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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Apply basic entrepreneurial principles to farming 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
12631  Apply basic entrepreneurial principles to farming 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Primary Agriculture 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation Primary Agriculture 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 3  NQF Level 03  7 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-06-30   2029-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
The learner that have completed this Unit Standard will be able to:
  • Identify the characteristics a person should have who wants to farm
  • Select a viable farming idea
  • Compile a farming plan to start farming with a specific commodity/cultivar
  • Identify the various risks present in farming
  • Take the necessary steps to limit the effect of any of the possible risk factors materialising. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Knowledge of commodity learner intends farming with 

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    N/A 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Identify, analyse and select farming opportunities. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Farming ideas (i.e. what to farm with and how to farm with) identified 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Farming ideas identified, analysed and compared
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Inappropriate farming idees eliminated 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Market demand and size; production costs; potential profit
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Viable farming opportunities identified 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Production requirements, marketing requirements
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Demonstrate an understanding of a Farming Operations Plan(FOP)/Programme of Work (POW)/Work Plan. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Purpose of a FOP/POW 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Describe a FOP/POW, the need and how to use a FOP/POW
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Components of a FOP/POW outlined 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Operations involved and sequence of operations described
    Relationship of FOP/POW to budget outlined
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Demonstrate the ability to start farming. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Purpose of having an activity plan when start farming explained 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    What must be done by whom,when,where, and how eg.
    Legal,use of resources (FOP/POW)
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Systems required to run a farm demonstrated 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Financial, human resources, management, operations, reporting
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Incorporate new commodity/cultivar to farming venture. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Information of new commodity/cultivar obtained 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Agricultural requirements identified, eg climate, soil,
    Farming methods and equipment required identified
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Profitability of farming with new commodity/cultivar established 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Market potential, possible yield established, input costs compared with net profits
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5 
    Adapt to changing farming environment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Risks in farming identified 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Theft, competitors, strikes, natural disasters, market collapse
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Preventative measures identified to limit effect of changing environment 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Security, selection of crop/cultivar, variety of crops, farming methods e.g. intensive or extensive farming, dry land or irrigated land, feedlots, breeding
     


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The assessment of qualifying learners against this standard should meet the requirements of established assessment principles. It will be necessary to development assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which qualifying learners are working. These activities and tools may include an appropriate combination of self-assessment and peer assessment; formative and summative assessment, portfolios and observations, etc.
    The assessment should ensure that all the specific outcomes, critical cross-field outcomes and essential embedded knowledge be assessed.
    The specific outcomes must be assessed through observation of performance. Supporting evidence should be used to prove competence of specific outcomes only when they are not clearly seen in the actual performance.
    Essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in its own right, through oral and written evidence. It cannot be assessed by observation only.
    The specific outcomes and essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in relation to each other. If a qualifying learner is able to explain the essential embedded knowledge but is unable to perform the specific outcomes, then they should not be assessed as competent. Similarly, if a qualifying learner is able to perform the specific outcomes but is unable to explain or justify their performance in terms of the essential embedded knowledge, they should not be assessed as competent.

    Evidence of the specified critical cross-field outcomes should be found both in performance and in the essential embedded knowledge.
    Performance of specific outcomes must actively affirm target groups of qualifying learners, not unfairly discriminate against them. Qualifying learners should be able to justify their performance in terms of these values.

    1 Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
    2. Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or assessing this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.
    3 Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    1. Farming is a business
    2. Several farming methods possible
    3. Farm Operations Plan/Programme of Work gives direction to the farming business
    4. Close relationship between a Business Plan and a Farm Operations Plan/ Programme of Work
    5. Risks involved in farming
    6. Specialised knowledge and skill required to farm successfully, e.g. knowledge and skills in finances, marketing (eg. futures market), commodities and cultivars 

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    The learner will be able to identify and solve problems during the process 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    The learner will be able to organise and manage himself and his activities responsibly and effectively 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    The learner will be able to collect, analyse and critically evaluate information 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    The learner will communicate effectively when reporting on work matters 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    The learner will use science and technology effectively and critically (showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others) 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    The learner will demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA. 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Farmer and Grower are used as synonymous terms
    FOP/POW synonymous symbols for Farming Operations Plan or Programme of Work 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  20288   National Certificate: Farming  Level 2  NQF Level 02  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  AgriSETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. Hot To Go Training College and Services 
    2. In House Media Instruction 
    3. Interactive Trading 747 ( PTY) LTD 
    4. Kwevhos Business Enterprise 
    5. Mananthatshema Skills Dev. Centre 
    6. Mbimbini Training and Community Development 
    7. Peritum Agri Institute 
    8. Setlakala Business Development 
    9. Siyasanga Training Centre 
    10. TALANA AGRI ACADEMY 
    11. TCEP (Pty) Ltd 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.