Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems
The course Agroecology Basics, 15 credits is recommended as prior study.
Information from the course leader
Dear all,
Great that you have decided to take this course! A very warm Welcome to the course, Agroecology and Sustainability of Productions Systems, LB0109. Most of the lectures and course activities of LB0109 will take place on-site in Alnarp.
Please refer to the course's reading list and schedule on course website (https://student.slu.se/en/studies/courses-and-programmes/course-search/course/LB0109/20008.2324/Agroecology-and-Sustainability-of-Production-Systems/) for the title, timing, room and teacher of the lecture and teaching activities. I do not expect much change to the schedule, but if there is any, I will inform to you in good time through announcement in Canvas.
On our first meeting which will be on 31 October, 13.15-16.00 hrs, in Articum 2, we will share information about course introduction and instructions for course.
Mati (agwi0002@stud.slu.se) will be the course assistant, while Georg Carlsson (georg.carlsson@slu.se) will be the examiner of this course, and you will meet them on several occasions during the course.
I also put up a google sheet (see link below) and I request you to fill-in your name, educational background, skills and interests, etc. The information will help to know each other better and we shall try to benefit each other from our varied experiences and interests.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tWeQ6c4gCDr1fZKcbdc6Q9KZac6tJDBc1hMnDOXDvdQ/edit?usp=sharing
I am sure we will beat the dark boring winter months by having lively, inspiring and interesting course activities via stimulating student-student and student-teacher interactions.
I look forward to meeting you all in person; enjoy the time during the course, and to continue our interactions even after the course.
Best wishes,
Raj Chongtham
raj.chongtham@slu.se
Mobile: 072 549 8812
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is now closed
LB0109-20008 - Course evaluation report
Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.
Additional course evaluations for LB0109
Academic year 2024/2025
Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems (LB0109-20018)
2024-11-01 - 2025-01-19
Academic year 2022/2023
Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems (LB0109-20071)
2022-11-01 - 2023-01-15
Academic year 2021/2022
Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems (LB0109-20051)
2021-11-02 - 2022-01-16
Academic year 2020/2021
Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems (LB0109-20088)
2020-11-02 - 2021-01-17
Academic year 2019/2020
Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems (LB0109-20006)
2019-11-01 - 2020-01-19
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
LB0109 Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems, 15.0 Credits
Agroekologi och hållbarhet i produktionssystemSubjects
Agricultural Science BiologyEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 15.0 | 0101 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
Knowledge equivalent to 120 credits, including 90 credits in one of the subjects/educational areas Social Science, Natural Science or Technology, and English 6.Objectives
The aim is to provide applied and holistic understanding of agricultural production systems; how components and processes in production systems interact with each other and their surroundings. On completion of the course, students will be able to:
Evaluate and discuss the productivity, sustainability, inputs and outputs in agroecosystems
Explain and discuss different agroecological perspectives on the balance and interaction between crop and livestock production
Describe and explain how farming interacts with the diverse environmental, social, economic and institutional dimensions of sustainable development in agriculture and food systems
Identify, evaluate and propose solutions to problems relevant to the individual production system, i.e. a farm.
Content
The course introduces students to agroecological principles and perspectives on production systems via case studies, lectures, scientific literature, student-led seminars, study visits and student assignments performed individually and in groups. Work with farm cases is an important pedagogic component. Students will be trained in how to describe and explain the interactions between farming practices and the social-ecological conditions that influence the sustainability of agricultural production in a holistic food system context.
The course explores the roles of ecological principles and processes such as competition, diversity, facilitation, nutrient cycling and trophic interactions for the functioning and resource use efficiency of production systems. Students will use agroecological concepts and tools to investigate how production components such as crops, animals, soil, technological equipment, infrastructural settings, economic and social settings, cultural norms and other formal or informal institutions interact and influence decision-making and production conditions in the studied systems. Students will also be introduced to different frameworks and methods to evaluate the sustainability of agricultural production systems.
The course will deal with fundamental agronomic production issues in agroecological contexts, with focus on ecosystem services related to crop production, soil processes such as soil fertility building, nutrient cycles and sustainable pest management. Design of diverse and multifunctional systems will be discussed in terms of environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Scheduled seminars, study visits and presentations are mandatory.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
To obtain the course credits, a pass in the written examination and assignment work, plus approved participation in compulsory course components will be required.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
The course uses concepts and skills that are taught and trained in the course Agroecology Basics. It is therefore recommended, although not a formal prerequisite, that students take Agroecology Basics prior to this course.The course is given in parallel with a corresponding course in Food and Landscape – Master’s Programme. The course is read together with LB0131 Agroecology and Sustainability of Food Production Systems.
Responsible department
Department of Biosystems and Technology
Further information
Litterature list
LB0109: Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems, 2023-2024
Recommended literature related to specific lecture (There could be few changes in lecture schedule and literature list before the course starts). We highly recommend students who have not taken Agroecology Basics course to read *Gleissman S.R, 2015. *Agroecology: the ecology of sustainable food systems. 3rd ed. CRC Press as it provides a foundation for understanding agroecology.
Date
Lecture topic
Literature
01 Nov
Sustainability and challenges for agriculture
Rockström et al. 2009, Steffen et al. 2015, Wezel et al. 2015, Gliessman 2015 (chapters 22-23),
02 Nov
Ecological mechanisms of ecosystem services
Bommarco et al. 2013, Van Huylenbroeck et al. 2007, Isbell, 2017
02 Nov
Soil, quality, fertility and health
Robinson et al. 2013
03 Nov
Beneficial biotic interactions and nutrient cycling
Bedoussac et al 2015, Steffen et al. 2015, Gliessman 2015 (chapters 3, 8, 9, 11),
06 Nov
Agroforestry
Wilson et al. 2016, Garibaldi et al. 2019
06 Nov
Sustainability assessment tools, including TAPE
FAO 2019 (TAPE), Schader et al. 2014, Pelzer et al. 2017
07 Nov
Integrated weed management
Buhler 2002, Harker and O’Donovan 2013
Agriculture’s climate impact and sustainability in a food system perspective
Poore and Nemecek 2018, Röös et al. 2016
13 Nov
Integrated pest management
Hokannen and Menzler-Hokkanen 2020
14 Nov
Global production and trade
15 Nov
Agroecological livestock production
Muller A, 2015
16 Nov
Social aspects in livestock
Algers, 2011
16 Nov
Urban and peri-urban agriculture
Benis and Ferrao 2018, Olsson 2018 (chapter 14)
16 Nov
Animal welfare
FAO, 2001
17 Nov
Agricultural/rural development policies
European commission (CAP), Wästfelt 2018 (chapter 9)
17 Nov
Markets and welfare
Eriksen 2010, Gliessman 2015 (chapter 24), Morse 2010
05 Dec
Ethical issues in agriculture
FAO, 2001
07 Dec
Transition to Agroecology
Geels and Schot, 2007, IPES-Food, 2016
In addition to this literature, most teachers also provide additional reading lists at the end of their presentation for those who want to learn further.
Course literature LB0109, Agroecology and Sustainability of Production Systems, 2023-2024
Compulsory reading
Books/book chapters
Gliessman, S.R., 2015. Agroecology: the ecology of sustainable food systems. 3rd ed. CRC Press. (Course textbook, 405 p)
Morse, S., 2010. Sustainability. A biological perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. **Chapter 5: **Socio economic dimensions of sustainability.
Olsson E.G.A., 2018. Routledge handbook of landscape and food. Chapter 14: Peri-urban food production as means towards urban food security and increased urban resilience. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315647692
Wästfelt, A., 2018. Routledge handbook of landscape and food. **Chapter 9: Shifts in agriculture praxis: farm modernization and global integration. **https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315647692
Articles and reports
Algers, B., 2011. Animal welfare – recent developments in the field. CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources, 6 (010), 1-10.
Benis, K and Ferrao, P.2018. Commercial farming within the urban built environment- Taking stock of an evolving field in northern countries. Global food security,y 17:30-37
Bedoussac, L. et al., 2015. Ecological principles underlying the increase of productivity achieved by cereal-grain legume intercrops in organic farming. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 35, 911-935.
Bommarco, R., et al., 2013. Ecological intensification: harnessing ecosystem services for food security. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 28, 230–238.
Buhler, D.D., 2002. Challenges and opportunities for integrated weed management. Weed Science, 50, 273-280.
Eriksen, H. T., 2010. Small places, large issues. London: Pluto Press. Chapter 12: Exchange and consumption, and chapter 13: Production, nature and technology (pages 184-219).
European Commission. The Common agricultural policy (CAP) at a glance. https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/cap-glance_en
FAO, 2001. Ethical issues in food and agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
FAO, 2019. Tool for agroecology performance evaluation (TAPE)-process of development and guidelines for application: Test version. http://www.fao.org/policy-support/tools-and-publications/resources-details/en/c/1257355/
Garibaldi et al. 2019. Policies for Ecological Intensification of Crop Production. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 34, 282-286. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169534719300187?via%3Dihub
Geels, F.W. and Schot, J., 2007. Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. Research Policy, 36, 399-417
Harker, K.N and O’Donovan, J.T. 2013. Recent Weed Control, Weed Management, and Integrated Weed Management. Weed Technology 27, 1-11. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/52F8DB68CF951B73F7AB477478A60C55/S0890037X00012549a.pdf/recent-weed-control-weed-management-and-integrated-weed-management.pdf
Hokannen, H.M.T. and Menzler-Hokkanen, I., 2020. Improving the efficacy of biological control by ecostacking. In Y.Gao et al. (eds), Integrative Biological Control, 3-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44838-7_1
IPES-Food., 2016. From uniformity to diversity: a paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems. International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food systems. (section 2 and 3b) http://www.ipes-food.org/_img/upload/files/UniformityToDiversity_FULL.pdf
Muller A. 2015. The role of livestock in agroecology and sustainable food systems. https://orgprints.org/id/eprint/30166/1/mueller-2015-feeding-people-ifoamEUgroup-chapter6-p30-33.pdf
Pelzer, E. et al., 2017. Design, assessment and feasibility of legume-based cropping systems in three European regions Crop & Pasture Science, 68, 902-914.
Poore, J. and Nemecek, T., 2018. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360, 987–992.
Robinson, D.A. et al., 2013. Natural capital and ecosystem services, developing an appropriate soils framework as a basis for valuation. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 57, 1023-1033.
Rockström, J. et al., 2009. Planetary boundaries: exploring the safe operating space for humanity. Ecology and Society 14(2):32
Röös, E. et al., 2016. Limiting livestock production to pasture and by-products in a search for sustainable diets. Food Policy, 58, 1-13.
Schader, C. et al., 2014. Scope and precision of sustainability assessment approaches to food systems. Ecology and Society 19(3):42-
Steffen et al., 2015. Planetary Boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science 347 (issue 6223).
Wilson, H.M., et al., 2016. Agroforestry-The next step in sustainable and resilient agriculture. Sustainability 8, 754
van Huylenbroeck, G. et al., 2007. Multifunctionality of agriculture: a review of definitions, evidence and instruments Living Reviews in Landscape Research, 1, 1–38.
Wezel, A. et al. 2015. The blurred boundaries of ecological, sustainable, and agroecological intensification: a review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 35, 1283-1295.