Orchard and Vineyard Foreman

The purpose of this qualification is to provide the learners with the required knowledge, skills and know how to operate as an Orchard and Vineyard Foreman. An Orchard and Vineyard Foreman leads and directs teams in performing required operations to achieve specified crop production targets in orchards and vineyards. A qualified learner will be able to: • Organise, allocate and monitor availability and productive use of resources in an orchard or vineyard. • Lead a work team to achieve quality and quantity produce targets in an orchard or vineyard. • Gather, interpret and supply daily vineyard or orchard production information to management, workers and service providers in accordance with business standards.

The horticultural sector comprises a wide range of horticultural produce and horticultural practices in a wide range of climatic conditions over South Africa. The horticultural produce is cultivated for internal and export markets. As such, the producers have to comply with stringent international standards, which have a severe impact on all cultivation practices as well as the marketability of the produce. Sectors within horticulture include: stone fruit, pome fruit, table grapes, wine grapes, raisin grapes, citrus, sub-tropical fruit, pomegranates, olives, berries and cherries. The horticultural industry is regulated by stringent international standards and requirements which impacts on horticultural practices in the vineyard or orchard and leads to ever increasing production and labour costs. This again puts pressure on producers to increase the productivity and efficiency of workers. The industry is labour intensive and very specialised in terms of horticulture practices such as pruning which must take place at critical times in the production cycle. The horticulture industry is also faced with strong competition in the export market from other southern hemisphere countries. Wine, table grapes and other horticultural products are a huge component of South African exports which places an enormous imperative on the industry to remain competitive in the international export market. The quality of the produce and also of wine, which is one of flagship exports of South Africa, is directly determined by the quality of the horticulture/viticulture practices in the orchard or vineyard. Learners achieving this qualification will be equipped to cultivate horticultural produce by applying cultivation practices to achieve the vineyard or orchard yield as per the genetic potential of a given horticultural variety. Typical learners enrolling for this qualification will be workers and supervisors currently employed on farms and who do not have a formal schooling qualification up to matric. New entrants into the farming sector are encouraged and school leavers with matric can also access the qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment. Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of results or by certifying a work experience record. RPL for Access to the Qualification. Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements. Entry Requirements: • National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 2 qualification with Communication and Mathematical Literacy. Or • Five years' experience as a supervisor in a horticultural environment with Adult Basic Education and Training (AET) 3.

• Oversee the implementation of a wide range of vineyard or orchard production processes and procedures to meet set crop quality and cost targets and standards.
• Oversee and ensure compliance with relevant orchard or vineyard safety, quality, hygiene and technical standards as applicable within the industry.
• Oversee farm resource utilisation in the orchard or vineyard.
• Describe plant and fruit growth as it occurs in the orchard or vineyard in the various stages of the production cycle.
• Communicate and use information on production targets, processes and conditions to achieve targets within the orchard or vineyard as a viable business unit.