LPLK10287U Agroforestry
MSc Programme in Agricultural Development
MSc Programme in Sustainable Developent in Agriculture (Agris
Mundus)
MSc Programme in Agriculture
Agroforestry framework, definitions and history
Agroforestry interaction with microclimate and water
Agroforestry systems and their technical operation
Agroforestry species (crops, trees, animals), roles and functions of different components and criteria for selection and improvement
Pest and disease control and management in agroforestry systems
Domestic animals and fodder in agroforestry systems
Productivity, nutrient cycles and energy flow in agroforestry systems
Socio-economy and development cross cutting issues, tenure, gender, economic development and adoptability
The objective of the course is to provide students an insight into the overall options, limitations and constrains pertaining to small complex production systems with a large tree component under a wide range of conditions, with particular emphasis on the tropics. The course should enable students to relate to tropical agroforestry systems under different bio-physical, socio-economic and political settings and suggest development strategies to improve outputs of the systems
By the end of the course the students are expected to be able to:
Knowledge
- Describe positive and negative effects of trees on physical (e.g. soil, microclimate, water balance) and biological (e.g. crops, animals, and pests) factors in different systems, climates and topography.
- List major crop and agroforestry trees and their interaction in agroforestry systems
- List major types of pest and diseases in tropical agriculture
- Describe how interaction may change with seasons and with growth and development of trees
- Describe relevant technical and management operations, which can be used to improve total yield, food security, financial security and other relevant outputs of the AF system
- Describe the interaction between livestock and the bio-physical environment in agroforestry systems
- Describe the principle of nutrient cycling and energy flow in small subsistence systems with a large tree component
- Describe how political and cultural regulations may improve or
discourage perennial crops in farming systems
Skills
- Analyse and describe the synergetic, complementary and competitive relations between different species in small complex systems consisting of several crops, animals and tree species
- Analyse the framework of biophysical conditions in the main types of tropical systems (humid lowland, dry areas and highlands tropics) and its influence and limitation on agricultural systems.
- Explain key socio-economic constraints and limitations in relation to present conditions and adoptability of improved practices, for example under different economic, political, historical and cultural settings
- Explain how presence of trees in general and particular species alter conditions for pest and pathogens, and how trees may aggravate or reduce pest and disease problems as compared with non-AF systems
- Analyse quantitative and qualitative outputs of agroforestry
systems in relation to investment and production cost, seasonality,
market and domestic need
Competences
Recommend relevant agroforestry interventions to meet /cope with / overcome short and long term food problems, production constraints and / or environmental degradation
Predict possible implementation / adoption obstacles in relation to socioeconomic factors
Predict possible areas of conflicting interests in relation to various types of agroforestry interventions under different settings
Teaching material consists of book chapters and articles which will be linked or uploaded via Absalon
- Category
- Hours
- Colloquia
- 30
- Lectures
- 40
- Preparation
- 61
- Project work
- 40
- Theory exercises
- 35
- Total
- 206
As
an exchange, guest and credit student - click here!
Continuing Education - click here!
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, 20 minutesWritten assignmentWritten examination and oral examination. All aids allowed.
Description of examination: Students will develop a written case study with point of departure in a particular farm setting (geographic, environment, political) and including theory from al the modules of the course. This may be done individually or in groups. For group work the contribution from individual group members shall appear. The oral exam will be based on the case study and the analysis of a topic from the modules.
Weight: The final mark will be based on a total evaluation of the two parts of the exam (50%+50%)
7-point scale, internal examiner - Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Criteria for exam assesment
Se learning outcome
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- LPLK10287U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedule
- A
- Course capacity
- No limit
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Natural Resources and Environment
Contracting department
- Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management
Course responsibles
- Lars Holger Schmidt (3-7b82724f78767d3d7a843d737a)
Lecturers
Lars Holger Schmidt
Jens-Peter Barnekow-Lillesø
Hanne Hansen