YSD-50806 Global Food Security

Course

Credits 6.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Lectures40
Tutorial60
Course coordinator(s)dr. ir. MA Slingerland
Lecturer(s)dr. ir. MA Slingerland
dr. ir. ID Brouwer
dr. ir. SR Vellema
dr. ir. NBJ Koning
dr. N Louwaars
dr. ir. PJM Oosterveer
dr. ir. SJ Oosting
prof. dr. ir. R Rabbinge
dr. PS Bindraban
dr. P Reidsma
dr. B de Jonge
dr. ir. GJ van Uffelen
Examiner(s)prof. dr. ir. R Rabbinge
dr. ir. MA Slingerland

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Course is open to all Wageningen MSc students

Contents:

'Food Security' means that all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Especially in developing countries, many people are food insecure. This interdisciplinary course focuses on what it means to be 'food insecure' and examines causes and solutions for this problem. The scope is from global to sub-household level. It aims at linking disciplines related to availability (production, processing), access (distribution, entitlements) and quality (health, acceptability, utilization). Approaches come from the disciplines Economics, Nutrition, Social Sciences, Food Science, Production Ecology and Natural Resource Management and Animal Husbandry. The second halve of the course is an intensive practical, devoted to hands-on project development, considering the complexity of food insecurity at district and household level. The students analyse a situation of regional food insecurity, and use a logical framework for designing a (better) project. The course has a tight schedule and the students get a high degree of exposure. Attendance is demanded. A reader can be obtained at the start of the course.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course, the student is expected:
- to be able to articulate orally and in written a well justified viewpoint on food security issues, based on the gained knowledge and insight in the complex issue of food and nutrition security and on discussion skills;
- to be able to analyze situations of food insecurity in different contexts, using a model of causal analysis;
- to propose solutions for averting food insecure situations, thereby integrating different disciplines, and using a logical framework for project planning;
- to be able to make a justified consideration of what the own disciplinary contribution can be for improving food security in different contexts;
- to be able to think interdisciplinary and to work productively in a multidisciplinary team.

Activities:

Lecture attendance, group discussions, role play, individual reading, case studies (in groups), public debate.

Examination:

Quality of participation assignments and written exam.

MinorPeriod
Restricted Optional for: WUILWBSc Minor International Land and Water Management2MO