ABSTRACT
This
project was centered on the farm management system. The management system being
operated manually results to the numerous problem encountered and inconsistency
in the management of funds.
A
design was taken to computerized the system in order to check this problem. The
problems were identified after series of interviews and examination of document
after which analysis was be made and a computerized procedure recommended.
This
project also suggested how to successfully implement the computerized procedure
and to overcome the obstacle that would hinder the successful implementation of
the system.
The
software was developed using visual basic 6.0 programming language. This
language was chosen because of its easy syntax and structure for developing
windows application
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
page i
Approval
Page ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table
of contents vi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
1.2
Objective of the study
1.3 Statement of problem
1.4 Significance of the study
1.5 Scope of the study
1.6 Methodology
1.7 Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
2.1
Review of related literature
2.2 Literature review
CHAPTER THREE
Research
methodology, system investigation, analysis and
design
of input/output forms
3.1
Introduction
3.2 Research methodology
3.3 Organizational chart
3.4 Procedures in the current system
3.5 Problems associated with the existing system
3.6 System proposal
3.7 New system design
3.8 Objectives of the new system
3.9 Input/output design
3.10 System flowchart
CHAPTER FOUR
Programming,
testing, implementation, documentation and maintenance 18
4.1
Introduction
4.2 Choice of programming language
4.3 Testing and debugging
4.4 Hardware/software requirements
4.5 Program flowchart
4.6 Staff training
4.7 Implementation and documentation
4.8 System maintenance
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary,
Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1
Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendations
References
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
As
technology advance, the need for improved method of farming and management
increases.
The
overall objectives of many farm management tools provide a kind of guide or advice
to farmers as well as advisors although it does not allowthem to leave their
desk where they are developed. We actually know what the farmers are expected
to do but not so much about what the farmers actually do. Farmers’ management
tasks were presented as a guess outline, and citations of several published
studies ranging from their various case studies to large sample surveys these
were made to provide evidence about which management tasks most of the
respondent farmers thought were the most difficult. There are virtually four
ways of using computer systems to provide farm management help were described
and compared
1.
Farmers owned programmable hand calculators.
2.
Farmers to owned microcomputers.
3.
Organization should provide interactive farm computing.
4.
There should be a kind of Mail-in system with a maxicomputer
Each
of the waysmentioned above were described in terms of:
(a)
The hardware for communication, storing data and doing computations,
(b)
The software (both the type of algorithm and computer language),
(c)
The delivery system that links the model together from hardware through end
use, and
(d) The use actually made of the computer
output by the farmer (i.e., the using system).
An
on-farm computer system for Swedish conditions was suggested (Öhlmér, 1981),
and the Swedish farmer union and cooperative organizations let their computer
centre develop onfarm computer systems for accounting, production planning and
performance control. The hardware was initially in 1981 microcomputers and CPM
operative system, and later PC and DOS. The farmers’ accounting service
organization was engaged as field organization. A course material was developed
(Pavasson and Öhlmér, 1983) and workshops were organized all over Sweden. The
on-farm computer system was aimed to support farmers’ repetitive tasks in
financial, production and marketing management with daily or weekly use of the
system. Between 1000 to 2000 farmers used the system, which was lower than
expected. One lesson learned was that farmers with high education used the
systems and found them very valuable, but other farmers did not like the
systems at all. Some complaints regarded time-consuming data entry and high
price. Nowadays, “computer literacy” has improved, which has reduced the
education constraint somewhat, but it has not affected the ability to
understand the information content. The data entry problem has successively
been reduced through automated data collecting (Nilsson, 1987). The initially
high hardware and software price has been reduced considerably. However, the
problem of slow adoption persists, and it is the same in other countries as
discussed at international conferences as well as in other chapters of this
book. Farmers with high education use IT but other farmers lag behind (Batte,
Jones and Schnitkey 1990, Brink and Josephson 1986, Putler and Zilberman 1988,
Öhlmér 1989). The aim of this chapter is to explain how human information
processing may influence the adoption rate and to explore how computerized
management tools could be designed to meet the needs of farmers. We will look
in more detail at how farmers actually process and use information, and how
computerized management tools might fit in.
1.2
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY.
The objective that led to this research work is basically
to expose the Nigeria farmers in general and especially FCAI
farm manager with the effective, efficient, accurate and timely form of
management information system. That is to replace manual management information
system with computerized management information system. The researcher hope to achieve the following
after this research thus
-
To
equip the management with quality information on regular basis.
-
To
eliminate the steady decline in the management.
-
To
automate all the activities of management information system
-
To
accelerate decision performance
-
To
design a management information system.
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is very
unfortunate that the technology potentials has not been fully or even
adequately realized in the field of farm management information. Very little
farm managers has grabbed this powerful it opportunities. This has put managers and researchers
behind. Some of the problems militating
against high decision performance and achievement of management goals are as follows:
-
Lack of
quality information tool.
-
Lack of
specialist in the field.Lack of technical – known how.
-
Lack of
sufficient fund
-
Poor
service render by the government
-
Poor
perception of economic benefit.
-
Management
decline
-
Immobility
etc.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In the event of
the above mentioned faults and errors discovered in the manual system. It is believed that the introduction of a
computerized system of MIS will change the whole thing positively. It will totally eliminate the inherent
problem which will in turn bring about immense cash value to Nigeria Federal college of Agriculture,Ishiagu and to
all farm managers in Nigeria.
It will
definitely expose and enlighten the staff and managers of farm in FCAIPU on what they supposed to know about their management. In addition, it will bring about more
noticeable contribution and improvements to both the headquarters and other
branches nationwide to be able to defined their problems and find out large on
the favorable side.
Through the
researcher restricted the study to NPAPSCE, the result of the findings will let
of immense benefits to all Nigeria farm managers and as well to students
conducting similar research work on the same or related topics.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
In
the study of this nature, one would like to accumulate information from many
areas, But, in the view of the time given for this research such a wide range
could not be reached. The researcher
therefore, concentrated on the sales management information of farmer
activities in Nigeria Prison Agric Project state command Enugu. The choice of sales Mis was due to the time
factor.
1.6 METHODOLOGY
The source from
which the necessary data were elicited for carryout this research work is
basically from primary source.
The researcher
underwent a thorough interview, the farm manager Mrs Maria Ebuche was
interviewed and she was kind enough to respond to the interview questions. Finally, information were elicited from the
observation techniques during the investigation.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Terms
associated to this topic are to be define below. Thus.
Computer
– A machine used in modern times in organization and homes do manipulate data.
DSP –
Deputy Superintendent of Prison. This is
a person that oversees what is going on in the management. He controls, arrange, organize, plan, manage
and makes decision in the management.
Data – Is a
raw fact that has no meaning.
Database
– A collection of interrelated data stared with controlled redundancy to serve
one or more application.
Information
– Information is a data that has been evaluated. It is a processed data.
Information Overload
– A situation which the sheer amount of information in a system is simply too
great to be coped with by the information management available. It is overflow of information which slows
down decision performance.
Information system-
A systematic way of organizing the
handling of information, from information gathering to information retrieval
and use.
Management
- The process of procuring,
allocating, combing and utilizing or organizational resources expressed usually
as 3ms (men, materials and money) through planning organizing directing and
controlling activities of work of the organization member to reach certain
stated objectives.
Management Information System – is an integrated and holistic reporting network system
in an organization that provides planning and controlling information for
effective decision making.
Mobility
– This ability of information to move from one point to another, from one
person to another easily and timely.
Open System
– This system that interact with its environments. The pigs reared in this system are always
expose to the environment, its feeding and every other thing about the
management is not controlled
System – It
is a collection of interrelated and interdependent procedures that are joined
together to perform an activity or a task.
Software
– The programs that control the computer operation the system programme
controls the hardware component of computer which application program controls
task performed by computer.