grown under two different systems in Nigeria: lowland (swamp) rice, which is deliberately flooded because the crop tolerates and even needs standing water, and upland rice, which is planted on well-drained soil like any other cereal (maize, guinea corn) and does not tolerate waterlogging. Because an upland field is not bunded to hold water, you cannot flood it, so the irrigation method must supply water the way rainfall would — as a fine overhead spray that wets the soil without ponding it. That is exactly what sprinkler irrigation does, which is why it suits upland rice.

9. 9.Transplanting is best carried out in the evening because
   1. A
      Sunlight intensity is at its peak, which speeds up photosynthesis in the seedlings
   2. B
      The rate of transpiration is low, which prevents the seedlings from wilting
      Correct
   3. C
      Pests and diseases are less active, which protects the young seedlings
   4. D
      Soil nutrients become more available to the roots at that time
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   Answer: B

   Correct reasoning: Transplanting is best done in the evening because the sun is weaker and the air is cooler at that time, so the rate of transpiration is low, which prevents the seedlings from wilting.

10. 10.In areas where labour is scarce and land is abundant, farmers tend to
    1. A
       practice extensive farming
       Correct
    2. B
       practice mixed cropping
    3. C
       adopt shifting cultivation
    4. D
       practice intensive farming
    Show answerHide answer

    Answer: A

    In farm management, the choice between extensive and intensive farming depends on how much land and labour a farmer has access to.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

Spotted a wrong answer? Tell us from the app or on the contact page and we check it.

Practise all 53 questions we hold from the 2005 paper, on a timed CBT screen

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