APME72-Agricultural Project Planning and Management in Developing Countries

Module Provider: APD
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0

Email: C.S.Srinivasan@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Aims:
This module aims to:

- Identify and explain key points in agricultural project planning.
- Demonstrate tools useful for agricultural project planning.
- Introduce central issues and principles of managing agricultural projects and programmes in the rural developing world, and in particular to demonstrate the perspectives of the contingency school of management; and,
- Make participants aware of the skills involved in managing some typical procedures, in particular those of budgeting and procurement.

Assessable learning outcomes:
At the end of this module, students should have learned the following:

- The project planning cycle and issues arising in project identification;
- The use of the 'logical framework' project planning tool;
- Scheduling;
- The basics of monitoring and evaluation.
- That managing projects in rural areas of developing countries may call for different management approaches than those used by managers in large businesses or in mainstream public administration;
- How organisations function;
- The nature of budgeting systems; and,
- How to operate tender procedures.

Additional outcomes:
In addition students should also be able:

- Appreciate the environment in which agricultural development projects are implemented in developing countries and the constraints and challenges that project managers are likely to face in such situations.
- Apply the various management tools and techniques introduced in the module to practical real life situations through case studies.

Outline content:
Lectures:

- Introduction to agricultural development projects: Project cycles and project failure
- Project Design I: Stakeholder analysis and problem trees.
- Project Design II: Logical frameworks and assumptions.
- Project Design III: Monitoring and evaluation.
- Work Planning I: Critical paths and bar charts.
- Work Planning II: Budgeting.
- Contingency ideas about project management.
- Organisation theory.
- Organisational culture.
- Mobilisation and Procurement.

Exercises:

- Constructing problem trees.
- Devising logical frameworks.
- Critical path analysis.
- Breakeven and variance analysis
- Budgeting exercise.
- Organisational culture case study.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
The module will be covered in 10 lectures supplemented with practical sessions to learn the use of tools and techniques.

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:
Penalties for late submission on this module are in accordance with the University policy. Please refer to page 5 of the Postgraduate Guide to Assessment for further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/exams/student/exa-guidePG.aspx

Assessment requirements for a pass:
50% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:
By submission of coursework during the resit period.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
1) Required text books:
2) Specialist equipment or materials:
3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:
4) Printing and binding:
5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:
6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:

Last updated: 10 April 2019