Diploma in Agriculture in Plant Production

The Diploma in Agriculture programme is a three-year qualification. The first two years are taught on-site at the Mbombela Campus of the UMP by mostly staff from the School of Agricultural Sciences but also include staff from the School of Computational and Mathematical Sciences (SCMS). The programme aims to facilitate creativity, promote critical thinking in the agricultural field and ultimately produce competent and skilled agricultural technicians including farm managers and owners (Entrepreneur) in specialised sub-fields of plant production. Hence, the programme focuses on plant production, agronomy of field and horticultural crops, vegetable and fruit production. Water and farm management also constitute core areas of study covered in the programme. Students registered on this programme are given lectures driven by the use of technology, undertake both field and laboratory based practical activities, submit a range of written and oral assignments, and offered various opportunities to attend field trips to a number of commercial farms and pack houses. They are also exposed and provided opportunity to conduct individual research projects in their final year on which comprehensive scientific reports are provided and submitted under close supervision. Candidates looking for a career in this field need to be hard working and have a passion for agriculture and entrepreneurship. The third year is completed on the farm to provide experiential training (farm level experience) in the form of work integrated learning (WIL).