NFC in Crop Production and Agribusiness
This course develops your ability to plan plant production using appropriate propagation, crop care and resource management.
About the course
This course develops your ability to plan plant production using appropriate propagation, crop care and resource management. Learning combines technical study with practical tasks relevant to Southern African organisations and communities.
What you'll learn
Select crops or ornamental plants for the intended environment and market.
Plan propagation, soil, water and crop-care operations.
Evaluate production results and maintain accurate enterprise records.
Requirements
Prepare to follow practical instructions, use basic measurements and keep a simple record of your work. The facilitator will introduce the tools and safe working procedures used in each activity. Check the provider's published admission requirements before enrolment.
Course content
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
3 learning stages 8 subjects
1Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice2 subjects
2Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application4 subjects
3Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency2 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
8 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
- Crop Requirements and Production Planning. Build foundation skills in crop requirements and production planning. Guided examples introduce crop choices and seasonal calendars, followed by practice with resource needs and production targets. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use field plans and farm records to review the result.
- Safe Farm Work and Tool Care. Build foundation skills in safe farm work and tool care. Guided examples introduce farm hazards and protective equipment, followed by practice with tool care and manual handling. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use authorised tasks and housekeeping to review the result.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
- Soils, Water and Basic Nutrition. Build foundation skills in soils, water and basic nutrition. Guided examples introduce soil properties and water needs, followed by practice with drainage and plant nutrients. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use organic matter and field observations to review the result.
- Propagation, Planting and Establishment. Build foundation skills in propagation, planting and establishment. Guided examples introduce seed quality and propagation methods, followed by practice with nursery care and plant spacing. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use establishment and field records to review the result.
- Crop Care and Pest Observation. Build foundation skills in crop care and pest observation. Guided examples introduce crop growth and weed observation, followed by practice with pest indicators and disease indicators. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use authorised control decisions and monitoring records to review the result.
- Harvest, Storage and Produce Quality. Build foundation skills in harvest, storage and produce quality. Guided examples introduce maturity indicators and harvest handling, followed by practice with sorting and storage. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use quality criteria and loss records to review the result.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
- Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication. Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
- Crop Production Skills Proficiency. Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate crop requirements and production planning, safe farm work and tool care within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Assessment and practical learning
- Suggested learning checks: explain a procedure, complete a short task and respond to practical questions.
- Suggested practical assessment: demonstrate the skill under supervision and keep a record of completed work.
- Use assessor feedback to correct errors and repeat a task until the agreed quality criteria are met.
Practical application
Develop a nursery or crop-production plan for local conditions, with planting schedules, input estimates and records of supervised practice.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
Crop Requirements and Production Planning
Build foundation skills in crop requirements and production planning. Guided examples introduce crop choices and seasonal calendars, followed by practice with resource needs and production targets. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use field plans and farm records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain crop choices and seasonal calendars using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving resource needs and production targets.
- Review your work using field plans and farm records.
Main topics
- Crop choices
- Seasonal calendars
- Resource needs
- Production targets
- Field plans
- Farm records
Practical task
Complete a guided crop requirements and production planning task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Safe Farm Work and Tool Care
Build foundation skills in safe farm work and tool care. Guided examples introduce farm hazards and protective equipment, followed by practice with tool care and manual handling. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use authorised tasks and housekeeping to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain farm hazards and protective equipment using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving tool care and manual handling.
- Review your work using authorised tasks and housekeeping.
Main topics
- Farm hazards
- Protective equipment
- Tool care
- Manual handling
- Authorised tasks
- Housekeeping
Practical task
Complete a guided safe farm work and tool care task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
Soils, Water and Basic Nutrition
Build foundation skills in soils, water and basic nutrition. Guided examples introduce soil properties and water needs, followed by practice with drainage and plant nutrients. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use organic matter and field observations to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain soil properties and water needs using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving drainage and plant nutrients.
- Review your work using organic matter and field observations.
Main topics
- Soil properties
- Water needs
- Drainage
- Plant nutrients
- Organic matter
- Field observations
Practical task
Complete a guided soils, water and basic nutrition task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Propagation, Planting and Establishment
Build foundation skills in propagation, planting and establishment. Guided examples introduce seed quality and propagation methods, followed by practice with nursery care and plant spacing. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use establishment and field records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain seed quality and propagation methods using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving nursery care and plant spacing.
- Review your work using establishment and field records.
Main topics
- Seed quality
- Propagation methods
- Nursery care
- Plant spacing
- Establishment
- Field records
Practical task
Complete a guided propagation, planting and establishment task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Crop Care and Pest Observation
Build foundation skills in crop care and pest observation. Guided examples introduce crop growth and weed observation, followed by practice with pest indicators and disease indicators. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use authorised control decisions and monitoring records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain crop growth and weed observation using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving pest indicators and disease indicators.
- Review your work using authorised control decisions and monitoring records.
Main topics
- Crop growth
- Weed observation
- Pest indicators
- Disease indicators
- Authorised control decisions
- Monitoring records
Practical task
Complete a guided crop care and pest observation task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Harvest, Storage and Produce Quality
Build foundation skills in harvest, storage and produce quality. Guided examples introduce maturity indicators and harvest handling, followed by practice with sorting and storage. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use quality criteria and loss records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain maturity indicators and harvest handling using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving sorting and storage.
- Review your work using quality criteria and loss records.
Main topics
- Maturity indicators
- Harvest handling
- Sorting
- Storage
- Quality criteria
- Loss records
Practical task
Complete a guided harvest, storage and produce quality task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication
Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Learning outcomes
- Define a customer need and a practical enterprise response.
- Estimate resources, costs and cash requirements.
- Revise a business proposal using evidence from a small market test.
Main topics
- Customer problems and enterprise opportunities
- Products, services and value propositions
- Startup resources and operating costs
- Pricing, cash flow and basic records
- Market testing and customer feedback
- Business risks, responsibilities and growth choices
Practical task
For Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication, prepare a small-enterprise plan and test record in a crop production and agribusiness setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Use guided tasks with feedback and a further attempt after corrections.
Crop Production Skills Proficiency
Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate crop requirements and production planning, safe farm work and tool care within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Learning outcomes
- Plan and complete an integrated task to agreed criteria.
- Demonstrate safe and consistent practical performance.
- Explain the result and correct identified weaknesses.
Main topics
- Interpreting an integrated work brief
- Preparing tools, information and resources
- Demonstrating the required technical skills
- Checking output against agreed criteria
- Responding to faults and assessor feedback
- Presenting evidence and explaining decisions
Practical task
Develop a nursery or crop-production plan for local conditions, with planting schedules, input estimates and records of supervised practice.
Assessment
Direct observation, the completed output, a quality-check record and oral questions provide the evidence for this subject.
Instructors
