AFU Common Entrance Exam study plan

Define the scope of agriculture as a domain: crop production, soil science, plant protection, extension, and farm economics, and write a one-page concept map linking them.

List the major agro-ecological zones of the country and match three staple crops and two cash crops to each zone from memory.

Explain the stages of land preparation, sowing, and transplanting for at least two staple crops, and identify two common mistakes at each stage.

Build a personal glossary of 25 agriculture terms (tillage, crop rotation, intercropping, IPM, soil pH, NPK, etc.) with one-line definitions.

Distinguish physical, chemical, and biological soil properties and state how each affects crop yield.

Identify the macro- and micronutrients plants need, their deficiency symptoms, and the fertilizer sources that supply them.

Compare irrigation methods (surface, sprinkler, drip) on water-use efficiency and suitability for smallholder farms.

Outline integrated pest and disease management steps for one major cereal and one vegetable crop.

Calculate a simple cost-of-production and gross-margin budget for a one-hectare crop.

Label the major organ systems of farm animals (ruminant digestive tract, reproductive tract, mammary gland) and state one function of each.

Explain rumen fermentation and compare monogastric versus ruminant digestion in a short written comparison.

Describe the estrous cycle, gestation length, and key reproductive events for cattle, sheep/goat, and pigs.

List the core components of an animal health examination (temperature, pulse, respiration, mucous membranes, body condition score) and their normal ranges for two species.

Classify common livestock diseases by cause (viral, bacterial, parasitic, nutritional) and name one example of each with its main sign.

Explain vaccination principles, cold-chain handling, and a basic herd health calendar for one species.

Describe the main zoonotic risks on a farm and the biosecurity practices that reduce them.

Outline housing, feeding, and breeding management for one production system (e.g., smallholder dairy).

Distinguish notifiable diseases from routine conditions and state the correct reporting action.

Describe pond, cage, and integrated aquaculture systems and state one advantage and one constraint of each.

Explain the key water-quality parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, ammonia) and the ranges that stress or kill fish.

Compare feeding strategies for at least three cultured species and explain the role of natural food versus formulated feed.

Outline the main fish diseases and parasites and the husbandry practices that prevent outbreaks.

Sketch the post-harvest chain from harvest to market and identify two quality-loss points.

Classify forest types in the country by climate and species composition and match each to a region.

Explain silvicultural systems (clear-felling, shelterwood, selection) and state when each is appropriate.

Describe nursery practice: seed collection, sowing, pricking out, and hardening off for one common species.

Outline the main causes of deforestation and the policy or community responses to each.

Explain the multiple uses of forests (timber, fuelwood, watershed, carbon, biodiversity) and the trade-offs among them.

Link crop production to livestock through fodder, manure, and crop-residue use, and describe one integrated farming system.

Answer 40 mixed agriculture and animal husbandry questions under timed conditions and log every wrong answer by cause.

Re-teach from memory the three weakest sub-topics identified in the error log.

Explain farm record-keeping and its role in both crop and livestock decision-making.

Answer 40 mixed fisheries and forestry questions under timed conditions and log every wrong answer by cause.

Re-derive from memory the water-quality safe ranges and the forest-type classifications without notes.

Complete two full-length mock exams under exam timing and compare scores across all four domains.

Build a one-page final revision sheet covering only the highest-error facts from weeks 1 to 8.