TEACHING AGRICULTURE

PRACTICALLY WITH
PRODUCTION UNITS
version for National Teacher’s Colleges

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 TEACHING AGRICULTURE PRACTICALLY WITH
PRODUCTION UNITS

Colophon
The Teaching Agriculture Practically (TAP) programme started in 2019 and is funded by the
Belgium government. It focuses on the professional development of teachers and instructors
in agricultural education and agri-entrepreneurship education. Partners are the Ministry of
Education and Sports, National Teacher Colleges (NTCs) Mubende & Unyama, National Instructors
College Abilonino (NTC) and VVOB - education for development. More information at https://
www.vvob.org/en/programmes/uganda-teaching-agriculture-practically.

Authors:
Michael Lwasampijja, Agricultural Lecturer NTC Mubende
Sam Ogwal, Agricultural Lecturer NTC Unyama
Jim Wasilwa, Agricultural Lecturer NTC
Wim de Boer, Education Advisor VVOB Uganda
Rita Akello, Agricultural Advisor VVOB Uganda
Bram Thibaut, Agricultural Advisor VVOB Uganda

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Content
List of abbreviations V
Overview/General introduction VI
Chapter 1: Practical teaching and learning 1
1.1 Introduction: Teaching Agriculture Practically (TAP) 1
1.2 Principles of TAP...........................................................................................................................................2
1.3 What the TAP programme means for the production units........................................................3
Chapter 2: What are production units? 4
2.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................................4
2.2 Characteristics of production units.......................................................................................................4
2.3 Management and organisation of production units......................................................................5
2.4 The role of production units....................................................................................................................7
2.4.1 Income generation..................................................................................................................................7
2.4.2 Teaching and learning............................................................................................................................9
2.5 Financial planning for production units..............................................................................................9
2.6 Destination of profit generated by production units.................................................................. 10
Chapter 3: Production units and their relationship to the curricula 12
3.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 12
3.2 Students’ introduction and preparation........................................................................................... 13
3.3 NTC course units that use the production units........................................................................... 13
Chapter 4: Chapter 4. Lesson planning and assessment 17
4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 17
4.2 Lesson planning........................................................................................................................................ 18
4.3 Use of worksheets.................................................................................................................................... 18
4.4. Assessment of the learning................................................................................................................. 19
4.5 Evaluation.................................................................................................................................................... 20
Annexes
Annex 1: Example of a lesson plan of a practical lesson at the production unit...................... 21
Annex 2: Example of an extended worksheet for working at the PU........................................... 23
Annex 3: Full list of NTC courses................................................................................................................. 28
Annex 4: TAP lesson plan template........................................................................................................... 31

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
List of abbreviations
NTC National Instructors’ College Abilonino

NTC National Teacher’s College

TAP Teaching Agriculture Practically

CBET Competence Based Education and Training

BTVET Business, TechNTCl, Vocational Education and Training

PU Production Unit

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Overview/ General introduction

This guide is about the production units, that are part of the farms at the teacher training colleges. The
production units are spaces that enable and encourage practical learning, which is an essential part of
the learning programme of the curriculum of future agricultural teachers. The teaching of agriculture
practically is explained in detail to give a full insight of what it entails. This includes a systematic
explanation of the principles of the Teaching Agriculture Practically (TAP) programme and how the
programme changes the teaching and learning within the production units.

The guide also handles what production units are in terms of their characteristics; how they are managed
and organised; their role in practical teaching and learning; their contribution to income generation; how
financial planning for the production units is conducted; and who benefits from the profits generated
from the production units.

In this guide, another important aspect considered is the relationship between the production units and
the curricula pursued by the students undertaking the training on the production units. This includes
students’ introduction and preparation for the training and the courses undertaken.

The guide as well handles the assessment and evaluation processes of the students’ work on the
production units. It looks at what is involved in the systematic preparation for these processes to ensure
that the students benefit maximumly from the training.

This guide belongs to lecturers, as it provides a complete overview on how teaching in agriculture
could become more practical with production units. It is an enormous resource of ideas, examples, and
knowledge about production units, and it uses a hands-on approach. Lecturers can use this guide in the
preparation of the activities within their course units and related learning activities, leading to a more
practical teaching approach, linked to the curriculum objectives.

This guide is also relevant to students, as it helps them to better understand what the college and
lecturers aims for with production units and how the curriculum relates those objectives. But also: how
active teaching and learning can be made real, based on the numerous examples, formats, schemes
and other tools that are part of the guide. These examples and experiences are useful for when students
become teachers as well.

Lastly, the guide is useful for the other stakeholders within the college, more in particular to the farm
manager and farm attendants. It provides insight in the objectives and organisation of the learning
and work at the production units, as well as hands-on approaches with explanation of their role in the
learning and work processes.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
Chapter 1:
Practical teaching and
learning

1.1 Introduction: Teaching Agriculture Practically (TAP)

Practical teaching and learning refer to teaching and learning processes characterised by a strong focus
on transfer of knowledge, building of skills and development of attitudes through practical exercises.
Even though a theoretical basis remains an important precursor to practical teaching and learning, in
practical teaching and learning both teachers and learners invest most of their time on the practical
application of theoretical knowledge and concepts.

The need for practical teaching and learning of agriculture is underlined by the education sector, as
well as some of the main policies that deal with that. A mismatch exists between skills required for the
agriculture labour market and the skills developed at school, which requires attention (National Human
Resource Development Planning Framework for Uganda, 2018). From the Uganda Vision 2040, it becomes
clear that the education system needs to be changed to emphasise amongst others, practical skills. The
National TVET policy (2019) states that all TVET institutions must emphasise practical and hands-on
training which is integrated with flexible and work-oriented delivery methods.

The TAP-programme at VVOB was launched in 2019. Its objective is strengthening the professional
development of teacher educators at the level of certificate for O-level secondary teachers to teach
agriculture practically (TAP). The programme enables the graduates develop the competences – defined
as the combination of knowledge, skills, and attitudes – for practical teaching / learning of agriculture.
The TAP programme focuses on several principles that ensure its effective implementation and learning
outcomes.

TAP is a process of instruction that facilitates acquisition of basic knowledge and practical skills by
student teachers in the field of agriculture. TAP is made possible by engaging learners in practical lessons
focusing on hands-on approaches, mainly outside the classroom on the land or in the farm, using video
and other trajectories as demonstration methods of practical agricultural skills or participating in a value
addition activity within a production space.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 1.2 Principles of TAP
The principles of teaching agriculture practically are outlined as follows:

Participation; TAP is directed

towards supporting student
Use of technology in a meaningful
teachers / instructors, and
1 lecturers work out their own
problems rather than being
7 way and focus on technical skills.

given ready made solutions.

Learning by doing/hands-on
learning; trainees learn better Making use of students’
through their own experience
8 plots/demonstration/projects sites.

2 rather than passive listening to

lecturers and watching
demonstrations.

All stakeholder involvement; this

includes lecturers, instructors, farm
managers, student Relating to the world of work in the

3 instructors/teachers, college
administration, governing council,
9 agricultural sector when training.

and the community.

Evaluation; the effectiveness

of TAP will be measured in Exposure of students to a variety
terms of the changes brought
4 about in the skills acquired and
adoption of practical work.
10 of agricultural activities.

Stimulating creativity,
Focus on entrepreneurship and
5
innovation and
experimentation.
11 learning as one earns.

Using locally available

6 materials and learning through

collaboration and sharing.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
1.3 What the TAP programme means for the production
units
The teaching within the new O-level curriculum takes a competence-based approach, just like it is
already with the certificate level TechNTCl Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes. The
TVET programme took on a purely competence-based education and training (CBET) approach with
the launch of the Business TechNTCl Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) strategic plan, the new
syllabi for TVET institutions and latterly the launch of the new TVET Policy. CBET requires the learners
to advance in knowledge, skills and attitudes that they can apply in their day-to-day life situations.
As a teacher of agriculture, you need to bring all academic concepts to life with visual or practical
learning experiences in order to enable the learners relate what they are studying to their day-to-day
life experiences.

Production units are part of the college farm. They offer an excellent opportunity for hands-on practice.
There are a number of ways the TAP principles can be operationalised:

. For

used

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Chapter 2:
What are production units?
2.1 Introduction
Production units (PUs) are various model agricultural enterprises in a college farm set up for sustainable
practical learning and profit generation. The PU’s differ per college. Colleges have PU’s for crops, such
as a banana plantation, an agroforestry plot or a maize field. There are also production units for animal
husbandry, such as a piggery unit, a unit for dairy cows, a goat farm or a fishpond. The farmland for PU’s
is situated within the college land.

These PU’s are the different agricultural enterprises where lecturers integrate both theory and practical
lessons which include topics such as pig breeding, cattle raising, apiculture, banana and maize growing,
rabbit breeding, horticulture, poultry, goat rearing, etc. The major challenge for the PU’s is to design
strategies for using it as a practical learning station as well as for generating income for the college.

2.2 Characteristics of production units

Production units are centres for research and model units for community transformation. Production
units play a dual role. While on the one hand teaching and learning take place in the production units, on
the other hand the production units generate output and products for sale that generate revenue and
profits that keep the production units running and self-sustaining.

Production units constitute agricultural enterprises that offer excellent opportunities for entrepreneurship
education. The business model of production units – which includes amongst others the techNTCl
production methods, the cost structure and the marketing strategy – therefore is an important parameter
that requires full attention. Lastly, production units aim at improving the dietary variety of meals offered
to students and college staff.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
2.3 Management and organisation of production units
Institutions apply their own management principles and policy to manage production units. The
management of production units is further influenced by the composition of the institution-specific
teams that include academic (lecturers) and non-academic (farm attendants) staff as well as students.
This means that the management and organisation of production units slightly differs according to
the local dynamics present in the various teacher training institutions.

In general, the following stakeholders take part in the management and organisation of the production
units:

Stakeholder Responsibilities

Governing »» Approval of plans and budgets.

Council »» Appointments of farm employees.

Office of the »» Review of farm planning and budgeting.

Principal »» Accountability and evaluation of farm activities.
»» Coordination and general management of programmes and projects within the
college, including farm projects.

Land »» Land allocation to production units, students and college staff, including
committee guidance for students, teaching and non-teaching staff on college land usage.

Farm »» Farm planning and budgeting, developing marketing strategy, coordinating

Management sales of farm products.
committee »» Farm management and supervision of farm activities, including monitoring and
reporting of the college farm activities to the principal’s office.

Head of »» Monitor students’ project research.

Department/ »» In consultation with other lecturers, determine the role of students within the
Section production units (during practicals, etc.).
»» Support the farm manager in identifying potential customers and general
market research.
»» Support the farm manager in the farm’s records management, monitoring and
coordination of production unit activities.

Farm Manager »» Overall responsibility to keep farm production and sales records up-to-date and
complete (some of the responsibilities can be delegated to farm attendants if
necessary).
»» Identify potential customers and organise sales of production units’ products.
»» Overall responsibility of daily management of production unit activities.
»» Coordination and supervision of farm attendants’ activities and casual
labourers.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 The following organigramme represents the overall structure of the college farm in a simplified form. In
reality the farm structure may be more complex due to specific local factors and circumstances.

A COLLEGE FARM STRUCTURE

Approval of farm plans,

Governing appointment of farm
council staff

Review of farm plans,

Office of the accountability,
principal coordination

Land and / or Land allocation, planning

and budgeting of the
farm manage- college farm, monitoring
ment committee of the farm and reporting

Daily farm
Determine role of Head of department Farm Manager management, record
students in the farm,
/ section keeping, marketing,
monitor students’
supervision of
projects, support farm
assistants and
manager Lecturers Farm assistants attendants

Farm attendants Farm attendants

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
2.4 The role of production units
Production units serve both primary and complementary roles:



 

  
 

 


  

  
   
   
  
   

2.4.1 Income generation

Income generation in production units is a form of production undertaken as a business with the aim of
making profit for the college.

A production unit organised as a business is characterised by a solid business plan. The most essential
component of the business plan is the identification of a product or a service that meets a verified
market demand. The business plan is rooted in a detailed techNTCl production plan that provides critical
information on production costs and expected revenues. The plan includes the following elements:

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 The operating account:
01 The overview of fixed and variable costs is listed here, as well as the
expected revenue for a given timeframe. Note that a detailed technical
plan is required in order to determine the costs and estimated revenue.

The investment plan:

02 If a new production unit is being set up, it
may require investments. These are listed in
the investment plan.

The determination of the selling price per unit:

03 Based on the unit cost of production, the unit price of the product is determined
by adding a certain margin, often 10 – 25%, depending on the product and the
competition. An additional factor to consider are current prices on the market.

The break-even point:

04 The business plan includes the calculation of the number of units
that need to be sold in order to reach the break-even point, where
neither loss nor profit is made. The break-even point can be
expressed either in number of units, or in terms of turnover (monetary value)

The return on investment and net profit margin:

05 The return on investment and net profit margin: These are calculated
to assess the time it takes to win back the investments made and the
profitability of the enterprise.

The liquidity plan or cash flow plan:

06 This plan stipulates, for every month, how much money is flowing into the business,
through sales, for example, and how much money is flowing out in cluding purchases
of agricultural inputs, payments of salaries, wages and utilities, etc. It is important that
the balance remains positive, otherwise cash flow problems will occur.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
2.4.2 Teaching and learning
Production units are used by the lecturers of the Agriculture Department and the student teachers for
teaching and learning. In most colleges, production units have initially been set up for mainly pedagogical
purposes. Sometimes they are referred to as pedagogical projects, with the prime purpose of teaching
and learning.

However, since entrepreneurship education takes a central role in TAP, it is important that production units
are organised as a business and are profitable. Indeed, a production unit that is not profitable is likely to
have serious sustainability challenges and would most likely not be a suitable model for entrepreneurship
education. Several factors contribute to a rich learning environment for production units:

Factors that
contribute to a Rich
Learning Environment
for Production Units

2.5 Financial planning for production units

Lecturers, farm assistants, the farm manager and the head of department, united in the Farm Committee,
draw up a budget to run the production units. The budget is forwarded by the head of department to the
college administration through the college accountant, who sends it to the Principal. The Principal then
takes the budget to the governing council for approval as part of the college budget. After approval, the
principal releases funds to the Department of Agriculture for expenditure.

As the drawing of the budget follows the chronological sequence of the financial year (July to June), the
following schedule of milestones is put forward.

Deadline Milestone
31st of January The farm manager consults with lecturers and drafts the budget for the production
units.
28th of February The Farm Committee reviews and updates the budget for the production units.
The budget is submitted to the office of the Principal.
31st of March The office of the Principal reviews and validates the budget and submits it to the
governing council.
30th of April The governing council approves the budget.
31 of May
st
The farm account receives the budget for the production units.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 2.6 Destination of profit generated by production units
If production units are managed well, they will generate profit. Key conditions to make profit are
enlisted as shown but this list is not exhaustive.

1 3 4
2
5
Having a clear Autonomous
Drafting and organigram in management
applying a place and of the
decent Timely respecting it, production
business plan, availability of with unit, meaning
including a the necessary description of the farm has Availability and
marketing financial duties of all its own bank application of a
strategy. resources. stakeholders. account. work plan.

Availability of Availability of Availability of Availability of Ensuring the

up-to-date up-to-date technical skilled farm is
technical financial expertise. workforce. secured.
records, records,

8
accessible to accessible to
key
stakeholders.
key
stakeholders. 9 10
6 7

The farm and its respective production units generate income for the college by selling produce. The
produce can be sold to the college canteen too (note that the canteen should pay for it to the farm; it
should not be for free). Revenues from the production units are sent to the farm’s bank account.

A portion of the revenue is ploughed back into the production units for maintenance, expansion and
procurement of inputs and consumables. The business plan of the production unit specifies which
amount needs to be ploughed back into the production unit. Another portion of the revenue is used
for other developments such as feeding students, and staff, etc. However, it should be noted that before
allocating a portion of the revenue generated by the production unit to whatsoever purpose, first the
calculation of profit should be made.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Profit
Indeed, special attention Revenue
should be paid to
distinguish between
revenue and profit:

Example Example
10 goats sold at 200,000 UGX per If the production costs to raise a
head results in a revenue of goat amount to 130,000 UGX,
2,000,000 UGX. But it is important then in the above example to the left the
to understand that not all of this profit of selling 10 goats would be
is profit! 2,000,000 – (10 x 130,000) =
700,000 UGX.

Although differences exist between colleges, in general the teacher training colleges apply the “earn as
you learn” principle for students of the Agriculture Department. In a college-specific reward system for
student work in the college farm (production units and student plots), it is made clear if and how profits
generated by production units and student plots are allocated to the students.

The profit generated by the production units is analysed, and the sum to be reinvested into the production
unit is determined based on the needs stipulated by the business plan. The remaining sum is allocated to
staff, students and the college, according to guidelines recommended by the land and farm development
committee in consultation with college top management, as indicated in this example:

to the student account

(provides labour)

to the facilitator / lecturer

(offer technical support/ facilitation)

to the college
(provides all inputs and land)

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Chapter 3:
Production units and their
relationship to the curricula
3.1 Introduction
Within TAP, and in line with the country’s policies, hands-on learning is essential and contributes to better
and more relevant learning outcomes. Student teachers will become better teachers when their own
curriculum is practical. The practical use of the learning facilities within the colleges is essential for this.
To facilitate practical teaching and learning, the production units play an important role.

Hands-on learning is essential to build practical skills and competences of future agriculture teachers.
Therefore, teacher training colleges commit to develop and/or reinforce existing approaches for hands-
on learning in production units and student plots through the rotation of students between production
units.

The rotation system implies that colleges organise the learning within the units for first year students,
allowing them to make rotations in crop production units, and for second years to rotate in animal
production units.
Coaching and mentoring of students during hands-on learning is organised through a coaching and
mentoring system by academic staff and/or support staff of the college farm, whereby lecturers prepare
learning tasks, support and evaluate the students in each of the learning stations and the farm manager
prepares the farm for a good learning environment.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
3.2 Students’ introduction and preparation
In the first year, students will start attending to the production units. The college management receives
new students who are handed over to the office of the Dean of students in charge of student welfare.
The office of the Dean of students organises an orientation programme for the entire group of new
students (Year one). This orientation of new students takes about 4-5 days; the offices of the Principal,
Registry, Dean of students, Warden, Heads of department and Head of sections are tasked with providing
guidance during orientation. After the general guidance from the above team, students fall into their
departments of humanities, science and vocational (Agriculture, Art /Design, and Business Studies) for
instructions specific to the department.

In the Vocational Department, members then fall into their specific sections for guidance under the
leadership of the Head of section (Agriculture). The section head of Agriculture then takes the new
members through the requirements of the Agriculture course. He presents the roles of each member and
organizes a tour of the agriculture laboratory, classroom, student learning area, and college production
unit enterprises. Students are told what their roles will be in the students’ plots, college production unit,
what the contribution of each stakeholder in the agriculture section is and how the profits realised will
be rationed among the stakeholders.

In production units, all students are expected to observe health and safety precaution measures by
wearing the personal protective equipment - the safety precaution gadgets and production precaution
gadgets. Safety precaution gadgets include waterproof overalls, waterproof hand gloves, eye masks,
plastic nose and mouth masks while production precaution gadgets include gumboots, overall, gloves,
and dust masks. The attendance time varies according to the severity and urgency of the activities that
are performed in the production units. On average, 10 hours are expected to be used per week, during
which students learn in a practical way by performing key activities.

3.3 NTC course units that use the production units

With the NTC curriculum, practical work is widespread in the production units. In the following table, the
course units that make significant use of the several production units (8 – 12 hours in a course unit) are
listed. A more detailed overview is shown in Annex 3.

Year 1 course units

Course Name Code PU link Examples of activities

Cattle AG013 Cattle farm Identify cattle breeds; feeding; milking; cleaning;
production (dairy & beef ) taking records; putting identification marks; castration;
dehorning; flaying; weight and age estimation; cleaning
of shelters

Pig production AG014 Piggery unit Identification of breeds; feeding; controlling parasites;
caring for pregnant sows; clipping; castration
Poultry AG015 Poultry unit Identification of breeds; feeding; preparing a brooder;
production chick sexing; de-beaking; egg collection, cleaning,
grading and packing; identification of laying hens; raking
of litter; vaccination

Goat, Rabbit AG016 Goat unit Identification of breeds; selection of does and bucks;
and Sheep castration; dehorning; marking for identification; hoof
production trimming; slaughtering and processing of goat skins
Farm machinery AG018 Maize unit Use of farm tools; ploughing; planting; weeding;
and equipment harvesting and storage; crop protection; milling and
bagging

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Course Name Code PU link Examples of activities

Annual crops AG0110 Maize unit Cultivation; seed selection; planting; fertiliser application;
weeding; scouting, identification of common pests and
diseases; harvesting of maize; shelling, drying, milling
Principles of AG019 Maize and Tillage; planting techniques and spacing; calibrating
crop production banana unit application of agricultural chemicals; plant management
practices; preparing compost

Year 2 course units

Course Name Code PU unit Examples of activities
Animal AG022 Goats Selection for breeding; artificial insemination;
breeding interpretation of breeding records
Grassland AG0210 Goats Identification of pasture grasses and legumes; planting
pastures pastures; pasture management; seed treatment; grazing
management; conservation
Physiology AG021 Goats and Dissection and identification of reproduction system;
and poultry detection of heat signs; diagnosis of pregnancy in goats;
reproduction identifying laying fowls
in farm
animals
Animal AG0218 Goats and Brooding; feeding broilers; turning of litter; mixing of
production poultry feeds; de-beaking; weighing; vaccinating; slaughtering
practical and dressing; marketing. Identification of breeds;
restraining; drenching; injection and taking blood
samples; feeding; mixing of feeds; dehorning;
castration; hoof trimming
Animal AG023 Goats, poultry Classification and identification of feedstuff; feed
nutrition and piggery formulation; dissection and identification of digestive
system of goats, pigs and domestic fowls; identification
of mineral and vitamin deficiency symptoms; nutritional
diseases
Animal AG024 Goats, poultry Observing signs of ill health; collecting blood samples
health and and dairy for laboratory analysis; observation of animal parasites;
hygiene drenching goats/cattle; spraying goats; dipping of
livestock
Perennial AG029 Banana Field preparation; transplanting; weeding; de-suckering;
crops pruning dry leaves; removing flowers; transplanting;
propping; weeding; manuring; trenching; harvesting
and marketing
Crop pests AG027 Maize and Identifying common pests; collecting and preserving
banana crop pests; mixing/rating and safety handling of
pesticides
Crop diseases AG028 Maize and Identifying common diseases; collecting and preserving
banana plant specimen; photographing diseased plant parts;
application of chemicals

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
Course Name Code PU unit Examples of activities
Soil fertility AG0217 Maize and Identification of fertilisers; application of fertiliers;
and plant banana evaluating plant response to different fertilisers
nutrition
Farm AG0213 Maize, Preparing farm dairy, records and accounts; calculating
management banana, gross margin analysis of enterprises
goats, poultry
Farm AG025 Maize, Drawing the farm map with each enterprise and giving
structures banana, the justification for their location.
and farm poultry, goats Constructing maize crib
planning and piggery Repairing goat, poultry and piggery structure /fence

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Chapter 4:
Lesson planning and
assessment
4.1 Introduction
The lesson planning and assessment process is important as this will operationalise the objectives and
competences of the curriculum into lesson and activities that the students will learn. As part of the
learning process, it is important that students are assessed to establish whether they have developed and
grasped the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for practical teaching and learning of agriculture
as provided for in the course units.

The learning and work in the production units can be organized in different ways. A lecturer can take
the students as part of a lesson to the production unit(s) to demonstrate something, and have students
also try that. Also, lecturers could explain a more conceptual topic in the classroom, and explain what
hands-on activities and/or assignments need to be done in the production unit. Students will work on
shorter or longer tasks. This could be individual as well as in groups. The lecturer needs to explain to
the students how these assignments will be assessed, whereby practical learning activities ask for other
types of assessment than a written test.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
4.2 Lesson planning
The lesson plan is a teacher’s guide prepared to facilitate the teaching and learning of a lesson content
and how learning will be measured. It addresses why and how to teach, which activities to be handled
and which materials to facilitate delivery of content. Lessons preparation that are based on teaching
agriculture practically (TAP) entails the following steps:

Identify the learning competences

Plan for learning activities within the TAP lesson

Prepare the lesson content in sequential manner

Include a work sheet for students to guide them in

the activity process
Develop the assessment plan and instrument(s)

Provide adequate time for the activity and lesson

summary

An example of a lesson plan can be found in Annex 1. The example there is very similar to a lesson that
could take place in the classroom. In this lesson, which is about the Establishment of banana crops, the
lecturer introduces the topic, the objectives and shows a video about the topic. After the introduction,
students are taken to the production unit, where the lecturer demonstrates how to prepare banana
suckers to use for planting after which students in groups estimate and establish the correct banana
plant population and fertiliser to use in a given area.

4.3 Use of worksheets

For practical tasks that students need to do as part of the learning process within a course-unit, a work
sheet is an essential instrument to guide the activity. The key components of a typical worksheet include:

The lecturer needs to prepare worksheets for each of their lessons in order to guide the students carefully
on the tasks to be done and the outcomes expected. An example of the worksheet is given below.

KEY COMPONENTS OF A
TYPICAL WORKSHEET
The task
Competencies
Working drawing
Procedure (i.e. work in groups or individually)

Materials
Tools
Occupational Health and safety precautions

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Task /practical: Application of DAP fertiliser during planting maize seeds Time: 6hours

Competences (learner will be able to):

ƒƒ State the benefits of planting maize with fertiliser

ƒƒ Identify the different types of fertilizers recommended for maize production
ƒƒ Apply DAP fertiliser correctly during the time of planting maize

Procedure:

1. Apply fertilizer in weed free field

2. Consider the spacing of maize (90 × 30cm 1 plant/hill or 90 x60cm 2plants/hill)
3. Dig the holes at the planting depth of at least 2 to 3cm, it depends on the moisture content
of the soil. For dry planting use planting depth at least 10cm
4. After digging holes you now apply the fertilizer (starter fertiliser DAP)
5. Drop the fertilizer in the holes. Determine the rate using a coke bottle top cover.
6. Cover the fertilizer completely with soil using the foot to avoid fertiliser not to come into
contact with the seed/s
7. After the fertilizer put the seed/s in to the hole and cover it completely with soil using foot
8. Never step on the holes with the foot when covering
9. Demobilize Tools, equipment and materials used, clean them and take them back into the
store
10. Write a comprehensive report

ƒƒ Tools, equipment and Materials: maize seeds, hoes, different fertilizers, tape measure, bottle
top cover soda, chart, markers ,masking tape and garden
ƒƒ Occupational Health and Safety Precautions: Put on protective gears and be free of
obstacles

A worksheet can be an activity at the production unit that a group or individual will do in limited time, for
example during a lesson. The example given above shows that.

Especially at the production unit, lecturers can include activities that will take much longer and will
take several days, or a number of weeks in which the student(s) return working at a certain task at the
production unit. In Annex 2, an example of such an extended worksheet for working at the PU about
Record keeping in a broiler unit from NTC Unyama is given. The sheets guides the students, and besides
the daily and routine tasks it includes also a format for a broiler unit record in which students need to
record daily the kilos of feeds, the average day growth and mortality among other things.

4.4 Assessment of the learning

Assessment is the process by which an individual or group’s performance is judged through observation,
monitoring and documenting the desirable change in behaviour of the learners. It can be defined as the
process of designing, collecting and interpreting information about skills, knowledge and values of a
learner(s). It can be done by the lecturer, the students themselves or peers.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
Assessment is done by the lecturer as part of the lesson activity and must be planned before. This could
be done by using a portfolio, a rubric instrument or another type of guide. A portfolio is a purposeful
collection of student work that tells the story of the student’s knowledge, skills and attitudes in a given
area or areas in the PU based learning curriculum. A performance guide is prepared by a lecturer to aid
students in execution of tasks. It helps them on how to carry out tasks and expected standards.

The use of rubrics for practical learning tasks is very useful. The holistic rubric tool for assessment is an
assessment rubric that scores the overall process without judging component parts separately. A single
score/grade is given based on a student’s performance with no mark’s for individual parts or stages.
Another rubric format is the analytical rubric. It scores component parts separately following specific
details marked to indicate strength and weaknesses. Marks are assigned to each component which then
produce a total score.

This particular example uses 5 levels. The first criteria and its levels are given here:

Criteria/
5 4 3 2 1
steps
Checked the Never
Checked the Checked the
limbs for long Checked the Checked the
limbs for long limbs for long
nails/claws, limbs for long limbs for long
nails/claws, nails/claws
used a clipper nails/claws, nails/claws
Nail clipping used a clipper but did not
to cut the nails used a clipper and did not
to cut the nails use a clipper
leaving them to cut the nails use a clipper
leaving them to cut the
more/less than completely off to cut the
0.5cm long nails
0.5cm long nails

The desired way of working is given on the left, and gives 5 points. When students have a rubric form
before starting the activity, it will be very clear to them what is to be expected, as the assessment already
is made clear beforehand. In this particular example there are 5 levels, but rubrics also could be in 4 or 3
levels.

4.5 Evaluation
Evaluation is the means of analysing information about a student’s encounter with a learning experience
by focusing on grades by making judgement of quality. For example, how good the performance is of
something is- often using terms like excellent, very good, satisfactory, etc. In evaluation, the lecturer
wishes to know which learning outcomes have been achieved or not and the degree or level of learners’
performance. It involves use of assessment techniques such as; Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs),
Assessment rubrics, Student Progress Portraits, graphic organizer, Students Portfolios, etc.

Within the evaluation of a course unit, the practical work of students within the production unit will be
included. The ways assessment were part of the course unit will enable the lecturer to use that in the
evaluation of the students. The outcomes of the assessment will define the judgement that the lecturer
needs to make after each course unit.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Annex 1. Example of a lesson plan of a practical lesson at
the production unit

Names Year / Class

College Duration

Date No of Students F: M: PWDs:

Subject Unit

Topic Perennial crops.

Sub-Topic Banana.
Content Establishment of banana crops.
Competences Learner:

- Describe field establishment agronomic practices of growing bananas.

- Prepare a good sucker for planting

- Estimate the plant population of banana in a given area

- Dig holes for planting bananas & plant.

- Appreciate good banana establishment practices.

Methodology PBL

Group work, Brainstorming, Demonstration and presentation

Instructional Suckers, manures, hoes, wheel barrow, water, tape measure
materials
Location Banana plantation production unit.
Reference Bienempaka etal (1990), Principles and practices of Agriculture vol 1, Macmillian
Publishers Ltd.

Richard.H. Mayer & Jeanne E .Bishop (1986), Merrill General Science, Charles, E
Merrill Publishing Company.

Vines .E & Rees .N.(2008), Plant and Animal Biology Vol.1 3rd Edition, Sir Isaac Pitman
and Sons Ltd.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
TIME SESSION TEACHERS ACTIVITIES LEARNERS ACTIVITIES
10 minutes INTRODUCTION - Set the class environment - Settle in class

- ask learners to watch video and - watch the video and

identify banana establishment
practices Identify banana
establishment practices &
present.

60 minutes DEVELOPMENT Teacher asks learners to Learners brainstorm &

brainstorm & give characteristics present the characteristics
of good suckers to use for of a good sucker to use
planting. for planting.

Teacher demonstrates how to

prepare banana suckers to use
for planting Learners observe the
teacher and participate in
Teacher leads learners to the demonstration.
calculate to establish the correct
banana plant

Population and correct fertilizer In groups learners estimate

quantity to use in given area. and establish the correct
banana plant population
and fertiliser to use in a
given area.

25minutes EVALUATION Teacher asks learners to get Learners get tools,

tools, equipment& materials and equipment, and materials
dig holes for planting bananas & and make holes & plant a
plant a sucker. sucker.

Teacher also supervises

25minutes CONCLUSION Teacher asks learners to carry out Learners move around
peer assessment of holes dug and assess peers
following the procedure given.

SELF EVALUATION

Strengths

Areas of improvement

Way forward

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Annex 2. Example of an extended worksheet for working
at the PU

ENTERPRISE: Broiler production unit

TOPIC: Record keeping in a broiler unit

Work sheet No: 2

Class/level: DES II 2021

Student name/Reg: ………………………… Activity date from ……………... to ………………

Overview statement:
The performance of broiler type of chicken is dependent on several management practices. Brooding is
one of the important aspects of broiler rearing and management. Proper management of broilers chicks
at the early developmental stage is very critical for the overall result and growth of the bird, hence great
care should be taken from day1.

Pre-activities:
Learners are required to form three groups of 10 members each. Each group will be required to feed,
clean and take care of the birds for the relevant period in the poultry unit assigned to them. Learners are
required to follow the daily routine for feeding strictly because that may influence your results. Remember
you are responsible for the management of chickens within the specified period of time indicated on the
task card. All feed needed should be weighed and recorded. All other tasks required in the section must
also be performed.

Daily and routine tasks:

1. Inspect the broiler house every day at the times allocated including weekends and every evening.
2. Place as much feed as required necessary in the trough, to ensure availability of enough feed, but
without wastage due to spillage. Record the amount of food eaten by taking the weight of newly
opened full bag of feeds then divide by numbers of days used to fill feed troughs to get the amount
of food used/day.
3. Record all data gathered on the given record sheet provided.
4. Rake the litter and remove wet bedding in the broiler house daily.
5. Remove and clean the water trough as soon as it becomes soiled.
6. Provide clean water in the water trough.
7. Weigh the birds every 7th day and record data on your record sheet. Plot the data on a graph, calculate
the weekly weight gain, e.g. mass gain/feed period (days) = grams/week and feed conversion rate,
e.g. feed given/mass gained = kg of feed used: kg meat gained.
8. Report any problems or sickness to the teacher in charge and indicate it on the record card.

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
BROILER UNIT RECORD

Description of activity……………………………………………………………………………...

Batch /house number……Number of birds..........Feed cost/kg .......Ave. mass at beginning..........

Date Day Mass Mass Av. Kg. of Average Feed Sickness Mortality Remarks
of 20 change day conversion
mass feeds
chicks growth. ratio
(A.D.G) (F.C.R)

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Farm manager comments

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

Name (farm manager) Date ………. 2021 Signature…………..

Lecturer comments

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

Name (lecturer) Date ………. 2021 Signature…………..

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
Annex 3: Full list of NTC courses
YEAR ONE

Animal Production Crop Production

Course Code Course Name Course Code Course Name
AG012 Introduction to Livestock Mgt AG019 Principles of Crop Production
AG013 Cattle Production AG110 Annual Crops
AG014 Pig Production AG0111 Horticulture
AG015 Poultry Production AG0112 Weed Science
AG016 Goat, Rabbit and Sheep Production AG0116 Introduction to Soil Science

AG0117 Soil Physics

AG0118 Soil Chemistry
AG0119 Soil and Water Engineering
AG0120 Crop Production Practical

YEAR ONE CROSS CUTTING COURSE UNITS.

Course Code Course Name

AG011 Introduction to Agriculture in East Africa
AG017 Introduction to Agricultural Mechanisation
AG018 Farm Machinery and Equipment
AG0113 Introduction to Economics
AG0114 Production Economics
AG0116 Agricultural Education

YEAR TWO.

Animal Production Crop Production

Course Code Course Name Course Code Course Name
AG021 Physiology and Reproduction AG026 Crop Improvement
in farm animals.
AG022 Animal Breeding AG027 Crop Pests
AG023 Animal Nutrition AG028 Crop Diseases
AG024 Animal Health and Hygiene AG029 Perennial Crops
AG0210 Grassland Pastures AG0211 Agroforestry
AG0216 Human Nutrition AG0217 Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
AG0218 Animal Production Practicals

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 YEAR TWO CROSS CUTTING COURSE UNITS.

Course Code Course Name

AG025 Farm Structures and Farm Planning

AG0212 Agriculture Development

AG0213 Farm Management

AG0214 Agricultural Marketing, Cooperatives and Credit

AG0215 Agriculture Education II

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
Annex 4: TAP lesson plan template
Name(s) lecturer:

College: Date & hours:

Year / Class: Subject:

No of Students: Topic:

Duration: Sub-topic:

Theoretical goals:

Practical goals:

Content:

Location:
Methods &
Techniques:

T/L Aids and

materials:

References:

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
 Time Teachers Activity Learners Activities

Self-Evaluation (to be filled by the lecturer after the lesson)

Strengths

Areas of
improvement

Way forward

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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units
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Teaching agriculture practically with Production Units