The Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea is currently preparing an Agribusiness Degree. An Agribusiness Degree emphasizes
the combined importance of agriculture and business applications for the good of local farming communities and the many agri-businesses
throughout the country. The degree will be designed with a practical emphasis and relevance to the agricultural and
rural needs of Papua New Guinea.
The Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea will design the program to have as
much effect as possible at the local farming level with the intention of increasing income for local communities while at
the same time providing the graduate with a professional degree recognized throughout the South Pacific.
The Agribusiness
Degree is designed to introduce students to Papua New Guinea’s diverse agriculture sector and production systems, the
economy, and agricultures contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product. The degree program will introduce the student
to types of agricultural systems, traditional land-use patterns, cultural farming systems, subsistence, smallholder as well
as large scale plantation and agri-businesses. Students will also learn about export commodities and export revenue’s
contribution to the country’s economy. They will come to appreciate that agriculture is the backbone of the Papua
New Guinea economy and provides food security, cash and employment for the majority of the population.
Introduction
Agribusiness is the business of agriculture and the food supply chain, from the farm to the nation’s tables or for
export. It is a major part of Papua New Guinea’s Economy in terms of the agriculture sectors contribution to the gross
domestic market and employment. Papua New Guinea will experience greater success as a primary producing nation if its graduates
understand the complexities of business along with the complexities of producing crops and managing livestock, forests, and
fisheries.
The School of Agribusiness will offer such courses as Agribusiness Management, Marketing Management,
Horticultural Management, Plantation Management and Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management. The program will develop
knowledge and skills in management, technical production and marketing applied to activities in agribusiness. Included
will be production units such as smallholder farms, enterprises in horticultural crops, export crops (coffee, cocoa, coconut,
rubber, oil palm, spices, etc.), aquaculture and marine resources. The program seeks to develop human holism, the integration
of Christian perspectives and practices in rural development, servicing primary producers and their products.
The
focus of the degree program is on developing skills in the management and optimization of systems to achieve profitable and
sustainable outcomes in a wide variety of agricultural ventures and services. The course presents a holistic view of supply
chain agribusiness, developing an understanding of linkages between consumers and the production, processing, distribution
systems and the management associated with these industries.
Students will develop professional attributes sought
by employers such as the ability to understand, apply and communicate key principles, to think analytically, to think creatively,
and also encompass teamwork and self-directed learning skills. Professional development is enhanced during a period of 12
to 16 weeks in professional practice engagement in an agribusiness organization in Papua New Guinea or overseas.
Career OpportunitiesThe Agribusiness Degree
program covers all operations involved in the production and supply chain of farm produce, processing; distribution and marketing
food crops, cash crops and livestock products.
Graduates will be equipped to be employed as suppliers or producers,
involved in anything from seeds to finance; in marketing or merchandising, domestically or for export; in processing, retailing
or even in the management of a farm, village agricultural project, or a production enterprise.
Graduates can also
gain employment or serve Papua New Guinea in government policy making, planning, monitoring and regulatory bodies.
Graduates may find employment as:- Farming Community Developers
- Agricultural
Consultants
- Agronomist
- Nursery Managers
- Commodity traders
- Marketing agents and marketing managers
- Managers
of company-run firms
- Sales representatives with agricultural suppliers and merchandisers
- Managers with agribusiness
companies
- Bank appraisers
- Researchers
