Finca ecológica

A 90-minute, 4-round basic Express simulation for Spanish vocational training (Formacion Profesional), modules 0410 Produccion vegetal ecologica, 0411 Produccion ganadera ecologica and 0413 Comercializacion de productos agroecologicos of the Tecnico en Produccion Agroecologica (Real Decreto 1633/2009).

The learner is Nerea Tejerizo, a newly qualified manager of a fictional certified organic family farm of 240 hectares of dryland cereal and pasture with a flock of 450 ewes in a village of La Alcarria (Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha) over four campaigns, 2027-28 to 2030-31, with 1,458 tonnes of attainable harvest and a budget of 522.9 euros of net cost per hectare.

Four situations, one at the start of each campaign, set the farm's course: October 2027, and how the land is rotated (a four-year rotation with a legume, not wheat on every field) and how the soil is fed (the farm's compost and a green manure, not a bought fast nitrogen every year); October 2028, and how crops and flock are kept healthy (prevention and authorised products only) and how many ewes the land carries (the flock sized to the land, not 150 more); October 2029, and how the flock grazes (paddocks in turn, the green manure not grazed) and where the farm sells (a mix of cooperative, shops and a consumers' group); and October 2030, and how the last campaign is sown (organic seed and little tillage) and how the four years are closed (field notebook, certificates and the inspection in order).

Two critical errors cap the round: spraying a conventional herbicide, and sowing conventional fungicide-treated seed. Some mistakes look fine on the day and come back campaigns later. KPIs: harvest reached (per cent of the attainable), net cost per hectare, soil lost per hectare a year and nonconformities. Lesson: in organic farming the soil is the capital, managed years ahead. Spanish primary, English parity.

Fictional village, farm, cooperative, control body, shops, veterinarian and people; real curriculum and rules cited.

An introductory simulation that assumes no prior knowledge of the subject, designed for undergraduate courses. It also works in vocational and high-school programmes and in onboarding sessions.