Course Overview
Farm management can be defined as the making and implementing of the decisions involved in organizing and operating a farm for maximum production and profit. Farm management draws on agricultural economics for information on prices, markets, agricultural policy, and economic institutions such as leasing and credit. It also draws on plant and animal sciences for information on soils, seeds, and fertilizer, on control of weeds, insects, and disease, and on rations and breeding; on agricultural engineering for information on farm buildings, machinery, irrigation, crop drying, drainage, and erosion control systems; and on psychology and sociology for information on human behaviour. In making his decisions, a farm manager thus integrates information from the biological, physical, and social sciences.
Farm management involves lots of planning, analysis and decision-making. Decisions taken by the farm managers will affect the entire farm. They have to make sure the right number of inputs at the right time is combined with the optimal utilization of resources. Therefore, farm managers must consider the level of importance at which their tasks rank to allocate and run tasks accordingly. Apart from how to produce, what to produce, when to produce and how much to produce, a farm manager works on the entirety of farming activities involving produce and livestock management.
What you’ll learn
- How to work with animal, dairy, or crop production or a combination of the three; supervise all steps of the crop production and the ranging process, including planting, fertilizing, harvesting, and herding.
- How to raise crops or livestock by evaluating factors such as market conditions, disease, soil conditions, and the availability of government programs.
- Implement strategies for maximum yield; use different techniques to protect the farm from unpredictable changes in the market.
- Select and purchase supplies, such as seed, fertilizers, and farm machinery; ensure repair, maintenance, and replacement of all farm buildings as well as machinery and equipment.
- Adapt their duties to the seasons, weather conditions, or a crop’s growing cycle; decide how to store, transport, and sell crops.
- Ensure products are ready for deadlines, such as auctions and markets; serve as the sales agent for livestock, crops, and dairy products.
- Ensure that farm activities comply with government regulations; apply health and safety standards across the farm estate; protect the environment and maintain biodiversity.
Requirements
- At least a pass in English and Mathematics/Statistics at WASSCE, SSCE or GCE “O” level or NECO is compulsory.
- Science and Technology Course may be admitted into the program. Such students must have passed Biology/Agricultural Science, Chemistry, Mathematics and English Language at WASSCE, SSCE or GCE “O” level or NECO before undertaking the course .
- Candidates must be proficient in English Language.
- They must have access to either a computer or smartphone with internet connectivity.
- Candidates must be equipped with quality webcam and headphones.
Duration & Fees
- Regular – 4 Weeks – ₦125,000
- Fast-Track – 3 Weeks – ₦187,500
Program Dates
- December, 2023 – February, 2024
- March – May, 2024
- June – August, 2024
- September – November, 2024
