MSc in Agribusiness and Value Chain management

MSc degree in Agribusiness and Value Chain Management program

Objective of the Program

General Objective 

The overall goal of the MSc degree in Agribusiness and Value Chain Management program is to produce proficient, highly competent and innovative agribusiness and value chain experts capable of leading the commercialization of the country’s agriculture in light of the dynamism of consumers demand.

Specific Objectives 

The specific objectives of the program are to produce:

• •Experts equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitude required to enhance sustainable commercialization of agriculture; 
• •Innovative, gender sensitive and socially accountable experts who can identify agricultural business challenges and opportunities, and address consumers’ dynamism;
• •Problem solving researchers in the areas of agribusiness and value chain.
• •Managers who can make use of comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approaches in dealing with agricultural problems;
• •Experts who can educate, consult, advise, train and render community development services; and
• •Competent planners, negotiators, analysts and developers, change and risk managersin areas of agribusiness and value chain.

2.Professional Profile

This MSc. program in Agribusiness and Value Chain Management aspires to produce professionals who will be involved in the following key occupational tasks.

1.Management of complex business enterprises;

2.Research in the areas of Agribusiness and Value Chain Management; 

3.Advice and consultancy services for policy makers, investors, financial institutions, and agribusiness firms;

4.Strategy setting for agricultural commercialization;

5.Analysis of challenges, barriers, and variables in agricultural production, marketing, and values and problem solving; 

6.Organization of agricultural information and trends;

7.Management of finance and risk in agribusiness

8.Assessment of market dynamics and consumer behaviors;

9.Development of business plans and strategies;

10. Examination and critics of policies and approaches to agricultural marketing;

11.Impact assessment of innovations in agricultural sector and marketing practices;

12. Entrepreneurship in modern agribusiness firms;

13.Organization and management of business cooperatives;

14.Benchmarking and adoption of best practices in Agribusiness and Value Chain Management to local contexts; 

15.Training and education at various levels in the area of Agribusiness and Value Chain Management 

a.Graduate Profile

At the end of the program, the graduates will be able to: 

1.Advise and consult policy makers, investors, financial institutions, and agribusiness firms;

2.Assess market dynamics and consumer behaviors;

3.Develop business plans and strategies;

4.Establish his/her own agribusiness enterprises;

5.Manage complex business enterprises;

6.Manage finance, risk, and change in agribusiness;

7.Organize, manage, and lead business cooperatives;

8.Organize agricultural information and trends;

9.Conduct research in the areas of Agribusiness and Value Chain Management;

10.Set strategies for agricultural commercialization;

11.Evaluate agribusiness related policies.

b.Program Profile

Duration of the Program

Successful completion of the program, under normal circumstances for regular program, requires two years of study or four semesters, of which two semesters will be for course work and the rest two semesters will be for research and thesis writing. The maximum duration for the program in regular, summer, distance, and continuing education will be decided by the respective senate legislations of the universities. 

Admission Requirements

Candidates who apply for master’s degree in Agribusiness and Value Chain Management must have bachelor degree from accredited higher learning institutions in or outside the country. Eligible candidates will be required to take and pass an entrance examination (written and/or oral) to be considered for admission. Candidates with backgrounds from Agribusiness and value chain management can join without any compensatory course. 

Candidates from Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Marketing, Agribusiness Management, Agricultural/Natural Resource Economics and Management background should take the Value chain analysis and development as compensatory course. 

Candidates with background in Rural Development and Agricultural Extension, Plant/Crop Science, Horticulture, and Animal Science should take the following compensatory courses: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Agricultural Marketing, Econometrics and Value chain analysis and development. 

Candidates with background in Economics, Accounting, Business Management and Cooperatives should take the following compensatory courses: Animal production, Plant production, and Value chain analysis and development. 

However, candidates with other related disciplines can join the program if they can finish compensatory courses that will be decided by the receiving department, within maximum of one year.  

Graduation Requirements

For the program, candidates are expected to take a minimum of 38 credit hours including master’s thesis work. The candidate is also required to get a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 (equivalent to B’s in all the courses taken). Issues related to C grades shall be entertained by the respective universities’ legislation. As partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation, the candidate is required to carry out and successfully complete independent research thesis on original topics or issues which make a significant contribution to the knowledge of the field. A candidate cannot defend her/his thesis before completing the course work.

Degree Nomenclature

Studentswhohavesuccessfullycompletedgraduationrequirementscanearnthefollowing degree: Masters of Science DegreeinAgribusinessandValueChainManagement. Its Amharic version የሳይንስ ማስትሬት ዲግሪ በግብርና ቢዝነስ እና ቫልዩቼይን ማኔጅመንት 

 c. Distribution of Courses by Semester

 

Year I: Semester I

Course Code	Courses	Cr hr
ABVM 511	Managerial Economics in Agribusiness	3
ABVM 521	Agricultural Marketing & Price Analysis	3
ABVM 531	Value Chain Analysis and Development	3
ABVM 541	Crop Value Chain Development	3
ABVM 551	Applied Econometrics	3
ABVM 561	Gender in Agribusiness & Value chain Management (E)	2
ABVM 571	Business Communication and Leadership in Agribusiness (E)	2
Total		15/19

Year I: Semester II

Course Code	Course Title	Cr Hr
ABVM 512	Livestock Value Chain Management	3
ABVM 522	Investment Analysis and Business Plan Development	3
ABVM 532	International trade   (E)	2
ABVM 542	Financial and Risk Management	2
ABVM 552	Research Methods in Agribusiness and Value Chains	2
ABVM 562	Agribusiness Organization and Management	2
ABVM 572	Economics of Climate Change (E)	2
ABVM 582	Operations Research in Agribusiness (E)	2
ABVM 592	Graduate Seminar	1
CBE 622	DTTP (for Jimma University)	3
Total		13/19

Year II

 

Course Code	Course Title	Cr. Hr
ABVM 602	MSc. Thesis Research	6

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