CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Beekeeping or apiculture can be described as the skill of keeping bees for income

and food (FiBL, 2011). Apiculture (honeybee keeping) in Nigeria as a traditional

art started time immemorial with straw, basket, gourd or pot hives playing an

important role in the production of honey. Beekeeping as an enterprise offers great

potentials for rural development in almost all African countries. It has been

appraised in some parts of Nigeria and other parts of the world with remarkable

success in terms of profitability (Farinde, Soyebo and Oyedokun, 2005; Ja‟afar-

furo, Suleiman and Hong, 2006). As an agricultural enterprise, apiculture is

relatively inexpensive and easy to start. It is comparatively less demanding in

terms of investment, labour, time and is feasible in marginal conditions and places

where crops or other enterprises have failed. The enterprise has many advantages

over other types of agriculture for instance, the enterprise requires little land and

the quality is less important since hives are placed on trees.

Beekeeping is an important part of agriculture, with distributed locations, needing

the monitoring of animals in a 24/7 mode. The honey production cycle takes place

inside beehives placed in an open field in the presence of plants in bloom. This
depends on many factors, some of which are environmental factors, such as

temperature, relative humidity, and wind, and requires adequate information to

operate (Blum, A. et al., 2009).

The importance of beekeeping as an income-generating activity is due to the fact

that beekeeping produces honey that many people use as food, medicine and for

sale. It is advocated to improve human welfare by alleviating poverty through

increased household income, a source of food and nutritional security, raw

materials for various industries and ensures an increase in yield of many tropical

crops through enhanced pollination.

Information and communication Technologies (ICT) are considered to bring

economic and social development, with the benefits of reaching even those who do

not themselves have first-hand access to them (Mekonnen, K.A., et al., 2012). ICT

can enhance knowledge sharing and improve access to information (Hendriks, P.,

1999). While in agriculture, extension officers are responsible in conveying

knowledge and scientific findings to rural areas for the purpose of improving the

lives of rural livestock keepers (Blum, A. et al., 2009). The lack of sufficient

information to farmers on best production practices is prevalent in bee production

which is why this project work seeks to provide an information system that can

effectively fill in the gap where there is absence of extension workers.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The loss of honey bees is increasing day by day. The bees are under great threat

due to reasons such as epidemics, parasites, colony collapse disorder, agricultural

drugs, global warming, environmental pollution, and lack of adequate information

on bee production and management.

It is very unfortunate that the technology potentials have not been fully or even

adequately realized in apiculture as well as other aspects of agriculture. Very little

agriculturists 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 set goals in apiculture are as follows:

 Lack of quality information tool like a computerized database system for

proper information management.

 Lack of specialist in the field. Lack of technical – know how.

 Poor service rendered by the government

 Management decline due to lack of production information, etc.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The objective of this research work is basically to develop an online apiculture

information system which is capable of providing effective, efficient, accurate and

timely form of management and production information to bee farmers.

The specific objectives include to;

 Develop an information system to equip bee farmers with quality

production information on regular basis.

 Eliminate the steady decline in the management of bee farms by

developing an online resource to guide farmers on proper management

practices.

 Accelerate decision performance while choosing farm site, best

production season, incubation and lots more.

1.4 Significance of the Study

In the event of the above mentioned challenges discovered in the field of

apiculture. It is believed that the introduction of a computerized resource system

will change the whole the operation of bee production positively. It will totally

eliminate the inherent problem which will in turn bring about immense cash value

to apiculturists.
It will definitely expose and enlighten the staff and managers of apiculture farms

on what they supposed to know about their management. In addition, it will bring

about more noticeable contribution and improvements to bee farmers nationwide to

be able to define their problems and find out the solution to their farm management

issues.

Though the researcher restricted the study to FCAI apiculture farm, the result of

the findings will be of immense benefits to bee farmers across the globe and as

well to students conducting similar research work on the same or related topic.

1.5 Scope and Limitation 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 management

apiculture unit in Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu.

1.6 Definition of Terms

Terms used in this research are defined below;

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 in which the sheer amount of information in

a system is simply too great to be coped with by the information management

available. It is overflow of information which slows 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 – is an integrated and holistic reporting

network system in an organization that provides planning and controlling

information for effective decision making.

Farm: A place where agricultural and similar activities take place, especially the

growing of crops or the raising of livestock.

Farming: The business or act of cultivating land, or raising livestock.

Agro-ICT: The use of Information and communication technology to carry out

agricultural activities.
Livestock are domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce

labor and commodities such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is

sometimes used to refer solely to those that are bred for consumption, while other

times it refers only to farmed ruminants, such as cattle and goats.

Apiculture The word ‘apiculture’ comes from the Latin word ‘apis’ meaning bee.

So, apiculture or beekeeping is the care and management of honey bees for the

production of honey and wax. In this method, bees are bred commercially in

apiaries, an area where a lot of beehives can be placed. Usually, apiaries are set up

in areas where there are sufficient bee pastures – such as areas that have flowering

plants.
 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Concept of Beekeeping

Agriculture in Nigeria, accounts for more than one-third of total gross domestic

product (GDP), ensures food security, alleviate poverty and reduce labour force

wastage (Amaza and Maurice, 2005). The agricultural share of the GDP stood at

about 90% before independence in 1960 and decline over time (Amaza and

Maurice, 2005). The decline in the contribution of agriculture to the country’s

GDP overtime is due to its dwindling relevance relative to other sectors of

economy, especially the commercial exploration of petroleum. This condition leads

to poor agricultural output in general and consequently, impoverishment of the

people that are agriculture dependent. The search for sustainable forms of farming

such as beekeeping, which will be complementary and also improves biodiversity,

therefore, becomes imperative.

Beekeeping or apiculture is an activity in which man rears honeybees and acquires

their products. Onwubuya et al. (2013), define beekeeping as the practice of

keeping and management of honeybee colonies, in hives constructed by man.

According to Shu‟aib, Kyiogwom and Baba (2009), beekeeping refers to the

practice and management of the bees in the hives, which leads to the production of

valuable materials such as honey, beeswax, etc. It involves construction of

beehives to catch swarms for harvesting of honey and other products during the

honey flow period. The management of bees in hive makes ownership of the bee

colony very clear, it can be kept near home and harvesting is easier. So long as a

honeybee is an animal, the apiculture is generally treated as a form of animal

husbandry. All over the world, beekeeping is an integral part of agriculture. It is

practiced either as a main activity or as a secondary part-time activity. Beekeeping

is often practiced on a small scale and represents a traditional way of animal

husbandry in most cultures. The size of a beekeeping enterprise run by a fulltime

farmer depends essentially on the socioeconomic situation in the country

concerned. In some countries, 20 bee colonies may be sufficient to earn a living for

one family, whereas in other countries, one enterprise may comprise more than

2000 colonies. In beekeeping, land ownership is virtually unnecessary, and

beekeeping can be practiced in both cultivated landscapes and in natural habitats.

Beekeeping practices can either be stationary or migratory, where the beekeeper

moves colonies of bees in pursuit of honey flows or for the commercial pollination

of crops.

Africa is the original home of honeybee, Apis mellifera. Africa and other tropical

countries in the Caribbean and pacific therefore have highly appropriate habitat for

honeybees. The common Africa honeybee in Nigeria is Apis mellifera Mellifera

addnsonni (Oluwaseun, 2009). It is found in the wild and also, deliberately kept by

beekeepers. Honeybee is an insect that lives in groups or colonies showing social

organisations among its castes and in the area of division of labour. Interest in bee

keeping started with hunting and robbing of wild colonies in hollow cavities in

trees and rocks. (Halil and Nuray, 2007).

2.1.1 Beekeeping and Sustainable Livelihood

The sustainable Livelihood Analysis (SLA) has since the 1990s become the

dominant approach to the implementation of development interventions by a

number of major international agencies. It is defined in terms of the ability of a

social unit to enhance its assets and capabilities in the face of shocks and stresses

over time (Stephen, Nora and

Moses, 2009). SLA first seeks to identify the important of assets in livelihood,

their trends over time and space as well as the nature and impacts of shocks and

stresses (environmental, economic and social) upon these assets. A livelihood

comprises the capabilities, assets and activities required for a means of living. It is

deemed sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks

and maintain or enhance its capabilities, assets, and activities both now and in the

future, while not undermining the natural resource base (Olivier, 2008).

Individuals‟ livelihood depends on access to different types of assets. These assets

fall into five categories: natural, human, physical, social and financial (Department

for International Development, 2002) and no single category of asset are on its

own sufficient basis for creating a livelihood. Beekeeping is a useful means of

strengthening livelihoods because it uses and creates a range of assets. According

to Lemessa (2007), successful beekeeping can be achieved by drawing upon all the

five categories of assets.

2.2 Farm Management

The farm management personnel’s role is becoming progressively more complex

as pressure from trade globalization, sustainability, and complex information and

communication technologies becomes more prevalent (Sindir, 2006; Sorensen, et

al., 2010). An important task of farm management continues to be increasing the

farm’sproduction and profit and to do so by properly allocating resources and

implementing appropriate operational strategies. With the domestic and global

markets becoming more competitive, farm managers must push their operations to

maximum efficiency.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognized that a typical

model for farm management does not exist because not all farms are the same size

and type (Sindir, 2006). Instead, the agency acknowledged farm management has

five basic functions to achieve the goals and objectives of the farming business:
1. Planning: creating daily/seasonal priorities and schedules, recognizing areas

needing improvement and finding alternative solutions

2. Organizing: establishing standard operating procedures and a structure of

activities to meet the farm’s goals

3. Managing human resources: recruiting, hiring, training and evaluating workers

4. Directing: delegation of responsibilities, establishing good communication with

workers

5. Controlling: monitoring expenses and income, maintaining records of

operations,comparing rates of productivity, making changes to practices as

necessary, and more (Sindir, 2006).

Sorensen et al. (2010) also developed an engagement web (Figure 2) from the farm

manager’s point of view with the circular gray dashed line representing the farm

system boundary, and the darker gray dashed oval representing the system

boundary for the production of crops.

While the farm manager is not likely to deal with all of these issues at once, many

of these issues can be arranged into successive and parallel tasks. Many farm

production processes and their sub-processes are diverse in nature and require the

management to balance individual tasks within the seasonal farm plan (Pesonen, et

al., 2008). For example, spring tillage and planting are performed in succession on
a field basis, but they are often performed in parallel across the farm. Spring

planting requires a succession of tasks such as ordering seed and fertilizers, seed

bed preparation, coordinating resources and more. Each task demands the attention

of someone on the farm and can change priority based on weather, resources

available, and the completion of previous tasks.

Farm management requires numerous decisions of various kinds, and most have

many implementation options (Sindir, 2006). Typically the farmer deals with very

complicated information flow paths since information comes from several sources

(Pesonen, et al., 2008; Sorensen, et al., 2011).

2.3 Apiculture Farm Management Information Systems

Operating an agriculture enterprise requires the management to make and

implement numerous decisions across the operation throughout the season, and

many times, away from the office. The management must process the necessary

data in terms of recording, conditioning, and correlating (Sindir, 2006). The

decision-makers also use information from a variety of resources, but the most

valuable is often the source with information specific to the farm’s operations,

which often includes financial and operation records (Sindir, 2006). LFMIS can be

designed to deal with these issues and to support strategic and operational

decisions (Nurkka, et al., 2007).

Nurkka et al. (2007) indicated that the management of information and decision-

making are the core issues for successful farming. Nurkka et al. (2007) and

Murakami et al.(2007) indicated data acquisition is not a hindrance for precision

agriculture. While Sorensen et al. (2010) point out that the use of computers and

the internet has improved the task of handling and processing information, it

remains a demanding task for the farm managers. They emphasize that there is

potential of integrating various data sources when suitable information systems are

developed and these should improve management practices. A variety of LFMIS

have been available to farmers, but unfortunately, the adoption of these systems

has been relatively slow compared to other popular consumer-grade information

and communication technologies.

2.4 Requirements of LFMIS

Multiple studies and surveys have been conducted in attempts to better understand

the needs of the growers. Sorensen et al. (2010) noted the importance of

understanding how the farmer views current information management methods

including what he/she thinks is working well and what is not working well. It is of

great importance for the LFMIS developer to understand what the farmer needs to

make his/her daily working life easier and what would help the farm run more

effectively (Sorensen, et al., 2010).

The following LFMIS requirements were found to be the most important by

Murakami et al. (2007) and several of these also directly relate to adoption:

 A system for the specific needs of the farmers

 A simple UI

 Simple or automated methods for data processing

 A user controlled interface allowing access to processing and analysis functions

 Integration of expert knowledge and farmer preferences

 Improved integration of standardized computer systems

 Enhanced integration and interoperability

 Scalability

 Interchangeability between applications

 Low cost

Fulton et al. (2013) echoed many of these same requirements based on a survey of

farmers from the Midwestern and Southern United States and agriculture

professionals nationwide during the winter of 2012/2013. They also elaborated on

some desires and requirements from growers:

 Automatic wireless data transfer between machines and with cloud storage so

data is stored in a single location

 Resources to find local support and training

 Web-based LFMIS so data can be accessed from an internet-connected device

 Quick-start guides to make sure the technology is being set up correctly

 Standardized data formats and compatibility between different machines and

operating platforms Murakami et al. (2007) recommended an open software

platform as an appropriate solution rather than a single proprietary system because

it is unlikely that any single complex and comprehensive solution could meet all

the requirements listed above.

When considering the core tasks of farm recordkeeping software, Pesonen et al.

(2008) identified the following steps when focusing on managing field operations:

 Creating the operation plan

 Delivering detailed task plan to the field

 Setting up mobile working units to execute the plan

 Managing, controlling and recording the operation

 Documenting the as-applied operation for recordkeeping

In recognizing the various information sources, Pesonen et al. (2008) stated that

these various sources needed to be easily integrated and combined for different

analyses.

Murakami et al. (2007) noted that a simple UI was an important requirement when

designing an LFMIS. More specifically, Haapala et al. (2006) concluded that the

information presentation and consistency with UI components was critical. They

recommended that only information necessary to carry out a task should be

presented to the user, and information needed to be presented in a logical order.

They also recommended that icons needed to be designed such that they had a

clear meaning with respect to the task at hand. They found that inconsistency and

lack of clarity, as well as poor choice of icons and language were likely sources of

usability problems (Haapala, et al., 2006).

 CHAPTER THREE

SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

3.1 Research Methodology

This has to do with the specification of procedures for collecting and analysing

data necessary to define or solve the problem for which the research is embarked

upon. The scope of this research covers the development of an online livestock

information management system.

3.1.1 Primary Source

This involves oral interviews conducted with the staff in charge of the apiculture

unit of Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu, receiving and sharing their

experience about the difficulties they undergo in using the manual information

system.

3.1.2 Secondary Source

This includes the use of textbooks, dictionaries, journals, newspapers, electronic

books and internet downloads to collect data and aid comprehension of the system.

3.1.3 Observational Method

This covers my personal visit to the apiculture unit of Federal college of

Agriculture Ishiagu. I observed the manual records which looked disorganised, the
queue of retailers waiting to be attending to and the difficulties faced by the staff in

record keeping.

3.2 Analysis of the Existing System

The existing system is one that has been manually operated over the years. It is a

system in which all the methods controlling bee farm management information is

of a manually approach. Critical analysis of this system reveals that is prone to

errors. Careful analysis also shows that due to the complexities of the manual

system, records of livestock, feeds and so on kept are inaccurate and manually

operated in such a way that requires the staff in charge of the unit to register vital

information on a book, thereby making a staff handle two or three jobs at a time.

The apiculture unit of Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu operates manually

and has not adopted computerised mode of operation. This generates inadequate

records or exercise improper management of the farm and in extreme cases, the

farm may lose her customer.

3.3 Overview of the New System

This involves finding the objective and scope of study. It may require contribution

from both existing system and proposed system. Therefore, we can define system

investigation as a thorough study carried out with aim of understanding the

existing system and to identify the basic information requirements. In this research
work system investigation help the research to identify the bottle neck and

inefficiency of manual farming. The use of manual method of operation in the area

of performance of animals and crops cannot be improved because the performance

of animals in the herd or flock for the breeding cannot not be properly documented.

This method of implementation requires adequate records of their offspring and

health welfare. Therefore, using manual method of operation in keeping the

records of animal could be cumbersome and may also lead to misrepresentation of

the good improved animal result to the ones that are not improved. Therefore, the

new system will be an online apiculture information system that would help in

providing relevant production, management and marketing information to bee

farmers.

3.3.1 System Analysis

The system analysis will provide a physical outlook of the farm management

system which shows the hardware, software, and operating procedures of the

system. This will make the logical design of the farm management software a

reality.

This system analysis also involves the finding of problem associated with manual

system as regard to the design of software and also the modification of the manual
method of farming. The purpose of system analysis is to define the requirement of

the new system in order to design and deliver good information.

In terms of delivering information for instance in U.S.A where agricultural system

are computerized. They find it easier to log to the net, browse and get information

relating to their area of agriculture. The same thing goes to the FCAI apiculture

farm. If the software is designed, adequate and accurate information concerning

where to adopt new method of farming and information about when high yield

crops are being introduce can be easily be accessed. Also by designing this

software, cost is reduced by saving for buying, other equipment such as: paper,

files, a typewriter will reduce.

3.4 Method of Analysis

The input device is concerned with equipment and procedures used in entering data

into the system during agricultural processing activities. The items of the input are

specified in the file design where the user interface data entering procedures are

determined. The software uses a dialogue style and its menu driven with modules

of programming techniques for user friendliness. Also it uses initiated interface

where the table of the available pigs are called up to the screen. The major two

types of input devices are

1. the file design

 2. the data design

The file design includes these tasks:

(i) Identification and organization of data items to be stored as records and

files.

(ii) Designing of code used to represent data values

(iii) Specification of file access method.

Table 3.1 Input files

ITEMS QTY UNIT AMOUNT

Bees 100 100 10,000
Feed 5 bags 5000 25,000
Breeds 4 100 23,000

The data entry design is in the manner in which data are initially entered into the

software system. The new system uses batch processing and entry is made through

terminals. The output is the result of the values inputted in the computer system by

the user, which is mainly displayed on the monitor the output is used to determine

the input and processing procedures of initialed by the operator.

3.5 System Design

The system design could be seen as the specification of construction of a technical

computer based solution for the business requirement identified in as system

analysis or system design in the evaluation of solution and the specification of a

detailed computer base solution. This is called the physical design. The goal of

this stage of system design to build a technical blue print of how the proposed

procedure being brought into a workable state. The purpose of this designing state

is the develop specification for each of the components of the system. (hardware,

software, procedure, people) the feasibility study stage, investigation, analysis, etc

services as input to the design processor, system design can be further directed into

two namely.

(1) Logical design: this lays down the component of the system and the

relationship to each other as they would appear to the user of defines the

input the output as well as the processing functions to be performed,

business procedures, models and control.

(2) Physical design: this is the process of translating the abstract logical model

into the specification technical design for the new system. It provides the

actual specification for software physical database, input and output media,
 manual procedure and specific control. This proposed system is carefully

constructed data flow diagrams.

Table 3.2 INPUT DESIGN AND FIELD DESCRIPTION LAYOUT

Input design is the modification of some input in a way as to suit the data

processing system. The input specification includes farmers’ information during

registration.
3.5.2. Output Design Specification

Output Format

The major output from the system would include the result generated from a

transaction or by running a query to display the number of birds and feeds

available in the database.

3.6 Advantages of the proposed system

The advantages of the proposed system are as follows:

 It provides better services to the public and users making record keeping easy.

 It keeps records that are complete, integrated and up to date, also

recommending works and devices designed to eliminate or minimise errors in

information management.

 It is a system where information and output report will be produced or made

available much faster, more accurately and more detailed to the management of

FCAI apiculture farms.

3.7 System Flow Chart

Data base file

Keying of (disk)
farm
inputs
(Keyboar
d)

Processing of data (CPU)

Display inputs
from keyboard
(VDU) Printing of the outputs
(printer0

Fig 3.1 System Flow Chart

 CHAPTER FOUR

SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND INTEGRATION

4.1 System Implementation

System implementation is the construction of a new system and the developing of

that system into producing. It ensures that new system performs its required

functions and the successful handling over form the manual system of agricultural

processing to the automated system. During implementation process, the

components build during system development are put into operation, and that old

and new system are run in a parallel or concurrently for sometimes in order to

complete the changeover sues are trained on how to operate the new system

whereby all previous procedures are converted to the new system.

In implementation of the automation of agricultural research analysis will

definitely increase the attitude of staff o face their work this will also reduce the

method of carrying papers from one department to another working for one

particular file. A new procedure of working will also be introduced since the new

method of operating the system will be made known to them. The objective of this

system implementation is also following viz;

a) To ensure that new system is constructed in order to fasten works in the

apiculture unit of FCAI

 b) To ensure the successful delivery of new system or method into production.

c) To train user/staff in the apiculture unit, ensuring that all the staff that are

only used to the manual system are given the opportunity of having a new

training exercise and a new sight of the computerized method.

d) To handover from the old to the new system in order to adopt fast method of

handling files, obtaining desired result maintain office requirement and new

method of farming.

4.1.1 Factor for Implementation

In implementation of any new proposed system, there is need to ensure that all

needed aids to keep this new system working is put into consideration. This is

because since this is a new system, which means that the staff of the whole

organization is new users, there is need to teach them on how to raise the system,

because after implementation, it is left for them to start implementation. There

exist some implementation components which includes.

a) Training of staff: this involves production of the hand books should contain

detail description on how the job is to be done, for example, computer

operating manuals, job aids should also be made available. These job aids

are designed to assist the staff in carrying out instructions while performing
 their jobs eg wall charts, notices, color description used to identify places or

equipment, flow charts and decision table, which assists in error handling.

b) Programming: This program confirms with the requirement set out for the

system specification the general purpose of commercially available software

for other office work (eg) word processing, desktop publishing, development

of program in a software purchase/operating purchase and installation

c) Master file conversion. This means moving from the old to the new system

stages involved in master file conversion includes:

d) Production of control data

e) Transcription of all the standing data to a special input document designed

for case of data entry. FCAI apiculture farm will be in advantage to this

transcription of data because all data which will be put in a better data base

for easy of retrieval.

f) By computerization of agricultural research analysis, files relating to this

will look neater than the manual ones.

4.1.2 Change over Method

In master file conversion, there exist several methods of changing from the old to

the new system. These methods are illustrated below:

a) Parallel conversion: This involved moving the old and new system together.
 b) Phased conversion: This involved converting only a portion of the system

until it is sure that the new system performs corrected gradually until either a

problem is encountered or all the system is converted.

c) Pilot conversion: This is a process of implementing all of the system in just

a part of the works correctly and then converting the remaining portions.

In using the parallel method of master file conversion, it is very clear that the cost

of using both (old and new) at the same time would be much but this seems to be

the easiest method. And since the old system would be sued for a very short time

before changing finally if the new system proves better. It is proposed that in cost

of running both would not be discouraging.

4.2 Hardware Requirement

For effective operation of the newly designed system, the following minimum

hardware specifications are recommended:

a) The computer system to use should be 100% IBM compatible since they are

considered done systems.

b) The computer system processor to be used is Intel Pentium technology.

c) The minimum Random Access Memory (RAM) should be 2GB.

d) The system should have a hard disk of at least 50GB

e) The mouse, keyboard and printer are also required.

The listed configurations are the minimum requirements, but if the configurations

are of higher versions, the processing derived will definitely be better and the

program will run faster.

4.3 Software Requirements

The following specification are needed

a) Operating System-Certified distribution of Windows 7 or higher.

b) Front end – HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Bootstrap etc.

c) Back end – MySQL database, PHP

4.3 System Testing

Testing presents an interesting anomaly for the software engineer where he

attempts to build Software from an abstract concept to a tangible product. During

testing, the engineer creates Series of test cases to discard preconceived.

 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1Summary

Based on the facts contained in this project it is intension of the researcher to

change the manual system/method to a computerized system/method which is

simpler and flexible to operate. The major aim of computerized system is to

provide management with an information management system that can aide in

decision making. It also embraces customers with standard services and demanded

by growing societal need.

Furthermore, critically analysis of the farm management system has been taken

care of. It will interest to know that other areas of the manual and computerized

system were distinguished with certain specific features.

During the course of this research we had a case study (FCAI apiculture farm). It

does its operations manually and the purpose of this research was to computerize

its operations. To achieve this, the existing system had to be studied (system

investigation and analysis) to know how things are done and the

shortcomings/errors they encounter and a result theory of inventory management to

know what concepts will be most appropriate to enhance the efficiency of the farm.
5.2 Conclusion

Computer is fast in changing the method of organizational management. Generally,

computer and automated systems brings better and more efficient ways of carrying

out operations. Based on findings, it is recommended to every farm, to embark and

embrace computerize system of data management in every system.

5.3 Recommendation

In view of evidence proven and advantages associated with the uses of

computerized farm management system, it is recommended as thus:

i. The farm management (and every other farm still employing manual

system of management) should engage in the uses of computerized

farm management system.

ii. I also recommend the employment of competent computer personnel

to ensure effective and efficient management of the system

iii. The management should therefore ensure that all the staff involved in

the using of the new system is knowledgeable enough to operate the

system by undergoing trainings.

iv. The new system should be subjected to review periodically and be

determined whether its aims and objectives are achieved.

v. The system or style of replacing the old system with the new should

be a parallel system of replacement or change over. This will

implement the new system by a gradual change over method.

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