Objectives

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the business environment of different players in the agricultural value chain – farmers, input providers, traders, processors, retailers, consumers, and government
• Develop skills for critical analysis of important issues that affect farming and agribusiness profitability

Course outline:

1. General perspective of agri-food systems and agribusiness – agricultural value chain (factors affecting food demand – population growth, economic growth, food security; production/consumption trends; factors affecting supply – policies, natural resources, inputs, market channels, technology, imports; interconnections with global events/crises)
2. Analysis of agriculture and food systems-1 : organization, performance, outlook, implications for agribusiness (analysis of trends in production, consumption, prices, market channels, trade, supply chains; impacts of policies, regulations, institutions, technology, global events/crises)-: cereals, pulses, oilseeds
3. Case study 1: HBS-Adani AgriLogistics (wheat)
4. Case study 2: Cargill India (edible oils)
5. Analysis of agriculture and food systems-2: organization, performance, outlook, implications for agribusiness – high value commodities: horticulture, dairy, poultry, organic farming (student presentations 4; summary presentation by faculty)
6. Case study 3: Mother Dairy
7. Case study 4: Adani AgriFresh (Apples)
8. Analysis of agriculture and food systems-3: organization, performance, outlook, implications for agribusiness : sugarcane, biofuels, cotton  (student presentations (3); summary presentation by faculty)
9. Analysis of agriculture and food systems-4 : organization, performance, outlook, implications for agribusiness – industries  – seed, fertilizers, pesticides, machinery, food processing (student presentations – 5;  summary presentation by faculty)
10. Case study 5: Syngenta
11. Analysis of agriculture and food systems-5 : traditional and emerging procurement and market channels – agricultural markets, organized retail– (student presentations – 3; summary presentation by faculty)
12. Case study 6: Spencers Retail
13. Investment in agriculture: Banks and credit; Public investment and subsidies; Private investment and FDI in agriculture; changing investment climate, R&D investment and infrastructure

Lectures and course materials

Resources: USDA-FAS-GAIN Annuals for different Commodities; Reports of Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP); Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’  Welfare website, Case studies.