DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTERIZED FARM MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Diggery farm is a part of animal section in NIGERIA PRISON AGRICULTURE PROJECT, STATE COMMAND ENUGU (NPAPSE) Agriculture itself is a science of farming. It can be practice for either animal production or crop production purposes. This study is based on farm management information system” a case study of a piggery farm. Piggery farm is an example of animal farm which is practiced for the purpose of animal production. Before a piggery farm could stand, there must be a boar at least, sow/sows, pockers and piglet of different stages. Once more the direction intention of this project is to computerized farm management information system have been operated manually. Mis in this organization was essentially operated with a great deal of human efforts, and in fact the activities of the organization in this system is less challenging, less complex and hence organizations do this extents small sized. Management information systems remain the system that aim at providing information for the management on a regular basis. This call to mind the time value of information which implies that when the required information is received behind the period it will be used, the information become useless. Mis dries to inform the manager how to provide the information. Management always aim at reading the climax in the decision performance fort attainment of organizational objective but this existing system could not attract such performance due to the lack of effective information tool which can provide the management with quality and needed information and at needed time. This system always result to information over local which actually decreases the decision performance in any management. Information they say is power. Quality information is very vital do check in organization. The only information tha can accelerate the management decision performance is the information that process the good quality of information. Such qualities of information comprises: (1) Relevance (2) Accuracy (3) Completeness (4) Reliability (5) Timeliness Despite these qualities management cannot achieve their objectives. The decision performance also depend on the manager himself. The manager must be able to identify problem, define the problem, analyse it and suggest a possible solution to the problem. And for manager to do these, he must be backup with informations required. Due to the show mentioned faults and errors associated with the existing system of management information an alternative system is suggested which is a computerized system. The technology have created an interesting opportunities for all managers and as the technology is growing the researcher demand it necessary to let the blowing wind reach the farm managers (piggery farm managers) in their management information system. A software is developed to replace this manual operation of Mis. This form of software is an expert system.

Computerized farm management information system is a software package that contains a lot of files and records the file that was designed in detail is a sales file which each of it record consist of files like varieties of pigs, quantity, price, weight, subtotal, total amount grand total etc.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria Prison Agriculture Project, State Command (NPAPSCE) started its operation in Nigeria Prison State Command Enugu between 1980-1981 under the management of MRS MARIA EBUCHE. NPAPSCE started it operation with about three kinds of animals sections, poultry department and crop department. As Nigeria Prison State Command seems to be a world of its owner, the manager (DSP) did not relent at all instead he worked indefatigably expand and introduce other animals to the animal department Around 1990, there came the expansion of the organization/management. That was when the idea of introducing piggery farm section was accepted in anticipation of the management goals achievement. This led to the origin of piggery farm in this management. The piggery farm they said has provide worthwhile, it has contributed a lot to the labor market and to the management itself. The piggery farm are divided into subsection headed by DSP (manager). The sections are. (1) Boar Section (2) Sow Section (3) Pocket Section (4) Piglet Sections. The management is also divided into management sections. Thus. (1) Stock keeping (2) Feeding (3) Maintenance (4) Health care, (5) finance, (6) Accounting (7) Marketing and Sales Piggery Sales management is discussed in detail here.

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 NPADSCE farmer manager with the effective, efficient, accurate and timely form of management information system. That is to replace manual mis with computerized Mis. The researcher hope to achieve the following after this research thus – To equip all the manage with quality information on regular basis. – To eliminate the steady decline in the management. – To automate all the activities of Mis – To accelerate decision performance – To design an expert system.

1.2.1 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.

1.3 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 Prison State Command, Enugu and to all farm managers in Nigeria. It will definitely expose and enlighten the staff and managers of farm in NPAPSCE 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 favourable 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.

1.4 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 pig in Nigeria Prison Agric Project state command Enugu. The choice of sales Mis was due to the time factor.

1.5 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, informations were elicited from the observation techniques during the investigation.

1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Terms associated to this topic are to be define below. Thus. (1) ASP – Assistant superintendent of Prison concerning Piggery farm management. ASP is an assistant manager in the management. (2) AIP – Assistant Inspector of Prison. He is a person who visit all department to check rules are being obeyed and standard and acceptable. He checks to ensure that things are going on fine. Boar – This a male pig that has grown to a point that can pregnant a sow. Confine System – This is type of management system that does not interact with the system’s environment. The pigs under this system are controlled they are not expose to the environment, their feeding and all management are controlled by a prison or persons. 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 row 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 an system is simply too great to be coped with by the information management available. It is overflow of information which slow 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 – Mis 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 a 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 Pocker – A pig at the sluter stage. Piglet – Young pigs. That is the earlier first stage of pigs. 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. Sow – The female pig.