Assessment of Biology Curriculum Relevance to Agricultural Development in Rural Communities of Ogun State

This study assessed the relevance of the secondary school Biology curriculum to agricultural development needs in rural communities of Ogun State, Nigeria. Nigeria's agricultural sector demands a literate scientific workforce; however, the extent to which the secondary Biology curriculum equips rural students with knowledge applicable to local farming systems and agribusiness contexts is a question with significant practical implications. A descriptive survey design was employed. The sample included 160 Biology teachers, 200 SS3 students, and 80 local farmers and agribusiness operators from Yewa North, Ijebu East, and Odeda Local Government Areas. A validated Curriculum Relevance Assessment Scale and focus group interviews were used. Reliability was 0.78. Mixed-methods analysis combining mean score interpretation and thematic coding was applied. Findings revealed that students and teachers rated plant Biology and genetics topics as highly relevant to local agriculture, while the treatment of modern biotechnology, crop improvement techniques, and pest management in the curriculum was seen as insufficient and dated. Farmers and agribusiness operators felt that graduates lacked applied agricultural science knowledge. Recommendations included curriculum revision to strengthen agribiotechnology content, field-based agricultural science projects as part of Biology assessment, and school-farm linkage programmes in rural communities. Keywords: Biology curriculum, agricultural relevance, rural communities, Ogun State, curriculum appraisal.