Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to use agroecology principles in managing all elements of a farm ecosystem including the soil ecosystem, vegetation, animals, pests and diseases to achieve and maintain overall ecological and economic health of the farm ecosystem and farm production.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes, and sustainability practices.
This unit applies to individuals who take responsibility for their own work and for the quality of the work of others within know parameters and use discretion and judgment in the selection, allocation and use of available resources.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Identify the farm agroecosystem functions at a systems level | 1.1 Identify and map energy flows through a farm agroecosystem 1.2 Identify and map nutrient cycles through different parts of a farm ecosystem 1.3 Identify disturbance points in the farm ecosystem succession 1.4 Develop a model of the farm ecosystem and its elements 1.5 Identify areas of complexity and simplicity within the farm ecosystem 1.6 Identify ecosystem functions that can be used to replace the use of external inputs in the farm production systems 1.7 Identify interactions between elements of farm ecosystem 1.8 Assess health of existing farm ecosystems |
2. Develop plans to enhance farm agroecosystem | 2.1 Identify areas within the agroecosystem that require enhancement 2.2 Identify methods that encourage niche development, increase complexity in the farm agroecosystem and improve interactions between different components of farm agroecosystem 2.3 Document the implementation plan |
3. Manage Farm Agroecosystems | 3.1 Identify and monitor appropriate parts of the ecosystem 3.2 Set up monitoring system 3.3 Comply with requirements for monitoring determined by organic standards and legislative requirements 3.4 Review measured ecosystem and farm production performance with expected performance and adjust plan in response to differences |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.
The candidate must provide evidence that they can:
identify the farm agro ecosystem functions at a systems level
assess the health of existing farm ecosystems
develop plans to enhance farm agroecosystem
manage and monitor the development of a farm ecosystem
review ecosystem and farm production performance
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
advantages of ecological agriculture
ecosystem processes, energy flows, nutrient cycles, biological succession, predator and prey relationships, ecological niche
relationships between ecosystems and agricultural production
application of ecosystem processes to a production system
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace and/or a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Organic Production (ORG)