What is the Certified Agricultural Project Specialist?

The Certified Agricultural Project Specialist is a globally recognised professional certification by the Global Leadership Institute (GLI), designed to equip professionals with advanced competencies in Strategy & Business Development.

How long does this certification take?

The programme is 10 Week and can be completed at your own pace through our self-paced online option, or alongside live virtual sessions.

Is this certification globally recognised?

Yes. GLI certifications are internationally recognised and carry CPD credits, making them valuable for career advancement worldwide.

What level is this certification?

This is a Advanced Level certification, suitable for professionals with relevant experience or background in the field.

You can enrol by emailing info@leadership.co.ke, contacting us via WhatsApp at +254 722 223 084, or filling the enrolment form below.

Certified Agricultural Project Specialist (CAPS) | Online Certification

Executive Summary

Certified Agricultural Project Specialist

Designed for today’s high-impact professionals, the Certified Agricultural Project Specialist (CAPS) delivers a rigorous Advanced-level curriculum that equips participants with the knowledge, tools and frameworks needed to excel in crop and livestock production, agribusiness management and sustainable farming systems.

This 10 Week programme is structured around FAO Good Agricultural Practices, GlobalG.A.P. and recognised agricultural and extension standards, ensuring every graduate applies internationally validated methods to real-world challenges.

GLI’s CAPS holders are recognised by leading organisations across Africa, the Gulf, Europe and the Americas as qualified, results-driven professionals. Whether you are advancing your current career or transitioning into new responsibilities, this certification provides the competitive edge you need in 2026 and beyond.

Programme Overview

Certification at a Glance

Certification

Certified Agricultural Project Specialist

Acronym

CAPS

Who Should Enrol?

Market and Value Chain Components — applied to your own work
Finance, Inputs and Delivery — applied to your own work
Adoption and Sustained Change — applied to your own work
Designing Around the Farmer — applied to your own work
Baselines and Measurement — applied to your own work
Technical Content That Holds — applied to your own work

Programme Inclusions

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

All study materials and study guide
Access to GLI online learning portal
Online examination and assessment
Digital certificate and digital badge
Physical certificate (shipped to you)
CPD credits for professional bodies
GLI alumni network membership
Facilitator and tutor support
Resource downloads and reference library
Automatic enrolment confirmation

Certification Benefits

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Career Advancement

Accelerate your career towards senior agronomy, farm management and agribusiness leadership roles

Professional Recognition

Credential aligned with FAO Good Agricultural Practices, GlobalG.A.P. and recognised agricultural and extension standards

Leadership Capability

Develop the strategic and operational skills to lead complex crop and livestock production functions

Organisational Impact

Design and implement crop and livestock production systems that drive performance and measurable results

Compliance Readiness

Master the standards, compliance and ethical governance central to crop and livestock production

Global Employability

Qualify for crop and livestock production roles across agribusinesses, cooperatives, NGOs, research institutions and government agencies worldwide

Competency Framework

Core Competencies You Will Develop

✦Crop and Soil Science, Agronomy and Land Management

✦Livestock, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Fundamentals

✦Farm Business Management, Value Chains and Markets

✦Sustainable, Climate-Smart and Regenerative Agriculture

✦Agricultural Extension, Advisory Services and Rural Development

✦Professional Ethics and Governance

Course Curriculum

Programme Modules

Click any module to explore the detailed curriculum topics included in this certification.

Foundations and Professional Context of Certified Agricultural Project Specialist

Certified Agricultural Project Specialist: industry context, trends and professional standards
The agricultural sector: systems, actors and global food value chains
Professional roles, ethics and standards for agricultural practitioners
Agroecological zones, farming systems and enterprise selection
Policy, institutions and the enabling environment for agriculture
Smallholder, commercial and cooperative production models
Gender, youth and social inclusion in agricultural development
The business case for productivity, quality and sustainability
Key global frameworks: FAO, GlobalG.A.P., SDGs and national strategies
Career pathways and continuing professional development
Setting professional goals and a personal development plan

Market and Value Chain Components

Market access, buyers and contract farming
Farmer organisation, aggregation and cooperatives
Value addition and processing decisions
Weed ecology and integrated weed management
Plant nutrition, foliar feeding and micronutrients
Harvest timing, methods and quality optimisation
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and field record-keeping
Livestock species, breeds and selection criteria
Animal nutrition, ration formulation and feeding systems
Breeding, reproduction and genetic improvement
Housing, welfare and environmental management
Herd and flock health planning and biosecurity
Common diseases, prevention and veterinary basics
Pasture, forage and rangeland management
Dairy, poultry, and small-ruminant enterprise management

Finance, Inputs and Delivery

Agricultural finance and credit for farmers
Input supply, agro-dealers and last-mile distribution
Grading, standards and food safety compliance
Agricultural finance, credit and investment appraisal
Cost of production, pricing and profitability
Agricultural value chains and market linkages
Contract farming, aggregation and out-grower schemes
Agribusiness marketing, branding and export readiness
Post-harvest handling, storage and loss reduction
Cooperatives, farmer organisations and collective bargaining
Farm records, bookkeeping and management accounting
Business planning and bankable proposal development
Water resources, catchment and on-farm water management
Irrigation systems: surface, sprinkler and drip design
Irrigation scheduling and water-use efficiency

Adoption and Sustained Change

Agri-enterprise planning and farm records
Crop planning, rotation and the cropping calendar
Farmer organisation, aggregation and cooperatives
Livestock husbandry and productivity
Animal health, disease and biosecurity
Feed, fodder and livestock nutrition
Harvest timing, maturity and yield assessment
Agribusiness models and strategy
Farm and enterprise business planning
Enterprise budgeting and gross margins
Agricultural finance and credit
Investment appraisal and risk
Entrepreneurship and start-ups in agriculture
Record-keeping and management accounting
Bankable proposal development

Designing Around the Farmer

Agri-enterprise planning and farm records
Farm profitability, costing and gross margins
Climate-smart agriculture and seasonal risk
Traceability, blockchain and digital records
Emerging agri-tech and innovation adoption
Regenerative and conservation agriculture practices
Carbon, greenhouse gases and soil carbon sequestration
Biodiversity, pollinators and ecosystem services
Climate risk, forecasting and resilient practices
Water stewardship and drought management
Good Agricultural and Handling Practices along the chain
Grades, standards and export certification (GlobalG.A.P.)
Pesticide residues, MRLs and safe use
Cold chain, packaging and shelf-life management
Participatory rural appraisal and needs assessment

Baselines and Measurement

Harvest timing, maturity and yield assessment
Agri-enterprise planning and farm records
Farm profitability, costing and gross margins
Scaling and growth strategies
Agricultural value chain analysis
Market systems and price discovery
Market linkages and aggregation
Contract farming and out-grower schemes
Agro-processing and value addition
Export readiness and standards
Trade, logistics and incoterms
Demand analysis and market intelligence
Branding and product differentiation
Inclusive and fair value chains
Post-harvest handling and loss reduction

Technical Content That Holds

Soil health and fertility management
Crop nutrition and fertiliser use efficiency
Integrated pest and disease management
Insurance and price-risk management
Post-harvest loss and handling
Storage, drying and stock management
Cold chain and perishable produce logistics
Traceability, certification and export requirements
Soil chemistry, pH and cation exchange capacity
Soil biology, organic matter and the soil microbiome
Soil testing, interpretation and fertility mapping
Nutrient management planning and the 4R framework
Organic, inorganic and biological fertiliser strategies
Soil and water conservation and erosion control
Land preparation, tillage and conservation agriculture

Supply and Logistics

Logistics and distribution network design
Transport modes, planning and optimisation
Logistics performance and cost control
Demand and supply planning (S&OP)
E-procurement and procure-to-pay systems
Supply chain visibility and control towers
AI, blockchain and digital supply chains
Supply chain risk identification and mapping
Sustainable procurement principles and standards
Carbon, scope 3 and sustainable logistics
Fair trade and responsible supply
Supply analysis, gaps and scenario planning
Procurement and supply chain: scope and value
The procurement cycle and operating models
Procurement’s contribution to organisational strategy

Operations and Quality

Grades, standards and quality
Seed selection, quality, treatment and certification
Livestock records, performance and productivity metrics
Outcome and process measures
Quality and delivery metrics
Delivery, quality and stakeholder plan
Quality planning and assurance
Quality control and continuous improvement
Integrated risk and quality control
Data quality and governance
Yield, productivity and profitability metrics
Data quality, analysis and reporting
Traceability, recall and quality assurance systems
Quality management systems and audits
Journey and process redesign

Communication and Advisory

Professional writing: reports, proposals and briefs
Regulatory reporting and audits
Advisory and needs-based selling
Control monitoring and reporting
Crisis communications
Stakeholder communications
Ethics in communications
Communications strategy and planning
Internal communications
Corporate social responsibility communications
Presentation and public speaking
Patient experience and communication in care settings
Financial reporting frameworks (IFRS/GAAP)
Integrated and sustainability reporting
Reporting quality and governance

Policy, Land and Legal

Land-use planning, capability and degradation management
Legal and regulatory responsibility
Environmental legal compliance
Legal, cost and feasibility analysis
Contractor and visitor safety
Policy, planning and objectives
Legal and other requirements
Certification and continual improvement
Contract types and risk allocation
Contract administration and variation
Contract performance and exit
Vendor, venue and supplier contracting for events
The retail landscape: formats, channels and the informal market
The construction industry: clients, contractors and the project economy
Construction contracts and procurement: from tender to FIDIC

Health and Nutrition

Construction health and safety: managing the industry's hazards
Health records, data and confidentiality
Telehealth and digital care delivery
Public health programmes: prevention and outreach
Managing health workers and clinical teams
Healthcare quality, safety and accreditation
Health financing: budgets, insurance and out-of-pocket realities
Procurement and stock management for health commodities
Health, safety and compliance in delivery
Customer and brand health metrics
Brand health and measurement
Confidentiality and health data
Wellbeing and holistic health strategy
Forecasting and pipeline health
Cybersecurity hygiene and data protection in daily practice

Stakeholders and Partners

Stakeholder mapping across the agricultural ecosystem
Engaging farmers, agribusiness, government and donors
Partnership building and multi-stakeholder platforms
Relationship management and retention
Stakeholder mapping and collaboration
Managing difficult stakeholders
Stakeholder mapping in banking
Relationship management and cross-selling
Wealth, SME and corporate relationships
Stakeholder mapping and engagement
Stakeholders and users of financial information
Proposal development and donor reporting
Managing boundaries and dual relationships
Quality of the therapeutic relationship
The project environment and stakeholders

Labour and Workforce

Hospitality cost control: food, beverage and labour
Workforce management and scheduling
Workforce planning and scheduling
Employee experience and engagement
Customer and employee satisfaction
Employee engagement models and drivers
The employee lifecycle and HR value chain
Strategic workforce planning and demand forecasting
Communicating risk to the workforce
Workforce and shift management in retail
Digital HR and the employee experience platform
Employer branding and employee value proposition (EVP)
Employee voice, surveys and action planning
Employee and manager self-service
Workforce reporting and storytelling with data

Ethics and Responsibility

Animal welfare standards and ethical husbandry
Animal welfare and ethical production
Ethics and professional standards in finance
Responsibility accounting and cost centres
Responsible and sustainable governance
Embedding responsible business
Ethics, confidentiality and professional conduct in HR
Data ethics, privacy and responsible analytics
Ethics and duty of care
Professional ethics and duty of care
Ethical decision-making under pressure
Ethical and reputational risk
Ethical sourcing and modern slavery
Ethics and professional conduct in security
Corporate responsibility and community

Enterprise and Innovation

Farm enterprise budgeting and gross-margin analysis
Innovation and continuous delivery
Innovation and new product launch
Leading agricultural teams, projects and enterprises
Innovation and entrepreneurship in agribusiness
Scaling technologies and business models
Strategic planning for agricultural enterprises
Capstone scoping: a real agricultural problem or enterprise
Behaviour change and adoption of innovations
Innovation in service delivery
Innovation and fintech collaboration
Enterprise risk management in banks
Supplier development and innovation
Business model design and innovation
Emerging tools and innovation

Strategy and Development

Vision, mission and strategic intent
Competitive strategy and positioning
Setting strategic priorities and choices
Aligning teams around strategy
Strategy execution and the balanced scorecard
Strategic decision-making under uncertainty
Measuring strategic progress
Turning strategy into results
Delegating for development
Digital transformation and IT strategy
Category management and strategy development
Advertising and creative development
Development banking and project finance
Message development and testing
Category management and strategy

Learning and Adoption

Demonstration, on-farm trials and technology transfer
Learning cultures and the learning organisation
Blended and hybrid learning design
Motivation and self-directed learning
Learning strategy and roadmaps
Building the learning brand
Aligning learning to performance
Leading the learning function
Training needs analysis and learning strategy
Instructional design and blended learning
Knowledge management and capability building
Complaint data and learning
Change management and adoption
Cognitive load and learning science
The learning and development profession

Inclusion and Equity

The business case for diversity and inclusion
Inclusion and the fairness of people decisions
Team diversity and inclusion
Brand strategy, identity and equity
Youth and start-ups in agriculture
Handling vulnerable customers
Brand equity and positioning
Financial inclusion and agency banking
Monitoring profitability and performance
Cost-effectiveness and value-for-money analysis
Infrastructure planning for water and mechanisation

Agricultural Practice

Water management and irrigation practice
Precision agriculture principles and site-specific management
Farm management information systems and data platforms
Using evidence to refine agricultural practice
Designing an evidence-based intervention or farm plan
Remote sensing, satellite imagery and GIS in agriculture
Digital advisory, e-extension and mobile services
Circular agriculture and waste-to-value
Adult learning and farmer field schools
Linking farmers to markets, finance and inputs
Agricultural and sector-specific finance
Governance of cooperatives and farmer institutions
Change management in farming systems
Building a competitive, future-ready agribusiness
Professional ethics and codes of conduct in agriculture

Markets and Value Chains

Customer segmentation and needs analysis
Customer journey and experience design
Supply market analysis
Pay structures, benchmarking and market pricing
Buyer behaviour and the customer journey
Voice of the customer and feedback
Cost and price analysis
Strategic customer relationships
Comparable sales analysis and market evidence
How insurance works: risk pooling and the value chain
Policy administration and customer service in insurance
Customer and journey analysis
De-escalation and difficult customers
Customer experience strategy
Customer journey mapping

Agricultural Finance

Pricing and margin management
Financial management and cash flow
Access to finance and de-risking
Equipment maintenance, safety and cost management
Continuous improvement of finance processes
Options appraisal and cost-benefit
Headcount budgeting and establishment control
Time-to-hire, quality-of-hire and cost metrics
Cost of accidents and prevention value
Make-versus-buy and total cost of ownership
Supplier financial and operational risk
Budgeting techniques and the budgeting cycle
Flexible budgets and rolling forecasts
Cost reduction and efficiency programmes
Capital budgeting: NPV, IRR and payback

Environment and Climate

Conflict resolution over land, water and resources
Monitoring, evaluation and sustainability plan
Sustainability certification and standards
Responsible and sustainable banking
Sustainable and green banking
Control environment and risk assessment
Sustainability, ESG and integrated value
Fire risk in special environments
The regulatory and legal environment
Sustainability strategy and materiality
Environmental governance and climate risk
Sustainability and climate responsibility
Environmental monitoring and reporting
Continuous environmental improvement
Integration with quality and environment

Standards, Risk and Compliance

Safety communication and campaigns
Influencing and safety leadership
Corporate governance and HSE accountability
Driving measurable safety improvement
Hazard and risk assessment
Designing a safety programme or control
Risk assessment methodology and matrices
Job safety analysis (JSA) and task risk
Dynamic and site-specific risk assessment
Residual risk and ALARP
Risk registers and monitoring
Security governance and management systems
Likelihood, impact and risk rating
Risk treatment and countermeasures
Intelligence-led risk assessment

Communities and Capability

Reinsurance and capacity management
Capacity planning and line balancing
Selling hospitality: corporate, group and event business
Designing and facilitating groups
Leading groups and workshops
Capacity and resource optimisation
Capacity and performance management
Facilitation, training and public presentation skills
Corporate social responsibility and community impact
Group dynamics, facilitation and community mobilisation
Training and capability building
Capacity and production planning
Customer and community engagement
Microfinance and group lending
Training needs analysis

Projects and Delivery

Monitoring sustainability outcomes
Team leadership in field and project settings
Implementation planning and risk management
HACCP principles and prerequisite programmes
Advisory service design and delivery
Designing voice-of-customer programmes
Governance of the CX programme
Loyalty programmes and rewards
Leading service projects and change
Banking products, services and delivery channels
Leading banking projects and change
Managing HR projects and change
Onboarding and induction programme design
Succession planning and talent pipelines
Leading HSE projects and change

Data, Records and Research

Psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approaches
The evidence base for talking therapies
Record-keeping and data protection
Evidence-based improvement
Evidence-based practice
Evidence-based practice and research literacy
Data, records and confidentiality tech
Data literacy: reading, questioning and using data
Data visualisation and dashboards that inform
Project data, reporting and analytics
AI and predictive project analytics
Text and interaction analytics
Data privacy and consent
Data ethics and customer privacy
Data protection and customer privacy

Technology in Agriculture

Digital marketplaces and e-commerce
Appropriate and small-scale mechanisation technologies
Technology and digital HSE
Digital permits and inspections
Automation and safety technology
Emerging HSE technologies
CRM and sales technology
Bancassurance and digital insurance models
Digital and online therapy platforms
Ethics of technology in practice
Evaluating, adopting and leading digital change
Digital marketing strategy
Email and marketing automation
Marketing technology stack
CRM and marketing automation platforms

Leadership and Management

Integrated pest management (IPM) principles and practice
Revenue management and yield
Key account management strategy
Renewals and churn management
Data-driven decision-making
Field sales and territory management
Tender and bid management
Reporting to leadership
Team leadership in sales and marketing
Data-driven decision support and analytics
Omnichannel and channel management
Programme management principles
Portfolio management and prioritisation
Value management and business value
Emotional intelligence for project managers

Professional Leadership Practice

Thought leadership
Performance management systems and cycles
Theories and models of leadership and management
Budgeting and resource management
Vendor and faculty management
Safety management systems (ISO 45001)
Project management principles and lifecycle
Financial, management and cost accounting distinguished
Management reporting and decision support
Regulatory change management
Conflicts of interest management
Project management software and tools
Portfolio and resource management systems
Document and configuration management
Teller operations, cash handling and vault management

Certified Agricultural Project Specialist

Certified Agricultural Project Specialist

Certification at a Glance

Who Should Enrol?

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Core Competencies You Will Develop

Programme Modules

What You Will Achieve

How to Get Certified

Common Questions

What Our Alumni Say

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