§-Agriculture syllabus
NSW · NESA← Agriculture
Agriculture syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the NSW Agriculture syllabus, with a focused answer for each. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions and links to related points.
Core Part A: Animal Production
Module overview →How do growth and development patterns determine when and how a producer finishes and markets livestock?
Analyse the patterns of animal growth and development and explain how producers manage growth, finishing and carcase quality to meet market specifications
How do producers manage nutrition and health to maximise animal productivity and welfare sustainably?
Analyse the management of animal nutrition and health, including feed budgeting, disease and parasite control, in a livestock enterprise
How do the inputs, processes and interactions of an animal production system determine its output and sustainability?
Analyse an animal production system as a set of inputs, processes, outputs and interactions, and explain how management decisions shape its productivity and sustainability
How do producers use reproduction, selection and breeding technologies to improve animal production sustainably?
Analyse reproduction, selection and breeding strategies, including breeding technologies and genetic improvement, in an animal production enterprise
How does the structure and function of an animal, especially its digestive system, determine how a producer feeds and manages it?
Explain how the structure and function of farm animals, including the ruminant and monogastric digestive systems, determine feeding and management decisions
How do producers balance animal welfare, ethics and community expectations against productivity in livestock systems?
Evaluate animal welfare in production systems with reference to the Five Freedoms, husbandry practices, codes of practice and changing community expectations
Core: Experimental Design and Research
Module overview →Core Part A: Plant Production
Module overview →What climatic, biological and resource constraints limit plant production, and how do producers manage them?
Analyse the climatic, water, weed, pest and disease constraints on plant production and evaluate integrated strategies used to manage them sustainably
How do producers establish and manage pastures to maximise sustainable plant production in Australian farming systems?
Analyse the establishment, growth and management of a pasture or crop, including species selection, sowing, nutrition and grazing management for sustainable yield
How do plant breeders and producers improve crops and pastures genetically to lift yield, quality and resilience?
Analyse the methods of plant improvement, including selection, hybridisation and genetic modification, and evaluate their contribution to productivity and sustainability
How do producers supply the essential nutrients a crop or pasture needs without wasting fertiliser or harming the environment?
Analyse the role of essential plant nutrients and the selection, rate, timing and placement of fertilisers to meet crop demand efficiently and sustainably
How do the inputs, processes and interactions of a plant production system determine its output and sustainability?
Analyse a plant production system as a set of inputs, processes, outputs and interactions, and explain how management decisions shape its productivity and sustainability
How does the structure and physiology of a plant determine how a producer manages it for yield?
Explain how plant structure, photosynthesis, water relations and growth and development determine the yield of a crop or pasture and the management decisions a producer makes
What processes degrade soil and water resources, and how do farm management practices accelerate or slow that degradation?
Analyse the processes of soil and water degradation, including erosion, structural decline, salinity, acidification and nutrient pollution, and the management practices that influence them
How do producers maintain soil fertility and structure to sustain plant production over the long term?
Evaluate the management of soil properties, including structure, pH, nutrients and organic matter, and their effect on sustainable plant production
Elective: Agri-food, Fibre and Fuel Technologies
Module overview →How do emerging technologies in food, fibre and fuel production improve productivity and sustainability in Australian agriculture?
Investigate technologies used in the production and processing of food, fibre and fuel, and evaluate their impact on productivity and sustainability
How do biotechnology and value adding transform raw farm products into higher-value food, fibre and fuel?
Analyse the use of biotechnology, processing and value adding in agricultural industries and evaluate their contribution to productivity, profitability and sustainability
How does precision agriculture technology change the way producers manage paddocks and improve productivity and sustainability?
Analyse precision agriculture technologies, including GPS guidance, variable rate technology, sensors and yield mapping, and evaluate their impact on productivity and sustainability
Elective: Climate Challenge
Module overview →How can agriculture reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon while remaining productive?
Analyse the sources of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and evaluate carbon farming and mitigation strategies for Australian production systems
How does climate variability and change challenge Australian agriculture, and how do producers adapt and mitigate sustainably?
Investigate the impact of climate variability and change on agricultural production and evaluate strategies for adaptation and mitigation
Elective: Farming for the 21st Century
Module overview →Core: Farm Case Study and Whole Farm Management
Module overview →How does a producer integrate enterprises, resources and risk into a whole farm management plan?
Analyse how a farm operates as a whole system, integrating enterprise selection, resource management, risk and decision making, using a real farm case study
How is a chosen farm product produced, marketed and managed to address social, environmental and economic sustainability?
Analyse the production, processing and marketing of a chosen farm product and evaluate its social, environmental and economic sustainability
How do producers use gross margins and financial analysis to compare enterprises and make sound business decisions?
Calculate and interpret a gross margin for an agricultural enterprise and analyse how financial tools support whole farm decision making