INTRODUCTION
In today’s data-driven agricultural environment, professionals need practical tools to manage, analyze, and present data effectively. Microsoft Excel is one of the most versatile and widely used tools for agricultural planning, budgeting, production tracking, reporting, and analysis.
Microsoft Excel is easy to use and allows you to store, manipulate, analyze and visualize data. It supports databases, graphics and presentation features. The trainees will gain practical experience in the use of Microsoft Excel for data summary, presentation and for other basic statistical work. This course focusses on areas where Excel really can excel, such as array functions, data entry and management, pivot tables, and graphics.
This hands-on training course is tailored specifically for agricultural professionals. It equips participants with essential and advanced Excel skills for data entry, crop and livestock recordkeeping, farm budgeting, monitoring field trials, and analyzing extension and research data. The course includes real agricultural datasets, templates, and exercises relevant to farming, agribusiness, research, and development projects.
Participants who successfully complete the course will receive Certificate of Participation.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Understand the structure and functionality of Microsoft Excel for agricultural applications
- Use Excel to input, organize, and clean agricultural data
- Perform basic and advanced calculations using formulas and functions
- Analyze farm budgets, production records, and survey data
- Create tables, charts, and dashboards for reporting and decision-making
- Use Excel tools for forecasting, scheduling, and data validation
- Apply Excel in agricultural research, extension reporting, and monitoring activities
DURATION
This course will take 5 days
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This course is ideal for:
- Agricultural extension officers and field agents
- Agribusiness professionals and farm managers
- Researchers and M&E officers in agricultural projects
- NGO and government staff working in agriculture and food systems
- Agricultural trainers and data clerks
- Students and graduates in agriculture or agribusiness fields
COURSE OUTLINE
Module 1: Introduction to Excel and Data Management
- Overview of Excel interface and navigation
- Creating, saving, and organizing Excel workbooks for farm records
- Data entry and formatting techniques for crop/livestock data
- Customizing spreadsheets for recordkeeping (fertilizer, pesticide use, yields, etc.)
- Using sorting, filtering, and basic formatting for clarity and usability
- Practical session: Creating a simple farm register or input inventory log
Module 2: Formulas, Functions, and Farm Calculations
- Basic formulas: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
- Relative vs. absolute cell referencing
- Common functions for agriculture: SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, MIN
- IF statements for decision rules (e.g., pest thresholds, rainfall levels)
- Nested functions: IF+AND, IF+OR for logic-based calculations
- Practical session: Calculating total costs, yields per acre, and input use efficiency
Module 3: Data Analysis and Budgeting in Agriculture
- Building simple farm budgets (production cost, gross margin, net profit)
- Using tables and named ranges for structured data
- Data validation for minimizing entry errors (e.g., dropdowns for crops)
- Introduction to PivotTables for summarizing production and sales data
- Scenario analysis with What-If Analysis (e.g., changing input costs or prices)
- Practical session: Farm budget analysis and income projections
Module 4: Visualization and Reporting
- Creating dynamic charts: line, column, pie, bar
- Conditional formatting for quick analysis (e.g., highlight low yields)
- Using slicers and filters in tables and PivotTables
- Building simple dashboards for extension or project reports
- Combining charts and tables into one-page reports
- Practical session: Visualizing trends in yields, rainfall, or sales
Module 5: Advanced Tools and Real-World Applications
- Importing/exporting data (CSV, text files, other sources)
- Using Excel for scheduling farm activities and timelines (Gantt charts)
- Tracking field trial data or farmer training attendance
- Protecting worksheets and setting data entry permissions
- Group activity: Build a real-world Excel workbook for an agricultural project
GENERAL NOTES
- The instructor led trainings are delivered using a blended learning approach and comprises of presentations, guided sessions of practical exercise, web-based tutorials and group work. Our facilitators are seasoned industry experts with years of experience, working as professional and trainers in these fields.
- The participants should be reasonably proficient in English as all facilitation and course materials will be offered in English.
- Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a certificate.
- The training will be held at Kincaid Training Centre. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments and lunch.
- All participants will additionally cater for their, travel expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.
- Accommodation and airport pickup are arranged upon request. For reservations contact the Training coordinator at Email: training@kincaiddevelopmentcenter.org or Tel: +254 724592901
- This training can also be customized to suit the needs of your institution upon request. You can have it delivered in our Kincaid Training Centre or at a convenient location.
For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel: +254 724592901 or send mail to training@kincaiddevelopmentcenter.org
Payments are due upon registration. Payment should be sent to our Bank account before commencement of training and proof of payment sent to training@kincaiddevelopmentcenter.org