SOQ-33306 Integrated Natural Resource Management in Organic Agriculture

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

FSE-21306 Organic Agriculture and Society.

Contents:

N.B. The first Saturday of the course is an obligatory excursion day.
Judicious management of resources for sustainable (organic) agriculture involving different stakeholders.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- assess soil quality in the field;
- summarize farmers' measures to increase resource use efficiency;
- appraise relationships between cows, manure, grass, cheese and income;
- describe and explain one of the three key sub-compartments (soil, plant, animal) of a farming system;
- practice and illustrate theoretical knowledge in quantitative calculations in terms of efficiency of nutrient use;
- connect the relationships between the sub-compartments of a farming system by a model;
- evaluate the effect of changes in farming system management on model outcomes in terms of nutrient use efficiency and in economic terms;
- develop a sustainable farming system conversion scenario in a multifunctional landscape;
- propose options for INRM in organic agriculture at farm and landscape scales in a specific regional setting.

Activities:

- lectures;
- practical's;
- excursions;
- individual project.

Examination:

- exam (50%);
- performance at PE and EE (25%);
- IP (25%), all to be completed with mark equal to or higher than 5.5.