APMA103-Rethinking Agricultural Development (including Horticulture): Implementing Solutions

Module Provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites: APMA41 Agriculture in the Tropics
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Andrew Ainslie
Email: a.m.ainslie@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

You will learn what’s right and what’s wrong with twenty-first century agriculture in different parts of the world. You will carefully consider whether further and deeper applications of technology will reduce hunger (including ‘hidden hunger’ and poor diets), human drudgery and pressure on the earth’s resources, or do the answers lie in adopting ‘regenerative’ forms of production, such as Conservation Agriculture? Through a series of lectures delivered by subject specialists, debates, study visits and collaborative work, you will learn to critically evaluate the issues, role and impact of agriculture (including horticulture and livestock production) for development. 

Aims:

This course aims to teach and stimulate critical thinking and evaluation about the issues, role and impact of agriculture (including horticulture) for development and livelihoods. On many issues there may be a diversity of views and the key aim is to give you the opportunity to evaluate evidence critically so that you will be able to defend your own evidence-based opinion. We will have succeeded if, at the end of the module, you feel comfortable about questioning and evaluating the wide range of opinions on agriculture and development and are equipped to contribute as critical scholars to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in relation to agriculture and/or horticulture!

Assessable learning outcomes:

Learning Outcome 1: Students will have knowledge and understanding of:

• key concepts, issues and current debates in the field of agriculture and horticulture for development;


• factors that promote or hinder agricultural and horticultural development;


• the needs of the growing world population for food/nutrition security;


• the scope for agriculture and horticulture to meet these needs in economically and environmentally sustainable ways. Some alternative and novel production practices will be introduced.

Learning Outcome 2: For Cognitive skills Students will be able to:

• develop strategic thinking in their own work now and in the future;


• critically analyse, evaluate and discuss relevant scientific literature and agriculture development documents, for example on strategy, policy, agricultural development economics, research, extension and new or alternative technologies and production practices;


• develop a holistic project proposal for sustainable intensification of a chosen farming system.

Learning Outcome 3: For Key practical skills students will be able to:

• write a critical literature review;


• develop teamwork and communication skills to formulate well-structured and well-reasoned arguments relevant to the module topics, integrating both qualitative and quantitative evidence;


• participate in discussions, produce a team presentation, and a final reflective journal  appropriate to postgraduate work that constructs and deploys arguments around current policy and technical issues;

Additional outcomes:

• Experiential learning about sustainable intensification and the whole food value chain through outside visits


• Reflect on good and less good farming practices in the UK and elsewhere and consider their application in agricultural development

Outline content:

• Key concepts and issues involved in the field of agriculture and horticulture for development including the role of agriculture for development including both economic, socio-economic, technical aspects;


• The need and scope for sustainable intensification of food production in order to satisfy the needs of the growing world population for food/nutrition security in a range of ecological and socioeconomic contexts;


• Current debates on (1) use of (a) water in food production systems, (b) pesticides and IPM, (c) impacts and needs for ecosystem services including pollination, (d) genetically-modified organisms and plant breeding; (2) the green revolution and its relevance in Africa; (3) impacts and adaptation of agriculture to climate variability and climate change; (4) the relevance of agriculture in economic development and poverty alleviation and achievement of the sustainable development goals;


• Factors that promote or hinder agricultural development;


• Alternative and novel production practices including precision agriculture and Conservation Agriculture;


• The future tasks and challenges for national and international agriculture and food systems in the 21st century-modern’ era – how can private and civil sectors co-operate to support food and agricultural development in the public interest?


• How do trade, markets and financial systems contribute to national and international agricultural development and civil society in the 21st century?


• Two outside visits typically take place each year

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module consists of an interactive blended approach of lectures and seminars on development issues relevant to agriculture and horticulture, external international speaker(s), and team evaluation exercise. Students will work individually and in teams to analyse and evaluate an important topic of relevance to future agricultural development, and present their findings.



Information will be consolidated and exemplified by relevant outside visits.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	10	10
Seminars	10	10
External visits		22
Guided independent study:	40	78	20
Total hours by term	60	120	20
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	70
Oral assessment and presentation	30

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Autumn: one summative critical review in the form of an essay (30%).



Spring: one summative group agricultural development project proposal on how to intensify a specific farming system sustainably (30%), comprising a group presentation, presented to a research sponsor.



Spring term: A reflective diary that summarises the learning journey throughout Autumn and Spring Terms, giving students an opportunity to integrate all the material in this module, the co-requisite module (APMA41), as well as from other modules in the degree programme (40%).

Formative assessment methods:

Autumn: Essay plan submitted as formative assignment prior to essay submission.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 50% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:

By submission of a set essay (a three-day assignment exercise as for summer term above).

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  waterproof boots (recommended) and wet-weather gear for field trip

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  Subsistence during field trip

Last updated: 22 September 2022