Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Diploma in Horticulture Production (Level 5) with strands in Fruit
Production, Indoor Production, Outdoor Vegetable Production, Nursery
Production, Post-Harvest
Version
1
Qualification type
Diploma
Level
5
Credits
120-140
NZSCED
050301 Agriculture, Environmental and Related
Studies>Horticulture and Viticulture>Horticulture
Qualification developer
Primary ITO
Next review
December 2019
Approval date
April 2015
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the horticulture
industry with individuals who have the technical skills and
knowledge to manage horticulture production operations to
maximise effectiveness and productivity.
Learners will benefit by having a qualification within a training
pathway that recognises progression through the industry, as
well as increased skills and knowledge acquisition to enable
improved job performance.
The horticulture industry will benefit by having skilled managers
who are able to contribute to more efficient and effective
operations.
This qualification ideally suited to people who have significant
operational experience in the horticulture industry, or who are
capable of transferring their prior skills and knowledge, and wish
to develop their technical skills and knowledge to be able to
manage horticulture production operations.
Graduates will be capable of working autonomously within
established parameters of a horticulture business and may be
managing others.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
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Graduates of the qualification will be able to:
Core Outcome
-
demonstrate leadership and relationship management
with team members and clients using a range of effective
interpersonal skills relevant to a horticulture sector
(15 credits)
Graduates of the Fruit Production strand will also be able to:
-
plan and manage fruit production tasks to achieve
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production goals and standards
(50 credits)
-
plan and manage a fruit crop protection programme to
meet production goals and quality standards
(40 credits)
-
plan and manage fruit crop management techniques to
optimise fruit production
(15 credits)
Graduates of the Indoor Production strand will also be able to:
-
plan and manage indoor crop production tasks to
achieve production goals and standards
(50 credits)
-
plan and manage an indoor crop protection programme
to meet production goals and quality standards
(40 credits)
-
plan and manage indoor crop management techniques
to optimise production
(20 credits)
Graduates of the Outdoor Vegetable Production strand will also
be able to:
-
plan and manage outdoor vegetable production
operations to achieve production goals and quality
standards
(40 credits)
-
plan and manage an outdoor vegetable crop protection
programme to meet production goals and quality
standards
(60 credits)
-
plan and manage outdoor vegetable crop management
techniques to optimise crop production
(30 credits)
Graduates of the Nursery Production strand will also be able to:
-
plan and manage a nursery plant growing environment to
achieve production goals
(65 credits)
-
plan and manage a nursery plant protection programme
to meet production goals
(40 credits)
Graduates of the Post-Harvest strand will also be able to:
-
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plan and manage post-harvest operations to achieve
production goals
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(75 credits)
-
plan and manage post-harvest quality standards to
achieve production goals
(30 credits)
Education pathway
This qualification may build on the New Zealand Certificate in
Horticulture Production (Level 4), strands Fruit Production, Indoor
Production, Outdoor Vegetable Production, Nursery Production,
Post-Harvest [Ref: 2676].
This qualification may lead on to the New Zealand Diploma in
Horticulture Production (Level 6) [Ref: 2667].
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification are likely to be employed as:
Fruit Production – assistant manager, manager
Indoor Production – assistant manager, assistant grower
Outdoor Vegetable Production – production manager, assistant
manager
Nursery Production – crop manager, crop technician
Post-Harvest – production manager, coolstore manager,
packhouse technician, logistics manager
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5 of
the Industry Training Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by an education
organisation accredited under section 250 of the Education Act
1989 to deliver an approved programme leading to this
qualification.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification will
display the NZQF logo and may also include the name and/or
logo of the awarding education organisation.
Evidence requirements for
assuring consistency
All education organisations offering programmes leading to the
qualification must engage with arrangements for managing
consistency, including covering actual and reasonable related
costs.
Each education organisation is responsible for deciding what
specific evidence it will provide to demonstrate how well its
graduates meet the graduate profile outcomes of the
qualification.
Evidence of the following must be provided:
 Student feedback on course delivery and qualification
achievement, their perception of the value of the training,
and suggestions for improvements
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


Feedback from employers on the level of skills,
knowledge and behaviour demonstrated by graduates of
the qualification
Evidence of effective internal quality assurance systems
Portfolios of work and/or assessment samples
demonstrating the range of student performance within a
programme
TEOs can also provide any other relevant evidence that supports
the consistency review.
Minimum standard of
achievement and standards for
grade endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of the
qualification will be the achievement of all graduate outcomes in
the graduate profile through successful completion of an NZQA
approved programme.
Other requirements for the
qualification (including regulatory
body or legislative requirements)
There are no regulatory body or legislative requirements
General conditions for the programme leading to the qualification
General conditions for
programme
TEOs offering programmes leading to this qualification must
maintain currency with amendments to, and replacements of,
relevant legislation, regulations, and Codes of Practice.
Health and safety, sustainable practices, recording, and reporting
apply across all outcomes.
The behaviours that contribute to compliance with workplace
procedures, and commercial standards and timeframes are
inherent in the performance of the qualification’s outcomes and
must be considered as part of the assessment process.
Conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
1
Programmes may include the following topics:
Demonstrate leadership and
relationship management with
team members and clients
using a range of effective
interpersonal skills relevant to a
horticulture sector
 Mentoring
 Negotiation
 Networking
 Training development and delivery
Programmes may also include relationship management with
contractors, clients, the public, and/or regulatory authorities when
required for the role
2
Fruit Production Strand
Programmes may include the following topics:
Plan and manage fruit
 Prioritisation of tasks
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production tasks to achieve
production goals and
standards
 Delegation
 Grade and quality requirements
 Maturity testing
 Resources for seasonal peaks and troughs
 Production timing
 Standards – regulatory, water use, nutrient
 Sales and inventory
 Market factors
 Continuous improvement
 Internal audit
3
Plan and manage a fruit crop
protection programme to meet
production goals and
standards
Programmes may include the following topics:
 Plant pest and disease management
 Integrated pest management
 Soil science
 Plant physiology
 Quality control and compliance
 Systems and auditing
4
Plan and manage fruit crop
management techniques to
optimise fruit production
Programmes may include the following topics:
 Vigour control
 Crop load management
 Maturity management
 Manipulation of the crop; fruit colour, size, finish; plant growth
regulator, colour
 Environmental protection
5
Indoor Production strand
Programmes may include the following topics:
Plan and manage indoor crop
production operations to
achieve production goals and
standards
 Prioritisation of tasks
 Delegation
 Grade and quality requirements
 Resources for seasonal peaks and troughs
 Maintenance
 Production timing
 Sales and inventory
 Supply chain impacts – volume, price, market factors
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6
Plan and manage an indoor
crop protection programme to
meet production goals and
standards
Programmes must include the following topics:
 Plant pest and disease management
 Integrated pest management
 Plant physiology
 Quality control and compliance
 Market requirements
7
Plan and manage indoor crop
management techniques to
optimise fruit production
Programmes may include the following topics:
 Crop - load management, manipulation
 Maturity management
 Crop health inputs
 Seasonal considerations
 Market requirements
8
Outdoor Vegetable Production
strand
Programmes may include the following topics:
Plan and manage outdoor
vegetable production
operations to achieve
production goals and
standards
 Delegation
 Prioritisation of tasks
 Grade and quality requirements
 Sustainable land management practices
 Resources for seasonal peaks and troughs
 Production timing
 Standards – regulatory, water use, nutrient
 Sales and inventory
9
Plan and manage an outdoor
vegetable crop protection
programme to meet production
goals and standards
Programmes may include the following topics:
 Plant pest and disease management
 Integrated pest management
 Plant physiology
 Quality control and compliance
 Market requirements
10
Plan and manage outdoor
vegetable crop management
techniques to optimise crop
production
Programmes may include the following topics:
 Seasonal crop considerations
 Situation – ground preparation
 Maturity management
 Crop health inputs
 Seasonal considerations
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 Market requirements and quality standards
 Sustainable land management practices
11
Nursery Production Strand
Programmes may include the following topics:
Plan and manage a nursery
crop growing environment to
achieve production goals
 Production timing
 Grade and quality requirements
 Quantity of supply
 Quality control and compliance
12
Plan and manage a nursery
plant protection programme to
meet production goals and
standards
Programmes may include the following topics:
 Plant pest and disease management
 Integrated pest management
 Quality control and compliance
 Supplies – sourcing, ordering, maintenance
13
Post-Harvest Strand
Programmes may include the following topics:
Plan and manage post-harvest
operations to achieve
production goals
 Customer and market requirements
 Resources for seasonal peaks and troughs
 Optimisation – technology, plant, product, grower pack-outs
 Packaging planning and scheduling of supply budgets
 Post-harvest – treatments, technical specifications
 Refrigeration
 Post inspection product security
 Grower technical data
 Crop packing plans
 Inventory management
 Equipment and plant – safe use
14
Plan and manage post-harvest
quality standards to achieve
production goals
Programmes may include the following topics:
 Facility and product compliance
 Product quality assurance
 Audit procedures and technical specifications
 Information systems and analysis
 Hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP)
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