Faculty of Natural Resources Management and Agriculture

MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY

QUESTIONNAIRE

FACULTY OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE

Name of farmer …………………………………………………………………………………

Farm name …………………………………………………………………………………

Address …………………………………………………………………………………

Contact number: ……………………………. email ……………….…………………………...

Physical and Postal Address………………………………………………………………......

Proposal to introduce an executive certificate in Agriculture practice

Basic introduction

The department of Agriculture practice has the intention to introduce a non-academic certificate in Agriculture practice. Our aim is to introduce an executive certificate meant for potential and existing farm owners or plot holders who are either business executives, managers, academics, or civil servants with no prior agriculture training or background. We also aim at a future date to introduce a general certificate meant to teach practical skills in farm production for the supervisors, foremen and general farm hands from your farms. We are still at consultative stage of which we wish to get your opinion about the course content and structure.

The executive certificate will have three core modules that, is soil management, mechanization and farm business management. The two optional modules will be crop production or livestock management. The student will have an option to choose one.

Our intention is to run the course over a period of six months either on block release or as weekend school. The practical component will represent 50% of the total assessment, and the will be a written examination at the end of the semester. The fees proposed are $275, paid through the normal university systems. An examination will be written at the end of the course. Below is the proposed course content:

1). Proposed module content

A). CROP PRODUCTION

I) Maize production

ii) Small grains (millets, sorghum)

iii) Ground nuts production

iv) Soya and sugar beans production

vi) Wheat production

B) VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

i) Tomato – seedling establishment and production

ii) Cabbage - seedling establishment and production

iii) Potatoes production

iv Onion – seedling establishment and production

v) Green pepper - seedling establishment and production

vi) Cucumber Production

vii) Rape - seedling establishment and production

viii) Carrot production

ix). Green beans production

C). CITRUS PRODUCTION

i) Orange – propagating techniques and production

ii) Mango - propagating techniques and production

iii) Peach - propagating techniques and production

iv) Mulberry - propagating techniques and production

v) Banana - propagating techniques and production

D). SOIL MANAGEMENT

i) Soil sampling

ii) Soil fertilization

E). IRRIGATION

i) Irrigation types – Flood, drip, overhead

ii) Irrigation scheduling

F). FARM MECHANISATION

i) Tractor power

ii) Animal power

iii) Farm implements - calibration and maintenance

G). FARM BUSINESS

i) Enterprise gross margin

ii).Whole farm gross margin

iii) Cash flow management

iv) Farm budgets

2). Livestock production

i) Piggery – pig management, boar and sow management and housing

ii) Dairy – Breeds, milking processes and machine management, record keeping.

iii) Poultry (quails, broilers and layers) – Brooder production, grow out, layer and egg production.

iv) Beef – breeds, breeding and management castration, dehorning, identification and feeding

v) Rabbit production

vi) Bees – Bee hiving techniques, establishment and pollination

vii) Aquaculture – Pond setting and fish production

5). Your suggestions and proposals the proposed module content

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