Please this trend is specifically for you to share the problem you encounter in agriculture, and member will answer it.
Mean while if you have ever had a problem share it and the way you solved it. Either as a farmer or agroprenure!

Onlinefarmstore:
Please this trend is specifically for you to share the problem you encounter in agriculture, and member will answer it.
Mean while if you have ever had a problem share it and the way you solved it. Either as a farmer or agroprenure!

My issue is human management.
I run my farm on proxy(far away and won’t be in the farm most of the time) and it is affecting my business.
How do companies run their farms effectively? Even when the owners are far away in abroad.
Does it mean I have to be in my farm personally to be successful in farm business?

emmaodet:


My issue is human management.
I run my farm on proxy(far away and won’t be in the farm most of the time) and it is affecting my business.
How do companies run their farms effectively? Even when the owners are far away in abroad.
Does it mean I have to be in my farm personally to be successful in farm business?

What's your staff size and what type of farming are you into?
Don't you have a farm manager?
Do you have a farm house (residence)?

Epositive:

What's your staff size and what type of farming are you into?
Don't you have a farm manager?
Do you have a farm house (residence)?

I use tractor to plough and harrow while i hire workers to plant, spray, weed and harvest but it seems it is not working.
I think it will be cheaper and less stressful if i have my own workers because external workers do delay, disappoint most times.
I will plough and ready to plant instantly to take advantage of the water still present in the soil all for workers to disappoint or tell me they are still working in another farm and will be ready in 3/4 days time.
Should i talk about the cost of transporting them to/from the farm?
Harvesting is the worse since they know i won't enter the farm and do it myself.
I plant mostly groundnuts and just tried maize and cassava this year

Epositive:

What's your staff size and what type of farming are you into?
Don't you have a farm manager?
Do you have a farm house (residence)?

I have a farm manager. Igede from Benue but i don't have a farm house since i mostly use tractor.
I plan setting-up a farm house next year

emmaodet:


I use tractor to plough and harrow while i hire workers to plant, spray, weed and harvest but it seems it is not working.

All things being equal, your return should be good.

I think it will be cheaper and less stressful if i have my own workers because external workers do delay, disappoint most times.
I will plough and ready to plant instantly to take advantage of the water still present in the soil all for workers to disappoint or tell me they are still working in another farm and will be ready in 3/4 days time.
Should i talk about the cost of transporting them to/from the farm?
Harvesting is the worse since they know i won't enter the farm and do it myself.

You seem too involved directly despite having a farm manager. And yes, it's better to have internal workers (somewhat permanent during cropping season). Constant monitoring and timeliness are very crucial for any agricultural enterprise, internal workers will help to achieve that better. Besides, there are a whole lot of dedicated labourers out there. The undedicated ones should be replaced as soon as possible. After all, machines have done the most tedious parts of the job.

I plant mostly groundnuts and just tried maize and cassava this year

That's great. Food crops.

I have a farm manager. Igede from Benue but I don't have a farm house since i mostly use tractor. I plan setting-up a farm house next year.

The farm manager ought to do more of the staffing, records keeping and work regulations. However,the farm house will ease their (both farm manager and labourers) work particularly if the farmland is further from residential areas. Not only will it fasten the works but also minimize the transport costs as they have a choice, q better choice even of staying on the farm. Plus, housing workers on the farm also help to drive away human pests. I hope you get it set up soon.

Do you market as well?

Epositive:

All things being equal, your return should be good.


You seem too involved directly despite having a farm manager. And yes, it's better to have internal workers (somewhat permanent during cropping season). Constant monitoring and timeliness are very crucial for any agricultural enterprise, internal workers will help to achieve that better.

That's great.

The farm manager ought to do more of the staffing, records keeping and work regulations. However,the farm house will ease their (both farm manager and labourers) work particularly if the farmland is further from residential areas. Not only will it fasten the works but also minimize the transport costs as they have a choice, q better choice even of staying on the farm. Plus, housing workers on the farm also help to drive away human pests. I hope you get it set up soon.

Thanks for your reply.

My concern is that if I have my permanent workers and manager, how do I monitor theft ?
What if my manager sells 50% of the chemicals bought while he claims he used all as required which will later affect the yield.
Fertilizers can be sold too likewise seeds and crops harvested.
How do I manage this issue?
Are you a farmer too? What is the average yearly payment for yearly farm workers?

emmaodet:


Thanks for your reply.

My concern is that if I have my permanent workers and manager, how do I monitor theft ?
What if my manager sells 50% of the chemicals bought while he claims he used all as required which will later affect the yield.
Fertilizers can be sold too likewise seeds and crops harvested.
How do I manage this issue?
Are you a farmer too? What is the average yearly payment for yearly farm workers?

That's where supervision comes in. You have records for everything bought. The best way you can handle theft is by close monitoring. On the day of planting, you can be present so as to ascertain that every seed is planted. Same thing during fertilizer application and harvest. For every investment, there's an estimated returns and once you are sure your inputs are well optimised, it will be easy to project the possible returns. This is the reason the manager must be good both technically and with figures.

Except he is a trusted person, the only way to tackle theft is to be there (physically or by proxy). During harvest too, you should be there to check them out. Days will be set out for these activities so you can prepare ahead. Be there, and ask questions. The thing is once they know you are not ignorant of the happenings, it will be tasky for them to cheat you.

Another thing is, most farm workers tend to also use the land for some minor planting for themselves like vegetables, pepper and so on. You may want to compromise a little on that aspect.

I once worked on a poultry farm and my 6-month SIWES on school farm (cassava, melon and corn) exposes me to some of these things. I'm a prospective farmer, still a student studying Agricultural Economics.

Labourers from benue (agatus) take 100k yearly but will be feeding from the little they co-plant on the farm as well. And that's because they do all the work. The fact that you use tractor for some work may alter the payment.

Epositive:


That's where supervision comes in. You have records for everything bought. The best way you can handle theft is by close monitoring. On the day of planting, you can be present so as to ascertain that every seed is planted. Same thing during fertilizer application and harvest. For every investment, there's an estimated returns and once you are sure your inputs are well optimised, it will be easy to project the possible returns. This is the reason the manager must be good both technically and with figures.

Except he is a trusted person, the only way to tackle theft is to be there (physically or by proxy). During harvest too, you should be there to check them out. Days will be set out for these activities so you can prepare ahead. Be there, and ask questions. The thing is once they know you are not ignorant of the happenings, it will be tasky for them to cheat you.

Another thing is, most farm workers tend to also use the land for some minor planting for themselves like vegetables, pepper and so on. You may want to compromise a little on that aspect.

I once worked on a poultry farm and my 6-month SIWES on school farm (cassava, melon and corn) exposes me to some of these things. I'm a prospective farmer, still a student studying Agricultural Economics.

Labourers from benue (agatus) take 100k yearly but will be feeding from the little they co-plant on the farm as well. And that's because they do all the work. The fact that you use tractor for some work may alter the payment.

Are you really really serious @ the bolded?
because here in south-west, they are billing me 1 new bajaj bike per person per year 300/350k payment per year but most farm workers just demand brand new bikes now adays to avoid naira inflation.
If i can get @ 100k per year, i will hire 4 workers with 1 manager join sef.
Please, let's talk offline

emmaodet:


Are you really really serious @ the bolded?
because here in south-west, they are billing me 1 new bajaj bike per person per year 300/350k payment per year but most farm workers just demand brand new bikes now adays to avoid naira inflation.
If i can get @ 100k per year, i will hire 4 workers with 1 manager join sef.
Please, let's talk offline

That was like 2 years back but it should still be at that range. I am in Kogi State.

emmaodet:


I use tractor to plough and harrow while i hire workers to plant, spray, weed and harvest but it seems it is not working.
I think it will be cheaper and less stressful if i have my own workers because external workers do delay, disappoint most times.
I will plough and ready to plant instantly to take advantage of the water still present in the soil all for workers to disappoint or tell me they are still working in another farm and will be ready in 3/4 days time.
Should i talk about the cost of transporting them to/from the farm?
Harvesting is the worse since they know i won't enter the farm and do it myself.
I plant mostly groundnuts and just tried maize and cassava this year

The problem with afracan Farmers is that we still farm the old ways. We don't innovate using technologies to solve some of farming and farm management challenges.

For the challenge of labourer disappointing you and farm management I will say use technology.

strenghtt:


The problem with afracan Farmers is that we still farm the old ways. We don't innovate using technologies to solve some of farming and farm management challenges.

For the challenge of labourer disappointing you and farm management I will say use technology.

Okay brother.

ca you educate me on systems/methods available to monitor ?
I will appreciate alot.

emmaodet:


Okay brother.

ca you educate me on systems/methods available to monitor ?
I will appreciate alot.

Do you know of KPIs? (Key Performance Index) they're used by big companies to monitor and assure the quality of services their employees give. If it were to be animal farming, i would have given you some KPIs and documentations to cut "inefficiency " not just theft by a very great percentage.

I'm still trying to develop for crop farming

emmaodet:


Are you really really serious @ the bolded?
because here in south-west, they are billing me 1 new bajaj bike per person per year 300/350k payment per year but most farm workers just demand brand new bikes now adays to avoid naira inflation.
If i can get @ 100k per year, i will hire 4 workers with 1 manager join sef.
Please, let's talk offline

Standard of living is higher in South West than in North Central here. 300k is huge though.

bravado304@gmail.com
08140three7nine871

emmaodet:


Are you really really serious @ the bolded?
because here in south-west, they are billing me 1 new bajaj bike per person per year 300/350k payment per year but most farm workers just demand brand new bikes now adays to avoid naira inflation.
If i can get @ 100k per year, i will hire 4 workers with 1 manager join sef.
Please, let's talk offline

emmaodet, I feel the pain with you,for a worker to charge bajaj bike per year is ripping the farmer off,
I can get you Farmworkers at affordable and reasonable pay,Not 100k though. Check my signature.

Getting the right information

Please anybody that has the right information about sugarcane farming should help me

interesting