Course Description

1. Course Description:

Many developing economies are agro-based, with small and medium enterprises constituting over 70% of the agribusiness industry. However, a reported 50% of the start-up companies in the agribusiness industry fail to make it past the five year mark. Some of the major factors cited as causes for the reported failures or hindrances to growth are limited access to financing options as well as limited access to local and international markets. This course is therefore designed to give participants practical and appropriate tools they will need from time to time to address these constraints as farmers. They will familiarise themselves with marketing and strategic elements of financing farming ventures. Marketing for a profit and financing options for emerging farmers and existing farmers is going to be covered at greater detail.

This course is offered under ALMA’s Agribusiness Development and Management Institute (ADMI).

2. Course Objectives:

The overall aim of the programme is to equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills for establishing and managing a profitable and sustainable agribusiness venture as well as professional skills in applied project management of agricultural operations.

3. The specific objectives are to:
   1. Develop the conceptual and practical skills necessary for agribusiness operations planning, agribusiness leadership, management and decision-making;
   2. Enable students to understand agribusiness value chain analysis and identify opportunities along the value chain;

• Provide students with insights into the macroeconomic forces affecting agribusiness development and management;

1. Enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills in accounting and financial management of agribusiness enterprise;
2. Produce graduates who are competent in setting up and managing viable agribusiness ventures.

4. Course Outcomes:

By the end of the programme, students should have:

1. Demonstrated sound understanding of the agribusiness value chain of their respective contexts;
2. Demonstrated sound project management knowledge and skills of agribusiness enterprises.

• Developed and begun implementing a Personal Development Plan for their personal leadership development under the guidance of the ALMA-ADMI mentors.

1. Developed a sustainable and profitable agribusiness model that addresses an identified consumer need; ready for implementation or scaling up.
2. Crafted a resource mobilisation strategy with the assistance of ALMA-ADMI Fund Development experts.

5. Entry Requirements

5.1 Normal Entry

1. Applicants shall have a minimum 3 “O” level passes (or any equivalence).

5.2           Alternative Entry – Normal Entry:

1. Not less than 21 years of age

1. Able to read and write in fluent English.
2. Running an agribusiness enterprise (Registered/unregistered) less than 3 years old.

6. Structure of the Programme

The Certificate is a part-time modular programme that shall be completed over 6 months, with an optional further 6 months under the business incubation program. The programme shall consist of six (6) compulsory modules.  6.1 Each module shall be taught over one month. Each module will require forty (45) hours as follows;

• 15 hours facilitated lectures
• 5 hours in pre-recorded video and audio lectures
• 5 hours in module assignments
• 20 hours of field/practical work.

6.2 In addition, learners are encouraged to take the following self-paced bridging module, assessed on a Pass/Fail criteria:

1. Computer Skills Appreciation
2. Business Communication and Writing Skills

6.3           Weekly Live virtual/In-person Sessions

• A minimum of two (2) virtual live/In-person tutorial sessions will be accessible during the learning time to complement the recorded video and/audio presentations. The live tutorial sessions are to give opportunity to the students to ask questions as well as for the respective facilitators to bring focus on key aspects of their respective modules.
• Students will also have opportunity for group coaching sessions with respective facilitators and their peers via each respective chat forum. The forum also provides an additional opportunity for more interactive Q & A with visiting leaders from the industry and academia.

7. Assessment Framework

The assessment shall be 40:60 Coursework and Comprehensive Business Plan.

7.1 The Coursework assessment shall constitute of assessment for the first five (5) modules under the program.

7.1.1          Assessment for each respective module shall constitute:

• A comprehensive examination at the end of the module and the duration of each examination session shall be 2 hours.
• Practical assessment for each module shall constitute a written report and/or worksheets following one month of field work.

A candidate who fails to submit the written report and/or worksheets for each module shall be deemed to have failed the module and should repeat it.

7.2 For the sixth module, students are to develop a comprehensive business plan for their chosen agribusiness enterprise. Students are eligible to submit their Comprehensive Business Plan only upon successful completion of the five (5) modules. The Comprehensive Business Plan shall be submitted within 60 days from the date of publishing of results for the final module taken.

8. Processing of the Results

The results shall be processed following the General Academic Regulations.

8.1 Determination of Results

The Certificate for a candidate shall be classified as follows;

80 – 100% – Distinction

70% – 79% – Merit

50% – 69% – Pass

0 – 49% – Fail

8.2  Award of the Certificate

8.2.1         The Certificate shall be awarded to students who would have successfully passed all the six modules.

8.2.2        The Certificate shall be awarded following the General Academic Regulations.

8.23        The Certificate and transcript will be awarded by Africa Leadership and Management Academy.

9. Course Content: