Courses with Gaps

Classification and ecology of crops in Nigeria. Nutrient requirements and mineral nutrition of plants. Manures and fertilizers. Plant growth and development. Growth stages. Tillage and weed control. Other cultural practices. Cropping sequences and rotation. Farming systems. Production practices for specified crops. Conservation agriculture and sustainability in tropical agriculture.

Automation: Introduction to automation. Control systems: open-loop and closed-loop, feedback control, logic control, on-off control and linear control systems. Control actions: discrete control (on/off); PID controller; sequential control and logical sequence or system state control; computer control. Automation tools: artificial neural network (ANN); distributed control system (DCS); human machine interface (HMI); robotic process automation (RPA); supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA); programmable logic controller (PLC); instrumentation; motion control; robotics. Programming languages: introduction to programming language; Matlab programming, R programming, C, C# and C++ programming, Java and Java Script programming and Python programming. Sensors and actuators: introduction to sensors, types and applications. Design and selection of sensors. Introduction to actuators, types and applications. Design and selection of actuators. Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Introduction, types and classification of drones. Architecture (components) of a drone: flight controller; electronic speed controller (ESC); battery; radio transmitter/receiver; antenna; propellers; electric motor; camera and its accessories.; ground station; intelligent sensors; intelligent battery; GNSS and RTK module. Advantages and disadvantages of drones. Design and selection of drones. Working principles of a drone. Performance considerations criteria of a drone. Application of drones in agriculture. Robots: Introduction, types and characteristics of agricultural robots (Agribot). Primary areas of robotics: operator interface; mobility or locomotion; manipulators and effectors; programming; sensing and perception. Advantages and disadvantages of robots. Robot design process. Design of components of agricultural robots: end effectors; grippers; manipulators. Operating principles of an agricultural robot. Performance evaluation of robots: productive time, overhead time and working efficiency index. Accuracy and repeatability of a robot. Application of robot to agriculture.

Concept of environmental and social consequences/dimensions of development projects. Methods of impact analysis. Physical, sociological, legal, economic, environmental and public health implications of human activities. Effects of changed environments on man. Examples of impact assessment with particular reference to developing countries. Role of environmental engineering in preventing or reducing environmental stress. Environmental and social management plans (ESMP); Planning and policy, administration and organisation of natural resources development and public health. Land use planning and landscape design. Monitoring and evaluation of projects for ESIA compliance. Practical content: Students are expected to undertake an environmental and social impact analysis of an on- going project on campus.

Management decision making. Functions of management planning, organisation, staffing, directing and controlling. Financial management. Principles of extension: diffusion, adoption and rejection of innovations. Communication and leadership in agricultural extension.