Availabilities:
| Location | Domestic | International |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Session 1 | N/A |
Unit description
Introduces the global extent and impact of food production systems through human history. Reviews different approaches to food production since the advent of agriculture. Presents a classification of food production systems, including industrial; conventional; traditional; organic; and agroecology. Focusses on sustainability challenges of feeding the growing population. Introduces the concept of regenerative agriculture and the world of complex systems.
Unit content
- A complex systems view of food production
- A long history of farming
- The industrial agriculture phase
- The (re)emergence of alternative agriculture and regenerative farming
- The self as an integral element of the complexity paradigm
- The role of the farmer in farming systems
- Ecological dimensions of farming
- Agroecology in action
- Looking back and looking forward.
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
Learning outcomes and graduate attributes
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | GA1 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | discuss the attributes of complex systems in the context of food production | Knowledge of a discipline | Cultural competence | |||||
| 2 | describe the social, cultural and environmental characteristics of different food production systems over time | Knowledge of a discipline | Cultural competence | |||||
| 3 | discuss some of the complex influences on farmer decision-making | Ethical practice | ||||||
| 4 | identify strategies for achieving a more sustainable food production system | Knowledge of a discipline | ||||||
Prescribed texts
Session 1
- Charles Massey, 2017, Call of the Reed Warbler, UQP.
Teaching and assessment
Online
| Teaching method |
| Structured online learning 2 hours (12 weeks) |
| Lecture online 2 hours (6 weeks) |
| Residential session 2 days (1 week) |
| Assessment | |
| Discussion board | 15% |
| Portfolio | 50% |
| Reflective Journal | 35% |
Fee information
Domestic
Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2020 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 2
Fee paying courses
For POSTGRADUATE or UNDERGRADUATE full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees
International
Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.