IGCSE Agriculture Topics: Full List

IGCSE Agriculture combines the science behind farming with the practical skills needed to grow crops, care for livestock and manage agricultural systems. This guide explains how the Cambridge IGCSE specification is organised and lists every topic you'll study, helping you plan your revision.

Key Takeaways

• Cambridge IGCSE Agriculture is organised into 10 main topic areas.

• The course combines scientific knowledge with practical agricultural skills.

• Understanding how the specification is organised can help you plan your revision more effectively.

• Using the topic list as a revision checklist can help you identify gaps in your knowledge and track your progress.

Why It's Important to Know Your Exam Board

IGCSE Agriculture is currently offered by Cambridge International Education (0600). Knowing your specification will help you revise the correct topics and understand how they'll be assessed.

Cambridge IGCSE Agriculture Topics (0600)

The Cambridge IGCSE Agriculture (0600) (opens in a new tab) specification is organised into 10 main topic areas. Together, these cover the scientific principles, practical techniques and management skills needed to understand modern agriculture.

Topic 1: General Agriculture

This topic introduces the principles of agriculture, exploring how land is used, how farming systems operate and the economic factors that influence agricultural decision-making.

General principles of land use

• Agricultural systems and farming practices

• Forestry and aquaculture

• Factors affecting land use

• Population growth and efficient land use

Principles of agricultural economics

• Organic production

• Hydroponics

• Genetically modified (GM) crops

• Supply and demand

• Diminishing returns

• Economic decision-making in farming

Topic 2: Soil

This topic explores how soils form, their physical and chemical properties, and how they can be managed to support healthy plant growth.

Soil formation

• Processes of soil formation

• Weathering processes

Soil types, composition, texture and temperature

• Soil profiles

• Soil texture and structure

• Soil types and their properties

• Soil constituents

• Soil temperature

Soil fertility

• Plant nutrients

• Soil pH

• The nitrogen cycle

• Organic and inorganic fertilisers

Soil erosion and soil conservation

• Types and causes of soil erosion

• Soil conservation methods

Drainage and irrigation

• Drainage and waterlogging

• Irrigation methods

Water cycle

• The water cycle

• Groundwater resources

Topic 3: Principles of Plant Growth

This topic explores how plants grow, reproduce and transport water and nutrients, helping you understand the biological processes that support crop production.

Movement of materials through plants

• Root structure and absorption of water and mineral salts

• Leaf and stem structure and function

• Photosynthesis

• Gas exchange

• Translocation

• Transpiration and factors affecting its rate

Reproduction in plants

• Sexual reproduction

• Flower structure, pollination and fertilisation

• Seed and fruit dispersal

• Asexual reproduction

Germination

• Seed structure

• Conditions required for germination

Topic 4: Crop Production

This topic examines how crops are grown successfully, from preparing the land through to harvesting and record keeping.

Land preparation

• Stumping and clearing

• Primary and secondary cultivation

• Hand and mechanical cultivation methods

Cultivation of cash crops

• Types of locally grown crops and their products

• Soil and climatic requirements

• Soil preparation

• Sowing and planting methods

• Choice of cultivars

• Seed rates and spacing

• Fertiliser and manure application

• Pest, weed and disease management

• Crop maturity, harvesting and storage

• Record keeping

Topic 5: Crop Protection

This topic explores how weeds, pests and diseases affect crop production, and the methods used to prevent and control them safely.

Weed control

• Identification of local weed species

• Effects of weeds on crops

• Methods of weed control, including cultural, mechanical and chemical methods

Pest control

• Life cycles and effects of common crop pests

• Methods of pest control

• Chemical pesticides, including contact and systemic pesticides

• Biological and biotechnical pest control

• Cultural pest control, including crop rotation and catch cropping

Disease control

• Bacterial diseases

• Fungal diseases

• Viral diseases

• Prevention and control of plant diseases

The use of farm chemicals

• Safe handling of farm chemicals

• Protective clothing and safe application

• Safe storage of chemicals

• Preventing pollution during chemical use

Topic 6: Livestock Anatomy and Physiology

This topic covers how farm animals digest food and reproduce, comparing different types of livestock and the biological processes involved.

Digestion in ruminants and non-ruminants

• Structure and function of the digestive systems

• Digestion and absorption of nutrients

• Comparing ruminant and non-ruminant digestion

Sexual reproduction in mammals

• Male and female reproductive systems

• Fertilisation and birth

• Weaning and lactation

• The importance of colostrum

Topic 7: Livestock Production and Health

This topic explores how livestock are housed, fed and cared for to maintain good health and support efficient production.

Livestock housing

• Suitable housing and living conditions

• Care and rearing of young livestock

Livestock nutrition

• Nutritional requirements and balanced diets

• Feeding practices

• Maintenance and production rations

• Water requirements

• Stockmanship and animal handling

• Record keeping

Livestock health

• Signs of health and ill-health

• Infectious and contagious diseases

• Parasites

• Notifiable and scheduled diseases

• Livestock hygiene and isolation of sick animals

Topic 8: Pasture Management

This topic explores how grazing land is managed to support healthy livestock and maintain productive pastures.

Extensive and intensive pasture management

• Grasses, legumes and browsing vegetation

• Establishing improved pastures

• Grazing systems, including rotational, paddock and zero grazing

• Intensive and extensive grazing

• Stocking rates and carrying capacity

• Overstocking, bush control and the use of fire

• Improving pasture utilisation through fencing and rotational grazing

Topic 9: Livestock and Crop Breeding

This topic examines the principles of inheritance and selective breeding, showing how desirable characteristics can be developed in crops and livestock.

Monohybrid inheritance

• Chromosomes, genes and alleles

• Dominant and recessive inheritance

• Homozygous and heterozygous genotypes

• Genetic crosses

• Genotype and phenotype

Selective breeding in animals and plants

• Selective breeding for improved characteristics

• Artificial selection

• Artificial insemination

• Differences between selective breeding and genetically modified (GM) crops

Topic 10: Farm Structures and Tools

This topic covers the structures, equipment and machinery used on farms, and how they support efficient agricultural production.

Fencing

• Fence construction and maintenance

• Types of fencing for different purposes

• Hedges and windbreaks

Farm buildings

• Construction materials and their uses

• Farm building design

Farm water supplies

• Sources of water for farming

• Water treatment

• Storage dams and water storage

• Water distribution systems and simple plumbing

Farm tools

• Uses of hand tools

• Tool maintenance

• Sprayers and cultivation equipment

Farm machinery

• Advantages and disadvantages of mechanisation

• Farm machinery for cultivation and planting

• Machinery maintenance

Which assessments cover these topics?

The Cambridge IGCSE Agriculture course is assessed through two components.

The written paper assesses knowledge from across the specification, while the practical coursework assesses the practical skills and investigative techniques developed throughout the course.

Save My Exams offers IGCSE Agriculture Past Papers to help you become familiar with the exam structure and the types of questions you may be asked.

How to Use Topic Lists for Revision

Create a revision plan

Print or copy the topic list and use it as a checklist. Many students find it helpful to use a simple traffic light system (red, amber and green) to identify topics they know well and those that need more revision. As you work through the course, tick off each topic to help you track your progress and make sure you don't miss anything.

Revise scientific knowledge and practical skills together

Many topics combine scientific principles with practical farming techniques. As you revise each topic, make sure you understand both the theory and how it is applied in agricultural practice. Completing practical tasks alongside exam-style questions can help you understand how the science is applied in agriculture and prepare you for both assessments.

Organise your notes by topic

Keeping your notes organised by topic makes it easier to revisit individual areas and identify those that need more attention. You can also use past papers and mark schemes to practise applying your knowledge and become familiar with the style of questions you'll answer in the exam.

For more revision advice, explore our guides on creating an effective IGCSE revision timetable, the best revision techniques, and how to use active recall and spaced repetition as part of your study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to revise all IGCSE Agriculture topics for the exam?

Yes. Questions in the written examination can be based on any of the topics in the Cambridge IGCSE Agriculture specification, so it's important to revise the whole course.

Are these topics the same across all exam boards?

No. This article is based on the Cambridge IGCSE Agriculture (0600) specification. Other agriculture qualifications may organise their content differently, so always check you're revising the correct specification.

How do I know which topics I struggle with most?

Use the topic list as a checklist and complete practice questions for each topic. You can also review your practical work to identify the skills that need more practice. The areas where you make the most mistakes or feel least confident are the ones to prioritise in your revision.

Do all topics come up in every assessment?

The written examination can assess any topic in the specification, while the practical coursework assesses the practical skills and investigative techniques you've developed throughout the course. To fully prepare for both assessments, it's important to revise all topics and practise your practical skills regularly.

Final Thoughts

IGCSE Agriculture combines classroom learning with practical experience. Understanding how the specification is organised can help you plan your revision and make stronger connections between what you learn in lessons and what you do in practical sessions.

Make the most of the practical work you do throughout the course. Whether you're preparing a seedbed, transplanting seedlings, identifying pests, maintaining fences or caring for livestock, each practical task helps bring the science behind agriculture to life. Those experiences will make the theory easier to understand and remember when you come to answer questions on the written exam. Good luck with your revision!

References

• Cambridge IGCSE Agriculture (0600) (opens in a new tab)

• Cambridge IGCSE 0600 Agriculture syllabus for examination in 2027 and 2028 (opens in a new tab)