Description
Farm planning is a structured process that involves systematically evaluating current farming activities and assessing agricultural land to determine its production potential and optimize sustainable use. This online course guides learners through the farm planning process, covering all the essential steps.
Upon successful completion of the course, learners will receive a certificate of competence from Africa Land-Use Training. The minimum required qualification to enrol for this course is grade 12 (matric). The course consists of 6 modules and 32 lessons. Below is a summary of each module’s content.
MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO FARM PLANNING (4 lessons)
This module covers the fundamentals of farm planning, including relevant legislation in South Africa, the use of service providers, and an exploration of different land-use options.
MODULE 2: THE FARM PLANNING PROCESS (5 lessons)
This module introduces the farm planning process, taking learners through its various phases: preparation, evaluation, planning, and implementation.
MODULE 3: NATURAL RESOURCES (12 lessons)
This module focuses on the natural resources that determine a farm’s agricultural potential, including soil properties, vegetation and its classification, water and irrigation, climate, wetlands, and the concept of land capability.
MODULE 4: LAND ASSESSMENT (5 lessons)
This module covers land assessment, including conducting a resource desktop study and applying various physical land assessment methods.
MODULE 5: FARM INFRASTRUCTURE (5 lessons)
This module discusses the basic infrastructure required on a farm, such as fences, roads, animal watering systems, and infrastructure for erosion control.
MODULE 6: FARM PLANNING DOCUMENT (1 lesson)
The final module provides guidelines for preparing a comprehensive farm planning document, summarising the results of the farm planning project.