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Elements and Performance Criteria

Preserve and cook flora and fauna
Manage food resources
- Energy management techniques are implemented to minimise unnecessary wastage
- Foodstuffs are rationed in accordance with survival requirements

Required Skills

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit

Required Skills

Required Knowledge

food testing procedures

recognition of edible plants

Evidence Required

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessment must confirm the ability to

cook at least one animal and at least one vegetable foodstuff by two of the following methods on different meal occasions

roasting eg animal on stick over fire

hungi eg pit cooker

grillingfrying eg on rocks in fire

sufficiently cook foodstuffs to destroy potential parasites and other organisms eg for roasting cooked right through

not destroy the foodstuff through burning or over cooking

preserve at least one animal and at least one vegetable foodstuff quantity sufficient for at least two separate survival meals ie half rations by two of the following methods

Assessment is to include attention that maggot or bacterial infestation does not spoil the foodstuff during curing or that the food is not actually cooked in the case of smoking The preserved foodstuff should not suffer deterioration for two days minimum after curing and must then be consumed by the survivor as part of their survival diet

Consistency in performance

Competency must be demonstrated at least once in the test procedure for unknown flora and as detailed over a range of occasions for cooking and preserving that could be expected in a survival situation

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Context of assessment

Competency must be assessed in a simulated workplace environment

While a person can demonstrate the technical ability to cook and preserve foodstuffs doing so in a survival situation is crucial consequently it is recommended that holistic assessment be conducted with other associated survival units

Assessment under simulated survival conditions should include

food restrictions food should be restricted to half the recommended daily caloric intake

the absence of normal living conditions and amenities such as showers beds and bedding warmth to be provided by fire kitchens etc with the attendant levels of personal discomfort and fatigue

a significant period of time the recommendation is four days

Specific resources for assessment

Access to suitable assessment area

Range Statement


The Range Statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the Performance Criteria is detailed below.
Testing procedures may include	Irritation to skin, lips or mouth Smell Taste tests
Foodstuffs may include	Animals: land-animals amphibians birds/fowl aquatic animals Vegetables
Excising harmful components may include	Removing dangerous glands Removing venom sacks (snake)
Improvised cooking techniques may include	Boiling (e.g. in drum or can) Grilling/frying (e.g. on rocks in fire) Hungi (e.g. pit cooker) Roasting (e.g. animal on stick over fire)
Improvised preserving techniques may include	Corning Drying Salting Smoking
Harmful organisms may include	Bacteria (e.g. mould) Maggots
Energy management techniques may include	Keeping cool enough whether resting or working to avoid perspiration Loosening clothing and enabling air flow while avoiding sunburn Maximising physical effort during cool of night Minimal talking Minimising physical effort during heat of the day No smoking Optimising cooling effect of shelter (e.g. through opening to breezes) Rule of thumb: no eating if there is no water Slow and deliberate nasal breathing