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

Implement a permaculture site design 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
116279  Implement a permaculture site design 
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 4  NQF Level 04  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
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

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 primary purpose of this unit standard is to provide for specialisation in the field of Permaculture. It provides learners from a wide range of agricultural disciplines with a range of practical applications, based on an existing Permaculture design, that contribute to sustainable living and agricultural practices. Learners would be expected to implement a design and contribute to the sustainable practices of an enterprise.

The unit standard can be used as the foundation for skills development programmes in the field of sustainable agriculture as well as an elective component of other qualifications.

Learners will gain specific knowledge and skills in permaculture and will be able to operate in a plant production environment implementing sustainable and economically viable production principles.

They will be capacitated to gain access to the mainstream agricultural sector, in plant production, impacting directly on the sustainability of the sub-sector. The improvement in production technology will also have a direct impact on the improvement of agricultural productivity of the sector. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
It is assumed that a learner attempting this unit standard will demonstrate competence against the unit standards or equivalent:
  • NQF 3: Identify and apply permaculture principles. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Whilst range statements have been defined generically to include as wide a set of alternatives as possible, all range statements should be interpreted within the specific context of application.

    Range statements are neither comprehensive nor necessarily appropriate to all contexts. Alternatives must however be comparable in scope and complexity. These are only as a general guide to scope and complexity of what is required. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Implement the integration of site elements and resources as outlined in a Permaculture Design. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    A Permaculture Design is an illustrated map that is created by a Permaculture Designer that reflects the placement of site elements and resources in zones and sectors to create a sustainable system. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The water-harvesting plan is implemented. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Water-harvesting may include, but is not restricted to, any of the following: the correct placement and building of swales, bunds, water tanks or pits, dams, bunds and contours.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Site elements are placed correctly in relation to other elements, as per the site design. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    The placement of site elements refer to the tangible links made between different parts of the design, such as chickens are placed near the orchard to facilitate fowls foraging in it in a controlled way so that the chickens a) eat pests, and b) manure the soil. Thus the needs of the chicken (food and foraging) are met, and the needs of the orchard (pest control and soil nutrients) are met concurrently.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Intensive production areas are situated along or in areas that are visited or used the most frequently, as per the site design. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The extensive production areas are placed in areas that are visited or frequented the least often, as per the site design. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Sector planning is implemented as per the site design. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Sector planning refers to the management of 'wild energies' that enter the site, e.g. wind, water, unwanted people (intruders), and fire.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Apply the use of local biological and other available resources according to a Permaculture Site Design. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Biotic resources refer to all living organisms. Abiotic resources refer to all aspects of the non-living environment and include, but are not limited to air, wind, sun, water, soil, and climate. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    On-site and/or local sources of input requirements are identified. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Animals and other living organisms are placed as outlined in the design. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The energy recycling, as per the design, is implemented. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The energy needs of the site are met as per the site design. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Apply ecological processes and cycles according to plans outlined in a Permaculture Design. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Ecological processes refer to energy flow and food webs, succession, and edge effects. Cycles refer to the mineral and water cycles. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Animal and plant wastes are fully utilised as compost, mulch or through other appropriate practices, as per site Permaculture design. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    A natural pest control plan is implemented, as per the site Permaculture design. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Rainfall is harvested and utilised, as per site design. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Soil fertility is achieved through the use of manures and plants. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Trees are planted to accelerate succession. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    The edges, or boundaries between parts of the design, contain a variety of plants. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    All soil in intensive production areas is mulched. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8 
    All trees are spot-mulched. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 9 
    A wilderness area has been demarcated. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Apply sustainable living practices as outlined in a Permaculture site design. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Sustainable living practices refer to the integration of social, economic, political and abstract components:

    Social Components can include but are not limited to: Innovative settlement patterns such as eco-villages; the use of appropriate technology (e.g. solar energy, biogas digesters, flow forms for water purification, ram pumps, and wind energy); the dissemination of knowledge, skills and information.

    Economic components include, but are not limited to: Local Employment Trading Systems; the establishment of cooperative community markets; community-supported agriculture systems.

    Political components include, but are not limited to: The development of cluster groups as forums for discussion, representation and innovation; the development of. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    An informal trading system is established (such as a Local Employment Trading System or Community-Supported Agriculture) as per site Permaculture design. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Environmentally friendly site practices are applied. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The water management plan outlined in the Permaculture site design is implemented. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    The water management plan should include the conservation and protection of water as well as the optimal harvesting of rainfall. It will also deal with an appropriate grey- and black-water harvesting system (water used for washing and cleaning and human effluent.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The needs and outputs of the surrounding community has been identified and taken into account. 


    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 develop assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which the 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 are 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 or written evidence and cannot be assessed only by being observed.

    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, 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, then 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.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
  • 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.
  • 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 
    The person is able to demonstrate an intermediate knowledge of:
  • Permaculture principles.
  • Permaculture ethics.
  • The characteristics of the formal and informal economy.
  • Ecological principles and processes.
  • The application of different climate strategies
  • The application of zone placements.
  • The characteristics of sectors (wind, sun, water, people).
  • The role of trees in a Permaculture system.
  • Sustainable community development strategies. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Problem Solving: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Teamwork: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Self-management: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Interpreting Information: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communication: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use Science and Technology: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    The world as a set of related systems: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO CONTRIBUTING 
    Self-development: relates to all specific outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

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

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Supplementary Information

    Permaculture - A Designer's Manual, Tagari Publications, and Introduction to Permaculture, Tagari Publications, are used as the foundational texts for Permaculture Design. 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  49009   National Certificate: Plant Production  Level 4  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L4  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. Balemi Consulting Pty Ltd 
    2. Cedara College of Agriculture 
    3. ELSENBURG AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 
    4. Heedmorine Training 
    5. JN 649 Trading Pty Ltd 
    6. KayDee Project Management Cc 
    7. Kitso Information & Development Centre 
    8. Leruo ke Matla Training and Enterprise Development Services 
    9. Maishamalema Development Training 
    10. Mananthatshema Skills Dev. Centre 
    11. Matotomana Training & General Trading 
    12. Mogaladi Business Enterprise 
    13. Morwa Agri-development cc 
    14. Mvelo Consultant 
    15. National Institute For The Deaf - NID 
    16. Polokego Shelter for abused Women and Children 
    17. Schools Environmental Education and Development 
    18. Sekhukhune FET College - Central Office 
    19. Selipha Trading (Pty) Ltd 
    20. Setlakala Business Development 
    21. Suidwes Beleggings Eiendoms Beperk 
    22. The Skills Development Hub (Pty) Ltd 
    23. TPN Training and Recruitment cc 
    24. Vari Holdings (Pty)Ltd 
    25. Westco Agri Training 


    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.