The growing demand for food offers promising opportunities for farm managers. Several commercial farms are being set up to utilise the over 1.38 billion hectares of arable land in the world.
As the population increases, surpassing 8 billion, businesses feeding them continue to thrive. The world is turning attention to ensuring that there is enough food for all.
At home, for example, the Tinubu administration’s focus on food security is bringing about policies and programs to encourage commercial farming, including providing loans, subsidies, and improved infrastructure. As Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy away from reliance on oil, agriculture is being positioned as a key sector for growth and development.
Modern agricultural technologies, such as improved seeds, fertilisers, and mechanisation, are making big farms more efficient and productive. There is also an increasing demand for agricultural products in the global market, especially for high-value commodities like cocoa, palm oil, and cashews, which grow well in Nigeria due to suitable soil and climatic conditions.
Why are farm managers important?
- Specialised expertise: Competent farm managers possess specialised knowledge and skills in various aspects of agriculture, including crop management, livestock rearing, financial management, and marketing. This expertise allows them to make informed decisions and implement efficient strategies that benefit the farms better than the owners.
- Time management: Managing a farm involves numerous tasks, from overseeing daily operations to planning for the future. Farm managers can effectively allocate their time and resources to ensure that all aspects of the farm are running smoothly. Meanwhile, farm owners may not be able to dedicate similar hours.
- Risk mitigation: Farm managers are skilled at identifying and mitigating risks associated with farming, such as weather, pests, and market fluctuations. They can develop contingency plans to minimise losses and ensure the farm’s sustainability.
- Network building: Farm managers often have extensive networks within the agricultural industry, which they have cultivated over time and these can be beneficial for sourcing inputs, finding markets for products, and staying updated on industry trends.
- Focus on core competencies: By hiring a farm manager, farm owners can focus on their core competencies, such as strategic planning, business development, or other areas of expertise. This allows them to maximise their impact on the farm’s overall success.
Farm owners, especially large or commercial ones, need farm managers. From lack of time and expertise to workload and scalability, successful farming ventures require someone at the helm who takes their responsibilities as their job.
However, securing a farm manager position requires a combination of technical expertise, soft skills, and a strategic approach. To write this article, I scrubbed the internet for the highest-paying farm manager job openings and examined the responsibilities listed. The skills mentioned in the next section will help you ace recruitment processes because they will prove that you can handle the tasks that come with the job.
This article will also provide valuable insights into the key requirements, pathways, and challenges associated with becoming a farm manager.
Top 10 farm manager skills to land high-paying jobs in 2024
A. Technical skills:
A farm manager needs a strong foundation of technical skills to effectively oversee and manage agricultural operations. These skills come from education (formal and informal) and practice, they are tangible and quantifiable. When you add these skills to your resume or CV, you must back it up with metrics that prove what you have used them to achieve.
1. Agricultural science: An immersive understanding of agricultural principles, including soil science, plant pathology, animal husbandry, and crop management. It will identify suitable crops based on soil conditions and climate as well as determine optimal planting dates, spacing, and methods. This skill shows that you understand plant and animal nutrient requirements to attain market standards.
2. Farm management: Knowledge of farm operations such as planning, budgeting, and resource allocation. Part of the job’s responsibilities include developing long-term goals for the farm, creating detailed plans for daily, seasonal, and annual activities, and efficiently allocating resources such as labour, equipment, and capital. Having knowledge of how to use software to manage records, track inventory, and analyse data is crucial on modern commercial farms.
3. Accounting: Proficiency in financial management, record-keeping, and budgeting. As a farm manager, you could have to track all income sources and expenses to understand the farm’s financial performance. Fram owners may also require you to assess the farm’s profitability, identify areas for improvement and manage costs to maximise profitability. Part of your responsibilities could be creating budgets, evaluating investment opportunities and developing financial plans for long-term growth and sustainability. Other tasks may include preparing and filing accurate tax returns which require understanding tax laws.
4. Marketing: Understanding of market trends, consumer preferences, and sales strategies. You may have to gather information about competitors and pricing. An understanding of branding may be required for tech-savvy farming businesses looking for younger customers online and you should learn how some marketing channels like social media and advertising work. Maintaining good customer relations is also key as well as optimising supply chain and logistics.
B. Soft skills:
While farming is a practical venture, it requires some skills that are soft and not tangible or quantifiable to ensure profitability. These skills mostly relate to people, including colleagues and clients.
5. Leadership: The ability to motivate and inspire teams, delegate tasks effectively, and make sound decisions. Farm managers will need to inspire and motivate their teams by showing vision. They must also help create a positive work environment that encourages healthy relationships and collaboration between employees and employers.
6. Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact with staff, suppliers, customers, and regulatory bodies. Clear communication reinforces relationships, builds networks, makes expectations clear and encourages feedback. It helps public relations with customers and the community.
7. Problem-solving: The capacity to identify and address challenges related to farm operations, weather conditions, and market fluctuations. This skill helps a farm manager to identify and analyse issues, develop solutions, and reach appropriate decisions. It also includes continuous improvements to learn from mistakes and seek innovations.
8. Time management: The ability to prioritise tasks, manage multiple responsibilities, and meet deadlines. Farm owners seek managers who can improve productivity through efficiency.
9. Networking: The skill to build relationships with industry professionals, suppliers, and potential customers. Networking is important in the farming business as it determines what kind of access farms have when they seek resources or solutions to problems. It will also help them stay on top of happenings in the industry.
10. Adaptability: The flexibility to respond to changing market conditions, technological advancements, and environmental factors. Adaptability also requires resilience to recover after setbacks and involves non-stop learning and good risk management systems.
Conclusion
The agricultural sector is experiencing a surge driven by factors such as population growth, government support, technological advancements, and global market demand. This growth has created promising opportunities for those seeking careers in farm management.
To secure a high-paying farm manager position, individuals must possess a combination of technical expertise and soft skills. Technical skills, such as agricultural science, farm management, accounting, and marketing, are essential for understanding and managing various aspects of farm operations. Soft skills, including leadership, communication, problem-solving, time management, networking, and adaptability, are equally crucial for success.
By developing these skills and staying updated on industry trends, aspiring farm managers can position themselves for rewarding and fulfilling careers in the growing Nigerian agricultural sector.
