Wageningen University is inviting you to join “Food Security and Sustainability: Systems thinking and environmental sustainability” free online course. The aim of the course is giving you the knowledge that how to apply systems thinking to improve the environmental sustainability of food production systems.
The free online course covers Introduction to systems thinking, Introduction to the complexity of food production systems, analysis, and comparison of the productivity of food production systems and the environmental issue. The course will starts on February 28, 2017.
Course At A Glance
- Length: 6 weeks
- Effort: 8-10 hours per week
- Subject: Environmental Studies
- Institution: Wageningen University
- Languages: English
- Price: Free
- Certificate Available: Yes
- Session: The course will start on February 28, 2017
Providers Details
- About University: Wageningen University is the only university in the Netherlands to focus specifically on the theme ‘healthy food and living environment’. they do so by working closely together with governments and the business community.
- The Aim of University: Wageningen University and Research Centre is dedicated to exploring the potential of nature to improve the quality of life.
Requirements
There is no eligibility or prerequisites required for the course.
About This Course
- Benefits: During the course, they will analyze production systems at both ends of the spectrum: highly productive systems with relatively high inputs and emissions to the environment, and low productive systems with low input use and depletion of soil fertility. Crop-livestock interaction is a focal point.The language of the course is English.
- Importance of the Subject in Today’s Scenario: Food security exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Today, the main concern for the food and agricultural sector is to provide simultaneously enough food, in quantity and quality.
How to Join This Course
You should register yourself through the given link to join this free on-line course: https://courses.edx.org/register?course_id=course-v1%3AWageningenX%2BFFESx%2B1T2017&enrollment_action=enroll&email_opt_in=true
Why Take This Course
- Advantage of course: This environmental studies course enables participants to apply the principles of a systems approach to food production systems with a focus on environmental sustainability. The assessment of environmental sustainability using indicators (this last topic allows students to integrate topics of previous modules)
- Certificate: Pursuing a Verified Certificate to highlight the knowledge and skills you gain ($49), add the certificate to your CV or resume, or post it directly on LinkedIn.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the complexity and diversity of food production systems
- Use a systems approach in the context of food production systems
- Understand the principles of system analysis and how it can be applied in the context of food production systems
- Understand evaluation methods for environmental impact of food production systems in different agro-ecological and socio-economic contexts and at different levels (e.g. farm, regional and global)
- Evaluate strong and weak points of different food production systems in terms of environmental sustainabilit
Instructors
- I.J.M. de Boer: she leads the Animal Production Systems (APS) group at Wageningen University.
- Carolien Kroeze: She is personal professor in the Environmental Systems Analysis Group at Wageningen University, specialized in pollution management
- Gerrie van de Ven: She holds a PhD in Agricultural Science from Wageningen University. She is employed at the Plant Production Systems Group.
- Eddie Bokkers: He holds a PhD in Animal Sciences from Wageningen University. He is an associate professor at the Animal Production Systems group of Professor Imke de Boer.
- Martin van Ittersum: He holds a PhD in Agricultural and Environmental Science from Wageningen University. He is a professor at the Plant Production Systems group of the same university.
Suggested Reading
No specific knowledge or education background is assumed for the course.
You Might Also Be Interested In
If you are interested you can also join “The Science and Practice of Sustainable Development” free online course.
Conclusion
- After completing the course you will get knowledge to understand evaluation methods for environmental impact of food production systems in different agro-ecological and socio-economic contexts. After the course you will understand the complexity and diversity of food production systems
- If you pay for the certificate then you can receive an instructor-signed certificate with the institution’s logo to verify your achievement and increase your job prospects.
Detailed Information
For more information about the course, you can check the given link:
https://www.edx.org/course/food-security-sustainability-systems-wageningenx-ffesx#!
