Diploma in Agricultural Engineering

Purpose

The Diploma in Agricultural Engineering is primarily vocational and industry-oriented and is characterised by the application of technology to the field of Agriculture. Learners will therefore engage hands-on. The qualification aims to provide learners with a sound knowledge base in Agricultural Engineering and an ability to apply that knowledge in a professional context. The knowledge, understanding, abilities, and skills acquired under this qualification will pave way for further learning towards becoming a Professional Engineering Technician. The technical proficiency and competency gained will in turn contribute to the economy and national development.

Rationale

Agricultural Engineering has been identified as a scarce skill and has been included on the critical skills list by the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Higher Education and Training. There is only one institution offering Agricultural Engineering in South Africa. A job market analysis indicates that there is a demand for the services of Agricultural Engineering Technicians, Technologists, and Engineers in South Africa as quite a significant number of positions in this field is filled by foreign nationals whose countries produce this skill at much wider scales. Offering this qualification locally will help ease the demand for skill and enhance productivity in the agricultural arena.

The scarcity of the Agricultural Engineering skills in South Africa comes at a time when the agricultural industry is faced with a high rate of technological transformation forming part of the fourth industrial revolution. There is a growing need to produce food for a growing world population which can only be achieved by the use of technology to enhance productivity and efficiency. This is where Agricultural engineering skills become relevant. In the development of this qualification, consultation with the Engineering Council of South Africa was done to ensure that the learners upon completion of this qualification they are already recognised by the council as well as to ensure they meet minimum standards required by the sector.

Typical learners in this field shall be those with an acumen for technological design and are good at Science and Mathematics. Qualifying learners from this qualification can be employed as Agricultural Engineering Technicians in the manufacturing industry, the commercial farming sector, the engineering services industry, and consultancy.

This qualification resides within the soil and water conservation, irrigation (design, installation, scheduling), farm mechanisation and farm structures, and agricultural digitisation pathways.

This qualification has great potential to provide new career opportunities to learners as it tends to explore an uncommon field of expertise. As the nation struggles to respond to the demands of modern times, the skill may usher in new entrepreneurial opportunities in the agricultural space that will significantly alleviate the unemployment situation of South Africa in the long run.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The RPL policy of the institution has been approved and yet to be implemented. The institute intends to implement the RPL for the learners seeking to enrol. The RPL process will involve the application, assessment, and acknowledgement of knowledge and skills obtained through informal and non-formal learning. RPL can only be implemented against qualifications offered by the institution. The institute intends to exempt learners from certain courses/modules. For exemption of courses or modules, the learner should have gained knowledge in specific areas through informal and non-formal learning, and this knowledge should be closely related to the learning outcomes of the qualification. In this case, the learner's knowledge will be assessed against the learning outcomes of a particular module/course(s), for recognition. Based on the assessment results, the learner will be able to enrol and may be exempted from some subjects/courses, but not for the entire qualification. Most importantly, the admission of learners through an RPL route is possible after the learner has met all conditions for the Recognition of Prior Learning for access into the qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 granting access to Diploma studies with Mathematics and Physical Sciences.

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 with Mathematics and Physical Science.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Levels 5, 6, and 7 totalling 368 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 5, 104 Credits

• Intro to Agricultural Economics, 8 Credits.
• Basic Scientific concepts, 8 Credits.
• Applied Mathematics, 8 Credits.
• Computer Applications, 8 Credits.
• Applied Biology, 8 Credits.
• Communication Skills, 8 Credits.
• Field Practical, 8 Credits.
• Farm Machinery and Workshop Practice, 8 Credits.
• Introduction to Soil Science, 8 Credits.
• Introduction to Crop Production, 8 Credits.
• Pasture Ecology, 8 Credits.
• Introduction to Animal Production, 8 Credits.
• Workshop Practice, 8 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 6, 240 Credits

• Farm Structures, 12 Credits.
• Engineering Mathematics, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Information Technology, 12 Credits.
• Engineering Drawing, 12 Credits.
• Farm Machinery and Maintenance (Workshop Practice 2), 12 Credits.
• Agricultural Engineering Materials, 12 Credits.
• Agricultural Land Surveying, 12 Credits.
• Irrigation Systems, 12 Credits.
• Electrical Power and Instrumentation, 12 Credits.
• Farm Business Management, 12 Credits.
• Agricultural Extension, 12 Credits.
• Farm Mechanisation, 12 Credits.
• Process Engineering, 12 Credits.
• Agricultural Structural Designs, 12 Credits.
• Farm Power, 12 Credits.
• Drainage Engineering, 12 Credits.
• Soil and Water Conservation, 12 Credits.
• Water Resources Development, 12 Credits.
• Rural Infrastructure Engineering, 12 Credits.
• Agric. Product Storage Technology, 12 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 7, 24 Credits

• Work Integrated Learning, 24 Credits.

1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of speciality areas of Agricultural Engineering and how these relate to other fields or disciplines.
2. Evaluate, select, and apply appropriate methods, procedures and techniques in investigation or application processes as they relate to context.
3. Identify, analyse and solve problems in unfamiliar contexts using engineering methods, procedures, and techniques.
4. Aware of the ethical code of conduct applicable to the Agricultural Engineering discipline.
5. Communicate complex information reliably and coherently.
6. Evaluate performance against given criteria and be able to identify their own learning needs within a given context.
7. Work within a team and be accountable and take responsibility for their own decisions.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria applies across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Discuss the interrelatedness of different speciality areas with engineering discipline.
• Explain the process of investigation in a practical scenario.
• Demonstrate an understanding to solving problems in simulated as well as real-life scenarios.
• Describe and explain the ethical code of conduct as it applies to given situations of engineering practice.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills through an oral presentation and written assignments on specific engineering tasks.
• Demonstrate the ability to self-assess through honest and consistent reporting on quality and level of completion of given engineering tasks in practical projects.
• Demonstrate good conduct and customer care when working in a group while showing consistency in taking ownership of decisions made during practical projects as well as experiential training.

Integrated Assessment

The assessment shall maintain the dual nature of being formative and summative.

• The formative assessment shall be done to provide regular feedback on the performance of the learners, and such assessment will be offered as demanded by learning outcomes;
• A minimum of two summative assessments per semester per course shall be administered, and these shall be weighted at 50% of summative assessment for each course.

Assessment Methods

• For a taught course, a minimum of two (2) tests, two (2) assignments shall be assessed.
• For a research course, the learners must submit reports and make oral presentations.
• For a project-based course, students will submit portfolios of evidence and an evaluation of the project will be carried out.
• Experiential training will be assessed by an employer allocated supervisor, through a written report and an oral presentation of activities covered.

All courses are semesters and frequency of assessments shall be as follows

• Tests - 2 per module.
• Assignments - 2 per module.
• Practical reports - 2 per module.
• Examination - 1 per module.

Assessment timeframes and frequencies will be advised and jointly acknowledged between the assessor and learners. Communication (feedback) of assessment results shall be done provided in not more than three (3) weeks after the test, assignment, and practical report.