Record Keeping in Agriculture

 

1.0  Course Overview

 

This course provides learners with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to apply farm record-keeping techniques for efficient management of agricultural enterprises. It emphasizes data collection, documentation, and utilization in crop and livestock production, including meteorological and asset inventory records.

General Competence: Apply appropriate record-keeping and data management techniques in planning, implementing, and evaluating agricultural production systems.

Outcome 1.1: Apply farm recording techniques in keeping farm operation records in crop and livestock production

 

Knowledge and Skills Areas:

- Meaning and importance of record keeping in agriculture
- Types of farm records (crop, livestock, financial, machinery, labour, input-output)
- Uses of farm records in decision-making, planning, and evaluation
- Techniques for sorting and maintaining records

Teaching and Learning Activities: Lecture, discussion, field visit, group exercise.

Assessment: Assignments, practical tests, observation, portfolio/logbook.

Outcome 1.2: Employ data recording techniques in recording inputs data in agriculture

 

Knowledge and Skills Areas:

- Types of input data (seed, fertilizer, pesticides, animal feeds, drugs)
- Livestock data (weights, birth, calving, mortality, weaning, growth rates)
- Importance of input data in productivity and cost control
- Techniques for organizing and summarizing input records

Teaching and Learning Activities: Discussion, demonstration, practical recording exercises.

Assessment: Knowledge test, group project, logbook, skill analysis sheet.

Outcome 1.3: Use farm recording techniques in keeping farm assets inventory to facilitate resource management

 

Knowledge and Skills Areas:

- Meaning and importance of farm inventory
- Types of assets (fixed and current)
- Preparation of production calendars and activity recording sheets
- Measuring and weighing farm produce

Teaching and Learning Activities: Lecture, demonstration, practical exercises, fieldwork.

Assessment: Production calendar, asset inventory form, project portfolio.

Outcome 1.4: Apply agro-meteorological techniques in recording weather data for farm planning

 

Knowledge and Skills Areas:

- Meaning and importance of agro-meteorology in farming
- Meteorological equipment (rain gauge, thermometer, anemometer, hygrometer, wind vane, sunshine recorder)
- Recording and interpreting weather data
- Application of weather data in farm planning

Teaching and Learning Activities: Lecture, field demo, practical weather data collection.

Assessment: Practical test, written assignment, group project.

Pre-requisite Modules: (APT 04115) Mathematical Application in Agriculture

 

Learning Context:    Lectures with discussion (Lecturette)/ short, interactive lecture., Discussions, Demonstrations

 

Learning Materials: Textbooks, Manuals and Handouts, Detergents and Disinfectants.

 

Integrated Method of Assessment:

           

Continuous Assessment:         60%

·       Assignment   12%

·       Theory test    12 %

·       Practical test 22 %

·       Project work 14 %

 

Semester Examinations:         40%

WEEKLY SCHEDULE (WEEKS 1–14)

Week

Topics & Activities

1

Course introduction, importance of farm records, overview of agricultural record keeping

2

Types of farm records (crop, livestock, financial, labour, machinery)

3

Uses of farm records in planning and decision-making

4

Sorting, organizing, and maintaining farm records

5

Input data recording: seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, feeds, drugs

6

Livestock data: birth, growth, mortality, weaning, calving

7

Calculations for production, financial, and livestock records

8

Farm asset inventory, production calendar, recording sheets preparation

9

Yield measurement, weighing produce, farm output forms

10

Crop sales and input use recording, cost and resource management

11

Agro-meteorology: importance and types of weather data

12

Meteorological equipment identification and usage

13

Recording and interpreting weather readings

14

Applying weather data in farm planning, review, and course consolidation