NQF Level: 3 US No:

Transcription

1 NQF Level: 3 US No: Assessment Guide Primary Agriculture Costing and viability of an agri-business Assessor: Workplace / Company: Commodity: Date: The availability of this product is due to the financial support of the National Department of Agriculture and the AgriSETA.

2 2 Before we start T his assessment guide contains all necessary activities and instructions that will enable the assessor and learner to gather evidence of the learner s competence as required by the unit standard. This guide was designed to be used by a trained and accredited assessor whom is registered to assess this specific unit standard as per the requirements of the AgriSETA ETQA. Prior to the delivery of the program the facilitator and assessor must familiarise themselves with content of this guide, as well as the content of the relevant Learner Workbook. Please Note: This Unit Standard Assessment Guide must be read in conjunction with the generic Assessor Guide as prescribed and published by the AgriSETA. The assessor, facilitator and learner must plan the assessment process together, in order to offer the learner the maximum support, and the opportunity to reflect competence. The policies and procedures that are required during the application of this assessment are available on the website of the AgriSETA and should be strictly adhered to. The assessor must familiarise him/herself with this document before proceeding. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for the assessment process of: Title: Explain costing and the viability of an agri-business. US No: NQF Level: 3 Credits: 3 This unit standard is one of the building blocks in the qualification listed below. Please mark the qualification you are currently assessing, because that will be determined by the context of application: Title ID Number NQF Level Credits Mark National Certificate in Animal Production National Certificate in Plant Production Please mark the learning program you are enrolled in: Are you enrolled in a: Y N Learnership? Skills Program? Short Course? Note to Assessor: If you are assessing this module as part of a full qualification or learnership, please ensure that you have familiarized yourself with the content of the qualification.

3 3 1 SO 1 Discuss with your group Learner Guide: Page 8 Facilitator Guide: Page 12 As a group, mention all the activities on the farm that you would calculate as a cost to your project. Remember to keep in mind these would include on farm and offfarm activities. Hand in this part to your facilitator or assessor. Discuss this in groups, and write these on a flip-chart. This action would from part of your formative assessment in class. See Learner guide: page 7: and Log table on page 10. Each production would be different depending on the particular environment. Discuss this with the facilitator and the assessor should come to a conclusion following discussion with the facilitator. 2 SO 1 Group activity Learner Guide: Page 10 Facilitator Guide: Page 12 Complete a log table for your crop, and mark the activities you would select which will be reflected in your budget. Discuss how you would change this log table to fit your specific production cycle. This would enable you to determine the income for this income source in your final budget. The assessor should develop this memorandum in communication with the facilitator.

4 4 3 SO 2 Answer the questions Learner Guide: Page 14 Facilitator Guide: Page Distinguish between variable costs and fixed costs. Fixed costs: rent of land, water and salaries. Variable costs: consumables, chemicals, electricity, telephone, The facilitator should, together with the assessor, work on a number of examples within the context of the learner. 2. Give an example of a fixed cost of the farm. Why is it a fixed cost? E.g. monthly mortgage payment. Doesn t fluctuate in value from month to month. 3. Give an example of a variable cost of the farm. Why is it a variable cost? E.g. Casual wages. Some times more casuals are employed than other times, so the wage bill varies. 4. Give an example of a direct cost of the farm. Why is it a direct cost? E.g. Plants for orchards. Farm has to plant it to gain a crop & it is directly involved in the production. 5. Give an example of an indirect cost of the farm. Why is it an indirect cost? E.g. Management salaries. Its contribution is for more than just the final product produced.

5 5 4 SO 2 Study Template 2.1 in the Learner guide and complete Template 2.2. Learner Guide: Page 16 Facilitator Guide: Page 13 Complete the template for Gross margin statement and explain what the following terms mean to your group? Fixed costs, variable costs, sources of income, material costs, labour costs, direct and indirect costs. Have a look at the example provided in the learner workbook. See example given in Learner guide. The facilitator should work together with the assessor in order to design a model answer within the context of the learner. 5 Group activity SO 2 Learner Guide: Page 19 Facilitator Guide: Page 13 Complete Template 2.4, an income statement. Study the example given in the learner guide and complete the template after a discussion in groups. There is no specific answer.

6 6 6 SO 3 Individual exercise Learner Guide: Page 24 Facilitator Guide: Page 14 Explain to a partner what information is given on the balance sheet below, how it works and why such a balance sheet is drawn up: What assets the farm owns and what it is worth. What the farms owes money for. What the owner s equity is at present? The learner was required to answer the following questions: 1. What is an asset of a farm? Anything owned by an individual that has a cash value. This includes property, goods, savings or investments. 2. What is a liability of a farm? The state of being legally obliged and responsible. Indebtedness: an obligation to pay money to another party. 3. What is owner s equity of a farm? Assets Liabilities; also known as the owner s net worth.

7 Explain costing and the viability of an agri-business Primary Agriculture 7 SO 3 NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: Group activity Learner Guide: Page 27 Facilitator Guide: Page 14 As a group, explain the following diagram, which illustrates the flow of money in agribusiness Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

8 8 Group Activity Time: - sixty minutes for group activity (at home) and thirty minutes report back time. Template 2.7 Net sales Materials labour contracts Other direct costs TOTAL DIRECT COSTS GROSS PROFIT OPERATING EXPENSES Variable overheads Fixed overheads TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES NET PROFIT BEFORE TAXES Last years amount % Of sales This years amount % Of sales The assessor should work on a model answer for the above mentioned activity which will fall within the context of the learner. The assessor and facilitator can make use of the examples provided to explain and asses the above table. First discuss operating expenses with the learner. These would include electricity, water, diesel, oil, coolant, etc.

9 9 8 SO 4 Work with a co-worker Learner Guide: Page 34 Facilitator Guide: Page 15 Discuss (in your groups) the necessity to have a twelve-month budget and not only an annual budget. This is applicable to agricultural businesses where income and expenses vary over the twelve months. It is also important to notice that an agricultural operation often owes money to various entities, and the repayments of the interest need to be budgeted for. It could happen that in some months a loss may be budgeted for. Twelve-month budgets assist the learner or farmer to be able to cater for the whole of the production cycle until the end of the financial year. They re maybe unforeseen costs and additional expenses. Interest paid over the months need to be budgeted for as well as the payback of loans. Design additional model answers, from where the learner originates. My Notes

10 10 9 SO 4 Individual assignment Learner Guide: Page 37 Facilitator Guide: Page 15 Interview someone in the accounting department of the farm where you are performing your practical duties Complete the following Template 2.8 Mark activities with an X when they are scheduled to take place (You could adapt the months and activities to suit the crop) Adapt the model answer to suit your crop: Activity table for crop production for example cotton production. Item: Aug Sept Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Plough X X Disc X Seed X Plant (Hand) X X Roundup X X Fertilizer LAN X X Labour weeding X X X X X X Labour spraying X X X X Early Pest control X X Mid-season Pest control X X X Late-season Pest control X X X Harvest X X Total: The money should be distributed according to the activity table with the most money in December.

11 11 10 SO 4 Complete the following Learner Guide: Page 39 Facilitator Guide: Page 15 Cash flow table for crop production In this activity an example of a month-to-month budget and statement for cash flow of an operation should be provided See the cash flow statement examples provided in the Learner guide and adapt your model answer. Item: Aug Sept Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Plough Disc Seed Plant (Hand) Roundup Fertilizer LAN Labour weeding Labour spraying Early Pest Control Mid season Pest Control Late season Pest Control Harvest Total: Cumulative (budget) Budget carried over from previous month Loan plus interest (13.5% comp.) Gross Income: Gross margin (expenditure) Net Profit (negative number in brackets)

12 12 In addition ask the learners 1. Why is it important for a farm to make a profit? How is profit determined? Profit is the aim of a business. Without profit, business cannot expand and grow Determine profit by calculating income vs. expenses. 11 SO 4 Speak to an expert on the farm and find out Learner Guide: Page 41 Facilitator Guide: Page 15 Explain to your group what the different terminology means in a balance sheet. See if you can explain to each other how the assets are calculated and what you understand under Non-current and Current liabilities. The assessor is referred to the Learner guide to get answers to the above mentioned activity.

13 13 Summative Test and Attitude & Attribute Evaluation B efore the knowledge test is undertaken, the learner must be reminded of what is expected from him / her in terms of summative and reflexive competence. Read and explain to the learner, the Preparation for Your Final Assessment section in the learner workbook. Learners and assessor should sign off this section to acknowledge that this step was completed. Please set up a knowledge test from the questions given as a guideline to learners and supply each learner with a test sheet. Supply each report with the following heading: Unit Standard: NQF Level: 3 Learner Name: Questions Model Answers 1. What is stock? 2. Why do farms have stock? 3. What types of stock does the farm keep where you are performing your practical duties? Those things (e.g. agro-chemicals) that are kept to run the farm. To complete activities to produce its product. E.g. agro-chemicals, cleaning agents, tool parts, grease/oil/fuel, etc. 4. Why do farms keep records? To keep track of its activities. 5. What types of financial records do farms keep? 6. What do farms need to compile financial records? 7. What financial records do farms compile and what is each record s purpose? 8. If you received a salary of R per month before deductions and work 5 days a month as a casual waiter at R25.00 a shift, what is your monthly income? E.g. income statement; balance sheet; etc. For legal purposes; to keep track of income & expenditure. As per farm (5x25) = 1125.

14 14 Questions Model Answers 9. If the farm where you work has an average income of R a month every second month, what is the annual income of the farm? 4000 x 6 = R a year. 10. What materials does the farm often buy? As per farm, e.g. fertiliser. 11. Choose one of these materials. What is the price of one of this material per unit? 12. What labour does the farm require? 13. What is the price of an average farm worker s labour daily? 14. If the farm needs 58 of the material units that you chose and have to employ 10 farm workers for 26 days to finish a job, what will it cost the farm. 15. If the farm has an income of R a month for 8 months of the year and it has a total expense of R for the year, is the farm making a profit or a loss? Explain your answer and give the value of the profit or loss. 16. The farm is showing a loss of R a year. The farm has the following expenses in the year: Wages: R Utilities: R Annual Christmas Party: R Agro-chemicals: R Staff meals: R Vehicle maintenance: R Tools: R a. If you had to make strategic decisions to cut costs, what would you cut and why? As per farm, e.g. R50.00 per 25kg. As per farm, e.g. managers, supervisors, spray-pump operators, general workers, casual workers, etc. As per farm, e.g. R70.00 per worker per day. As per items chosen, e.g. (58 x R50.00) + (10 x 26 x R70.00) = R R18200 = R Income = R a year. Expense = R a year. Thus a loss is made of RR a year. As per learners strategies, though most likely cut costs on Christmas party, staff meals, utilities and wages.

15 15 Assessment Feedback Form Comments / Remarks Feedback to learner on assessment and / or overall recommendations and action plan for competence: Feedback from learner to assessor: Assessment Judgement You have been found: Competent Not yet competent in this unit standard Learner s Signature: Actions to follow: Date: Assessor report to ETQA Learner results and attendance certification issued Assessor s Signature: Date: Moderator s Signature: Date: