AEP-20306 Economics of Agribusiness

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Mathematics at the level of MAT-12806, DEC-10306 or ECH-10406

Continuation courses:

AEP-30306, AEP-30806

Contents:

Agribusiness is an important economic sector. This course provides a description and analysis of economic behaviour of actors in agribusiness. The linkages between economic actors through national and international markets and through other co-ordination mechanisms receive special attention. Micro-economic theory is the basis for description and analysis. Important subjects are: position of agribusiness within the economy, firm and consumer behaviour, investment, markets of food products, co-ordination mechanisms and imperfect competition in agribusiness, organisation of food production (e.g. family farms), agricultural and environmental policies and regional and international trade in food products. After this course you better understand economic phenomena as oligopolies, policy intervention and family farms in agriculture.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this course the student is expected to be able to:
- reproduce economic descriptions and theories;
- solve and interpret the results of exercises, independently and in pairs;
- analyse behaviour of agents in agribusiness;
- understand economic phenomena using microeconomic theory.

Activities:

- attending lectures and studying the reader;
- working on problem sets / doing exercises;
- solving small economic problems using Excel;
- weekly tests.

Examination:

The final grade will be based on:
- presence during computer practicals;
- the weekly test (25%);
- a written exam (75%).

Literature:

Reader "Economics of Agribusiness". The course is supported by a Blackboard site.