| CODE | IES5034 | ||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems 2: Small Scale and Urban Contexts | ||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Institute of Earth Systems | ||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit forms part of a set of two study-units that will be offered sequentially. The study-units will together provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the challenge of meeting a growing global demand for food while remaining within the boundaries of environmental systems. In this second study-unit, students will build on the concepts introduced to explore in further detail the various challenges of managing soil to ensure regenerative agricultural systems, with a particular focus on Maltese soils and related management practices. Specific focus will be given to soil pollution and remediation techniques. Students will also explore a range of alternative agricultural production systems, in addition to those already introduced in the first semester, focusing on approaches suited to small-scale settings, including hydroponics and urban agricultural systems. Food production will also be discussed in the context of wider food security and land management challenges, particularly within a small island state setup. The study-unit will also introduce relevant aspects of European agricultural policy. The study-unit content will be linked to a variety of field trips and will be further supplemented through interactions with relevant stakeholders in the sector. Study-Unit Aims: - To illustrate the challenges of food production at small scales; - To introduce various options for food production, including alternatives to large-scale industrialized agricultural systems; - To advance students鈥� understanding of soil science and its contribution to regenerative agricultural systems; - To familiarise students with the ways in which different agricultural systems can contribute to food security at different scales. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Describe the behaviour of selected soil pollutants and identify their respective impacts on production; - Identify and apply remediation strategies for contaminated soil; - Identify and describe a range of production systems that can be implemented at small scales; - Define the concept of food security; - Relate food security concerns to different agricultural production systems; - Relate food security to crop genetic resources; - Understand the relationship between the different stakeholders within the agricultural sectors and how the community may contribute towards this sector (awareness via urban agricultural practices); - Identify key policy objectives of the European Common Agricultural Policy. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Compare different soil and farm management practices in relation to soil pollution impacts; - Critically appraise the relative advantages, disadvantages and implementation challenges of selected alternative production systems; - Critically evaluate the importance of the conservation of crop genetic diversity and resources in the light of climate change; - Compare the different agricultural production systems and their suitability for small scale production; - Critically evaluate the influence of policy frameworks on agricultural production methods and trends. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Eash, N. S., Green, C. J., Razvi, A., & Bennett, W. F. (2008). Soil Science Simplified. US: Blackwell. Holmgren, D. (2002). Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability Holmgren Design 福利在线免费. UK: Permanent Publications. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Co-requisite Study-units: IES5033 ** Resits will be held during the period indicated by the partner institution responsible for the study-unit in accordance with the regulations applicable at the respective institution. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Fieldwork and Lab Sessions | ||||||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Everaldo Attard (Co-ord.) George Attard Anthony Sacco Anthony Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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