LOJK10255U Agricultural and Food Policy

Volume 2013/2014
Education
MSc Programme in Agricultural Economics
Content

The contents of this course fall in four parts:

 

First part deals with monitoring and evaluation of agricultural policy. The focus will be on various OECD measures of support like the Total Support Estimate (TSE) and Producer Support Estimate (PSE). The methodology will be used as an evaluation frame for analysis of the agricultural policy reform progress in various OECD countries and important non-OECD countries.

 

Second part analyses in detail the economic effects of the current agricultural and food policy regime in EU, The United States, India and China and presents an overview of current agricultural and food policy issues in these countries. Furthermore these domestic policies are discussed in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the current and future trade negotiations. 

 

Third part will focus on global agricultural and food markets, trade and policy and the effects and consequences for developing countries. Key issues are global production and trade in agriculture and food, specific relevant commodity studies in relation to stakeholders, price transmission between international and domestic markets, policies, institutions, and political economy. 

 

Forth part will present, discuss and analyze a large number of concrete agricultural and food policy cases in various countries and seek general lessons regarding the relationships between policies, effects and stakeholders while identifying ways of selecting the most effective measures in specific situations. The cases falls in the categories of: Policies for health, nutrition, food consumption, poverty, domestic policies for markets, food production, environment, institutions, and international trade policies.
Learning Outcome
Compared to other economic sectors the agricultural and food sector is highly regulated. An understanding of the economic rationale for this is therefore of importance for future decision makers. The learning outcome of this course is twofold: First, this course will further build analytical skills needed to understand and conduct graduate level analysis on agricultural and food policy issues in OECD and non-OECD countries. Second, this course will create familiarity with key institutions, historical developments, current policy debates, and give experience matching analysis methods with practical problems. After completing this course the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge

• Identify issues and problems in relation to developing countries and global agricultural and food markets..
• Describe the OECD methodology for the measurement of support and use in policy evaluation.
• Show an overview of economic effects of agricultural and food policy in EU, The United States, India and China.



Skills

• Apply the OECD methodology for the measurement of support and use in policy evaluation to a specific country and present that analysis orally.
• Explain future developments in agricultural and food policies using economic and political economy analysis.
• Apply economic analysis methods with practical agricultural and food policy problems and present and communicate these both orally and in writing.

Competences

• Put the economic role of the state into the perspective of both developing and developed countries
• Make economic and political economy considerations on the trade off between efficiency and equity in the area of agricultural and food policy both national and international
• Work independently and cooperate in groups on solving core aspects in agricultural and food policy.
Literature
The precise literature will be announced at the beginning of the course.
The teaching is based on lectures that introduce the central and crucial elements of the curriculum. These central topics will further be touched upon in colloquias where the students individual and in groups will read, present and discuss various outcome.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 50
  • Exam
  • 4
  • Lectures
  • 32
  • Preparation
  • 120
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 2 hours under invigilation
Continuous assessment
Additional information: The evaluation falls in three parts: First, student presentation of the level and composition of agricultural support in a chosen county. Second, each student hands in an written answer to a chosen food policy case. Third, a 2-hours written examination.

First, second and third part equals respectively 25, 25, and 50 percent
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
One internal examiner
Re-exam
If 10 or fewer register for the reexamination the examination form will be oral.
Criteria for exam assesment
evaluated according to the learning outcome