Diploma in Agricultural Management

The purpose of the qualification is to provide students with a proper understanding and knowledge of agricultural management and an integrated and effective mix of skills in such a way that a high degree of growth in appropriate agricultural management skills and competence can readily take place. The purpose of this qualification is to supply the agricultural industry with competent agriculturalists that can effectively participate as managers in agricultural enterprises. The qualifying student will have had exposure and orientation to various agricultural systems and will be competent to manage and apply basic knowledge, skills and attitudes towards agricultural production.

Rationale

The agricultural sector in South Africa is currently experiencing many challenges that include, amongst others, economic growth, rural development and sustainable transformation to ensure it stays a reliable and sustainable provider of food. One of these challenges is that, in South Africa, 90% of the food is currently produced by only 6% of the farmers. There is, therefore, both an opportunity to develop land and a dire need for developing more farmers to produce on a commercial level given the persistent urbanisation of the South African population. Agricultural training needs to enable farmers to compete inside the international and globalised market realities of the 21st Century.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning is used to give a prospective student access to studying the qualification.

The primary objective will be to recruit students with an interest to improve their agricultural management skills. However, applications from adult/experienced students who have a similar interest in the qualification will also be considered for admission to the qualification. The selection of such students will be conducted on an individual basis in accordance with the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy of the University. A functional system for RPL is in place at the University.

RPL applications for the institution are received by the Centre for Assessments and Graduations. The candidates are required to complete an RPL application document. Accompanying the RPL application must be certified copies of all previous qualifications and a comprehensive portfolio of evidence, reflecting on extensive at-work learning. Once the institution's RPL coordinator has deemed the RPL application as being complete and sufficient, the portfolio will be sent to the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences for assessment. The faculty's RPL committee then assesses the candidate's portfolio thoroughly against the relevant learning outcomes.

The minimum requirements for admission into this Diploma are

• Senior Certificate (SC).
• National Senior Certificate (NSC) granting access to Diploma studies.
• National Certificate Vocational (NCV), Level 4.

Or

• A Higher Certificate in a cognate field.

Or

• An Advanced Certificate in a cognate field.

This qualification comprises compulsory and elective modules at Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 360 credits.

Compulsory modules, Level 5, 86 Credits

• English Proficiency 1, 6 Credits.
• Computer Skills 1, 6 Credits.
• Agricultural Management 1, 12 Credits.
• Plant Production 1, 12 Credits.
• Animal Production 1, 12 Credits.
• Pasture Science 1, 10 Credits.
• Agricultural Soil Science 1, 10 Credits.
• Agricultural Planning Techniques 1, 12 Credits.
• Computer Applications (Agriculture) 2, 6 Credits.

Compulsory modules, Level 6,190 Credits

• Agricultural Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Animal Production 2, 12 Credits.
• Plant Production 2, 12 Credits.
• Soil Classification 2, 10 Credits.
• Agricultural Production Management 2: WIL, 60 Credits.
• Agricultural Production Techniques 2: WIL, 60 Credits.
• Agricultural Management: WIL, 0 Credits.
• Human Resource Management: Agriculture I, 12 Credits.
• Agricultural Law 1, 12 Credits.

Compulsory modules, Level 7, 56 Credits

• Agricultural Management 3, 28 Credits.
• Agricultural Engineering 1, 28 Credits.

Elective modules, Level 7, 28 Credits (choose one)

• Plant Production 3, 28 Credits, Level 7.
• Animal Production 3, 28 Credits, Level 7.

1. Manage intensive and extensive sustainable animal production systems

Or

Manage intensive and extensive sustainable plant production systems.

1. Plan a complete pest, disease and weed control programme for a planting season

Or

Plan a seasonal disease control and treatment on livestock.

1. Interpret a soil analysis and write a report on the results.
2. Formulate recommendations on human resources management.
3. Perform sound financial management practices.
4. Propose a strategic and integrated plan for a selected farm.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Explain the management of effective and profitable animal production.

Or

• Explain the management of effective and profitable plant production.
• Consider the economic value of a variety of species and breeds OR cultivars.
• Consider the conditions of soil, OR pasture management, and many other nutritional factors for effective production.
• Discuss techniques to combat various forms of soil, OR pasture, degradation.
• Evaluate fodder flow planning against the following main criteria: Safe use of resources; meeting animal needs; margin overall feed costs.

Or

• Compile a work plan for all activities for the season: Identify possible problem areas in the work plan; make recommendations to treat the problem areas; compile a budget for all production during the year.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Identify pests, diseases and weeds, OR parasites and infections, in the specific enterprise.
• Consider the life cycles for purposes of an effective control programme.
• Calculate equipment, applications and other costs for this plan.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Evaluate the physical, chemical and microbiological profiles of the soil.
• Recommend fertiliser types and quantities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Review the human resources management system of a farming organisation, identify problems and recommend appropriate solutions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Correctly use a selected number of crucial financial ratios that are important in measuring the level of financial success in farming.
• Evaluate an integrated budget system on a selected farm.
• Explain various strategies in obtaining finance.
• Discuss financial recordkeeping and budgeting in a farming business.
• Discuss the mutual financial influence of operational subsections on a farm by means of comparative analyses.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Perform farm planning sufficiently in all of the following areas: Maps and aerial photographs; resource description; resource assessment; present land use; proposed land use; financial planning; implementation of the plan.
• Formulate the criteria for sustainability on a selected farm.
• Identify the main risks of a specific farming enterprise.
• Explain the impact of various legislative acts on employment in agriculture.
• Explain the importance of land use and management for effective production.
• Formulate a plan for the economically effective use of a number of physical structures in agricultural production.
• Formulate a needs and maintenance plan for a selected number of mechanised operations on a specific farm.
• Discuss supply chain management in agriculture.
• Explain entrepreneurship in agriculture.

Integrated Assessment

Formative and Summative Assessment

All work and assessment are required to preferably start with situations and required decisions in a farming setting. But apart from a work-directed approach in all learning, there is also a dedicated period in the second year where the student is required to work for several weeks on a farm and, during this time, the student has to perform certain monitored tasks on the farm. At the end of the period, the student has to submit several assignments related to the farming enterprise where the work was done.

The notional time of the student is allocated as follows: Lectures (30%); Tutorials (10%); Practical workplace experience (25%); Independent self-study of standard texts and references (25%); Independent self-study on specially prepared materials (10%).

The lecturers perform the assessment and moderators are used. At the exit level, external moderators are used.