Home / LEVEL 5 — CERTIFICATE IN AGRICULTURE
GREEN CERT IRELAND · QQI LEVEL 5 + 6
Level 5 Certificate in Agriculture (5M20454)
The foundation award of the Green Cert: 120 credits of practical agriculture, delivered blended over evenings, the LMS, farm days and a 150-hour placement.
IS THIS COURSE FOR YOU?
Where every Green Cert starts
For farm successors, working farmers formalising their knowledge, and newcomers building a base. You’ll need knowledge, skill and competence associated with NFQ Level 4, and a Category W learner permit (tractor licence). Haven’t studied in years? That’s the norm here — see the supports below.
COURSE CONTENT
Modules — 120 credits total
CORE — ALL OF THE FOLLOWING
95 credits of foundations
Assessed by theory examinations and farm-based skills demonstrations, module by module
Principles of Agriculture
15 credits
How a modern Irish farm fits together: enterprises, livestock and crop fundamentals, and the science behind the practice.
Farm Safety & Farm Assurance
15 credits
Safety statements, risk assessment and assurance-scheme practice done the way Bord Bia and the HSA expect to see it.
Soils and the Environment
10 credits
Soil types, fertility and nutrient management — and protecting water, habitats and margins while you farm.
Farm Business & Technology
10 credits
Records, basic accounts and the technology running modern farms, from apps to the department portals.
Safe Use of Pesticides Products
15 credits
Storage, handling and application aligned to sustainable-use rules.
Work Practice
15 credits
Your 150-hour placement on an approved farm, with a learning diary and portfolio that count toward the award.
Communications
15 credits
The written and spoken skills every grant form, mart deal and meeting actually needs.
ELECTIVES — CHOOSE 25 CREDITS FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE
Dairy Husbandry / Beef Husbandry / Sheep Husbandry
10 credits each
Breeding, feeding, health and handling for your chosen livestock enterprise.
Grass Production
10 credits
Growing and utilising the cheapest feed on the farm.
Tillage Crop Husbandry
10 credits
Establishing and managing tillage crops through the season.
Equipment for Crop Establishment
10 credits
The machinery side of getting crops in the ground safely and well.
Chemical Fertiliser Application
5 credits
Rates, spreading and calibration — agronomy and compliance together.
LEARNING TRACK
How Level 5 is delivered
01
Weekly live class
One hour, evenings, on Zoom — recorded rhythm you can plan around.
02
LMS self-directed study
Presentations, quizzes and learner packs on a system that works on a smartphone.
03
Farm days & skills demos
Planned practical days at partner hub farms with capped groups. The network
04
150-hour placement
On a Forus-approved working farm: induction, supervisor visit, diary and portfolio.
05
Assessment with supports
Practice question banks with solutions and sample exams before anything counts.
06
QQI award
Provisional results within four weeks of submission; QQI certifies six times a year.
QUALIFICATION & PROGRESSION
What you'll hold, and where it leads
A QQI Level 5 Major Award — Certificate in Agriculture (5M20454), recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications. Most learners continue straight into Level 6 Farming to complete the Green Cert; the pathway is designed so your L6 seat is reserved before L5 ends.
THE SECOND HALF
Level 6 — Certificate in Farming
START HERE
Level 5, September 2026.
First-come, first-served. Apply now or talk it through first — both buttons work.