Agricultural Business Management

1. Understand the scope and concepts of Agricultural Business Management.
2. Explain various types of Agribusiness organizations.
3. Apply techniques involved in production planning and control.
4. Analyze agribusiness decision-making processes.
5. Evaluate government policies affecting agricultural business farm growth.
6. Implement marketing management strategies.
7. Develop legal organization and tax strategies.
8. Apply economic principles to agricultural business.

13 weeks, about 78 hours in total. Yours will differ.

1. Week 1Module 1: Meaning and Scope of Agribusiness

   • Unit 1: Definition of Agribusiness · 3 hours

     Define agribusiness and identify its various types.. Discuss the shortcomings of some definitions of agribusiness.. Explain the encompassing definition of agribusiness involving all aspects of agricultural enterprises.. Understand that an agribusiness may be formal or informal..

   • Unit 2: Scope of Agribusiness · 3 hours

     Identify the components of agribusiness: input sector, farm production sector, and output sector.. Identify diverse opportunities under each component.. Note strategic roles played by each segment.. Discuss the influence of input costs on the financial health of the input sector and the production sector..

2. Week 2Module 1: Meaning and Scope of Agribusiness

   • Unit 3: The Essence of Managing Agriculture as Business · 3 hours

     Understand the need for agribusiness management.. Compare traditional agriculture with modern agribusiness.. Explain how managing agriculture as a business leads to increased efficiency and prosperity.. Discuss the transition of traditional agriculture to business-oriented agriculture..

   • Unit 4: Agribusiness Management and Societal Progress · 3 hours

     Understand the strategic position of Nigerian agriculture.. Understand the linkage between agriculture and other sectors of the economy.. Understand the numerous opportunities that can be created through good agribusiness management.. Understand the transformational potentials of agribusiness..

3. Week 3Module 2: The Concept of Agribusiness Management

   • Unit 1: The Meaning of Agribusiness Management · 3 hours

     Explain the need for agribusiness management.. Explore the meaning of agribusiness management.. Discuss the importance of decision-making in agribusiness resources.. Understand the concept of management as an art and science..

   • Unit 2: Functions of Agribusiness Management · 3 hours

     Identify the functions of agribusiness management: planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling.. Explain the strategic importance of each function.. Discuss the steps involved in the planning function.. Understand the role of each function in achieving organizational goals..

4. Week 4Module 2: The Concept of Agribusiness Management

   • Unit 3: The Agribusiness Manager and the Management Environment · 3 hours

     Identify the qualities of a good agribusiness manager.. Understand the environment in which the manager operates.. Discuss the likely influence of the environment on the performance of managerial duties.. Explain the importance of formal education, socio-cultural factors, and economic variables..

   • Unit 4: Principles of Management · 3 hours

     Identify the principles proposed by Frederick W. Taylor and Henri Fayol.. Discuss the shortcomings of Taylor's principles of management.. Explain the reason for the adoption of Fayol's principles of management.. Understand the 14 principles of management identified by Fayol..

5. Week 5Module 3: Agribusiness Organizations

   • Unit 1: Peculiarities of Agricultural Business Organizations · 3 hours

     Identify the features that make agricultural business in Nigeria peculiar.. Explain how these peculiarities may influence management activities.. Discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by these features.. Understand the interconnectedness among various players in the agribusiness sector..

   • Unit 2: Economic Environments and Nature of Agribusiness Ownership · 3 hours

     Understand the laissez-faire economic environment.. Explain the ownership nature of agribusinesses in Nigeria.. Discuss the roles of private and public ownership.. Understand the implications of the economic environment on agribusiness operations..

6. Week 6Module 3: Agribusiness Organizations

   • Unit 3: Factors that inform the choice Agricultural Business Organization · 3 hours

     Identify factors to consider in selecting the form of agribusiness organization to establish and operate.. Discuss the importance of owner objectives, size of the agribusiness, and initial capital outlay.. Understand the tax liabilities and options available.. Explain the desired method of distributing earnings and risk..

   • Unit 4: Types of Agricultural Business Organization · 3 hours

     Identify the different forms of agribusiness organizations: sole proprietorship, partnership, limited company, and agribusiness cooperative.. Discuss the characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of each organization.. Understand the legal and operational aspects of each type.. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each form of organization..

7. Week 7Module 4: Enterprise Selection

   • Unit 1: The Meaning of an Agribusiness Enterprise · 3 hours

     Understand the meaning of an agribusiness enterprise.. Identify the domains of agribusiness enterprises.. Discuss the role of agribusiness in the Nigerian economy.. Explain the importance of enterprise selection in achieving business goals..

   • Unit 2: Agribusiness Enterprises in Nigeria · 3 hours

     Identify the categories of agribusiness enterprises in Nigeria.. Provide examples of agribusiness enterprises in Nigeria.. Discuss the opportunities and challenges in each category.. Understand the importance of the input sector, production sector, and post-production sector..

8. Week 8Module 4: Enterprise Selection

   • Unit 3: Agribusiness Enterprise Selection Steps · 3 hours

     Identify the steps to follow to select an agribusiness enterprise.. Discuss the importance of setting goals, establishing an inventory of resources, and considering market access.. Understand the cash flow and resource issues.. Explain the process of developing a list of possible enterprises and determining compatibility with resources..

   • Unit 4: Factors to Consider in the Selection of an Agribusiness Enterprise · 3 hours

     State environmental factors affecting a crop enterprise: land, climate, and irrigation water.. List the technical factors affecting a crop enterprise: farm structures, machinery, and labor.. Identify the organizational factors affecting a crop enterprise: management and information access.. Classify the economic factors affecting a crop enterprise: finance and marketing factors..

9. Week 9Module 5: Agribusiness Management Information and Decision Making

   • Unit 1: Agribusiness Management Information · 3 hours

     Understand the relationship between information and agribusiness decision.. Explain the importance of information in agribusiness management.. Identify the qualities of useful agribusiness information: accuracy, clarity, completeness, timeliness, and reliability.. List the sources of agribusiness information: journals, private agencies, research departments, etc..

   • Unit 2: Farm Management Decision · 3 hours

     Understand the goal of farm management decisions: profit maximization.. Identify the factors that influence agribusiness management decisions: importance, frequency, imminence, availability of alternatives, and revocability.. Discuss the decisions on what to produce, how to produce it, and for whom to produce.. Explain the importance of considering these factors in decision-making..

10. Week 10Module 5: Agribusiness Management Information and Decision Making

    • Unit 3: The Agribusiness Management Decision Making Procedure · 3 hours

      Understand the need to be systematic in taking decisions.. Identify the steps to follow in making an agribusiness decision: identify the problem, collect data, analyze alternatives, implement the decision, and monitor results.. Discuss the importance of each step in the decision-making process.. Explain the role of the manager in accepting responsibility for the outcome..

    • Unit 4: Tools for Agribusiness Decision Making · 3 hours

      Understand gross margin analysis and its application in decision-making.. Understand net farm income analysis and its application in decision-making.. Understand partial farm budgeting analysis and its application in decision-making.. Understand simple forecasting techniques and their application in decision-making..

11. Week 11Module 6: Agribusiness Growth and Expansion

    • Unit 1: Strategies for Increased Production and Sales · 3 hours

      Identify strategies for increased production and sales: sales promotion, branding, display, presentation, and online presence.. Discuss the importance of producing efficient and healthier commodities.. Understand the role of online presence in increasing sales.. Explain the benefits of handing out samples and partnering with related firms..

    • Unit 2: Vertical Integration · 3 hours

      Understand the meaning of vertical integration.. Identify the types of vertical integration: backward and forward.. Discuss the reasons for vertical integration: control of raw materials, sustainability of production, efficiency, and economies of scale.. Explain the benefits of taking over the supply chain of a product..

12. Week 12Module 6: Agribusiness Growth and Expansion

    • Unit 3: Horizontal Integration · 3 hours

      Understand the meaning of horizontal integration.. Discuss the benefits of horizontal integration: increased sales, revenue, size, new markets, and economies of scale.. Explain the downside of horizontal integration: monopoly.. Understand the implications of merging with or acquiring firms at the same level..

    • Unit 4: Diversification · 3 hours

      Understand the meaning of diversification.. Identify the types of diversification: developing new products and entering new markets.. Discuss the benefits of diversification: stability of income, efficiency, and new markets.. Explain the challenges of diversification: attention, funds, expertise, and legal processes..

13. Week 13Module 7: Public Policies Affecting Agricultural Business Development

    • Unit 1: Agricultural Policies and Agribusiness growth · 3 hours

      Understand the meaning of agricultural policies.. Discuss the policy thrusts of the Nigerian agricultural policy as they concern agribusiness development.. Explain how the Nigerian government has been using policies to transform the agricultural sector.. Understand how government policies affect agricultural growth..

    • Unit 2: Agricultural Research Policy · 3 hours

      Understand the general conceptualization of the Nigerian agricultural research policy.. Identify the objectives of the Nigerian research policy.. List the research institutes and their respective mandates.. Discuss the prospects of some of these institutes and the factors militating against the actualization of their full potentials..