INTRODUCTION
Agriculture can be defined as the cultivation and/or production of crop plants or livestock products. It consists of rearing of animals, the growing of crops, development of forest resources and fishing. There are many branches of
agriculture, namely- agricultural economics, crop science, soil science, fishery, forestry and agricultural engineering. Agricultural economics is an applied field of economics in which economic principles are applied in the use of scarce resources such as land, labour capital and management in farming and allied activities. It is indeed the science in which the principles and methods of economics are applied to the special conditions of agricultural industry.
One of the branches of agricultural economics is “Agricultural Business Management and Finance”. Agricultural Business is the sum total of all the operations involved in the manufacture and distribution of farm supply, production operation of the farm and the storage, processing and distribution of farm commodities and items made from them. Agricultural finance on the other hand means studying, examining and analyzing the financial aspects pertaining to farm business. This course is designed to provide essential skills needed in agricultural business management and finance.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of this course, you should be able to:
• define Agricultural business, finance, credit, marketing, planning, farm records and accounts.
• explain the components and various sectors of Agricultural management and management decisions.
• identify the types of Agricultural business management and organizations and list their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
• define production and planning
• list and explain the types of production and planning, advantages and guiding principles of production planning.
• explain the economics of Agricultural processing and marketing
• define marketing management and explain functions and problems of agricultural management
• define Agricultural finance and farm credit
• explain the problems of Agricultural finance
• list the criteria and sources of agricultural credit.
• determine the importance of keeping farm records and accounts.
Course Features
- Lectures 23
- Quizzes 0
- Duration 10 weeks
- Skill level All levels
- Language English
- Students 56
- Assessments Yes
Curriculum
- 6 Sections
- 23 Lessons
- 10 Weeks
- MODULE 1: The Scope of Agricultural Business and ManagementMODULE OBJECTIVES At the end of this Module, you should be able to: • define Agricultural Business. • explain the importance of Agricultural Business. • outline and explain the components of Agricultural Business. • list and explain the various sectors of Agricultural Business. • define management. • explain the vital functions of management . • highlight the main decision of agriculture business. • explain the various categories of management decisions.2
- MODULE 2: Types of Agricultural Business Management and OrganizationsMODULE OBJECTIVES At the end of this module, you should be able to: • Define Sole Proprietorship • Explain the advantages and disadvantages of Sole Proprietorship • Explain or define Partnership AND its types • Explain the advantages and disadvantages of Partnership • Explain the meaning of Limited Liability Company • List the characteristics, formation of Limited Liability Company • Explain the advantages and disadvantages of Limited Liability Company • Define Cooperative Society • List the characteristic features and types of Cooperative Societies • Explain the advantages and disadvantages of Cooperative Societies as a form of business organization .4
- MODULE 3: Production PlanningMODULE OBJECTIVES At the end of this unit, you should be able to: • Define Production • List and explain the types of Production • Define Production Planning • Explain the types of Planning. • Outline the importance and characteristics of good plan • List and explain the factors to be considered in planning. • Explain the advantages of Production Planning • State or highlight the uses of Farm Production Planning • Highlight the guiding principles of Planning • Discuss Limitations of Planning.3
- MODULE 4: Economics of Agricultural Processing and Marketing ManagementMODULE OBJECTIVES At the end of this module, you should be able to: • Define Processing and Agro-Processing. • Highlight constraints relating to Agro-Processing. • Discuss contribution of Agro-Processing. • Define marketing and marketing management • Explain the concept of agricultural marketing • Highlight the pre-requisites for efficient agricultural marketing. • define a marketing function • list and explain the functions of agricultural marketing • list and discuss the functions of an agricultural marketing manager. • outline and explain the problems of agricultural marketing • highlight measures to solve the problems of agricultural marketing4
- MODULE 5: Agricultural Finance and Farm CreditMODULE OBJECTIVES At the end of this module, you should be able to: • Define agricultural finance • Explain macro and micro aspects of agricultural finance • Discuss the features of Agricultural Finance. • Discuss the problems of Agricultural Finance • Discuss suggestions to improve Agricultural Finance. • Define or explain credit. • Discuss the characteristics and classification of agricultural credit. • Highlight criteria for agricultural credit. • State the sources and requisites of good credit system. • List properties that can be accepted as collateral security by institutional lending agencies.4
- MODULE 6: Farm Records, Accounting and InventoryMODULE OBJECTIVES At the end of this module, you should be able to: • Define farm record and account. • Give reasons for keeping farm records and accounts. • Explain the various types of farm records and account. • Design farm records and accounts for a named crop enterprise • Design farm records and accounts for a poultry farmer • Design farm records and accounts for other enterprise • state the basic principles of farm records and accounts. • Identify benefit in agricultural projects • Identify costs in any farm enterprise • Define benefits in agricultural project • Define costs in agricultural project • Classify the various items and operations in agricultural activities into benefits and cost.6
