The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

A person who demonstrates competency in this Unit must be able to provide evidence that they can implement sustainable practices in an organic farm based business.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

identify businesses guidelines and principles for social, financial and environmental sustainability

identify and interpret environmental regulations, sustainable organic farming requirements, farm plan and current best practice guidelines and principles

implement strategies to integrate sustainability principles and practices into the farm system and identify continuous improvement opportunities

monitor farm business sustainability initiatives for effectiveness and compliance

adopt and document continuous improvement initiatives

encourage staff and farm business stakeholders to embrace sustainability practices.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the AHC10 Training Package and can be assessed holistically with other Units.

Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge.

Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills.

Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access, interpret and apply the required knowledge.

Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process.

Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances.

Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other Units of Competency.

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate.

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English.

Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment.

Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role.

Guidance information for assessment

To ensure consistency of performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

Required skills include:

Ability to:

maintain and use record keeping systems to keep records required in the organic farming workplace

identify opportunities to improve work processes

use monitoring and evaluating skills to report on sustainability initiatives

use literacy skills to read and interpret policy and legislation documents

use oral communication skills to engage farm business stakeholders in sustainability practices, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views

use interpersonal techniques to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities

use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and complex workplace measures and data

use problem-solving skills to identify and react appropriately to routine environmental issues.

Required knowledge includes:

Knowledge of:

best practice guidelines

principles and processes relevant to sustainable organic farming

compliance requirements for all relevant environmental/sustainability legislation, regulations and codes of practice including resource hazards/risks associated with work area, job specifications and procedures

sustainability issues including environmental and social issues that relate to an organic farm

external benchmarks used within an organic farming enterprise, including approaches to improving techniques used and expected outcomes.

The range statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Key sustainability practices may include:

purchase of inputs

enterprise selection

production practices

land management strategies

supply and marketing chain selection.

Stakeholders and relevant staff may include:

individuals and groups both inside and outside the organisation who have direct or indirect interest in the organisation's conduct, actions, products and services, including:

customers

employees at all levels of the organisation

government

investors

local community

other organisations

suppliers

personnel within the organisation

technical specialists outside the organisation.