Sustainable Future Foods (BIO600)

Content

NB! This is an elective course and may be cancelled if fewer than 10 students are enrolled by January 20th for the spring semester.

This course will enable you to develop a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the pressures and opportunities in the field of sustainable food production. Food security has been a concern for humans since the dawn of history. Archaeological evidence clearly demonstrates the transition from hunting or scavenging to agriculture. As soon as hunter-gatherers settled down and started farming, human civilisation began to flourish.

The growing population on our planet puts demands on available land, which has an impact on agriculture. In addition, the amount of waste produced by the growing world population has an impact on the environment. Although agriculture has traditionally been practised mainly on land, aquaculture could play a greater role in the future. Climate change is also affecting the way people can utilise the land and sea; there will be major challenges but also opportunities in the foreseeable future.

This course brings together experts who will present the complex nature of agriculture in the 21st century. They will address questions such as: How is the climate affecting the land and sea and how will this change in the future? What are the consequences for humanity, including those who make their living from agriculture? What are the current problems and opportunities in agriculture? Does climate change harbour risks other than just changes in temperature and precipitation? Could it also introduce new pathogens that affect agricultural practises?

Experts from academia, industry and government will present the latest trends in sustainable agriculture and explain how we can solve this complex issue.

Learning outcome

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1. Evaluate critically major factors influencing modern agriculture.

2. Describe in detail novel approaches to the implementation of sustainable agriculture including procedures to mitigate environmental pollution both to air and waters and an understanding of how pathogens may be transmitted in the environment.

3. Identify and analyse the challenges affecting agriculture including disease.

4. Interpret independently factors affecting sustainability in agriculture.

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

5. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of, current problems and/or new insights in sustainable agriculture much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of the field of study.

6. Analyse and evaluate critically essential facts and theories in agriculture.

7. Evaluate critically aspects of current research in agriculture with reference to primary literature and review articles.

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge:

8. Communicate ideas effectively and professionally by written and oral means.

9.Study autonomously and summarise research results with minimal guidance.

10. Select and effectively manage information drawn from books, scientific journals and the internet.

11. Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate your conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Required prerequisite knowledge

Exam

Coursework requirements

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Method of work

Open for

Course assessment

Literature