Unit name | Principles of Agricultural Production and Sustainability |
---|---|
Unit code | BIOLM0014 |
Credit points | 10 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Professor. Memmott |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
n/a |
Co-requisites |
n/a |
School/department | School of Biological Sciences |
Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
The aim is to provide an advanced introduction to sustainable methods of food production. This remit includes sustainable agricultural intensification, agri-environmental schemes, organic farming, land sparing and genetically modified crops. The role of legislation, subsidies, and environmental policy in shaping agricultural systems will be discussed, and emerging crops such as biofuels will be considered alongside traditional food crops. The likely impacts of climate change on agricultural systems will be discussed, alongside potential mitigation measures. The course perspective will be global.
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Lectures (12 hours), problem-solving practical (5 hours).
Formative: feedback will be given after a problem solving practical in which students, working in groups, are allocated a viewpoint (farmer, farming advisor, seed merchant, ecologist, supermarket), along with a farming scenario and they have to reach a decision on a pest control strategy for a farm (different types of farms will be allocated to the different groups).
Summative: a two-hour written exam (100%).