791-316 Comparative Production Systems

Agricultural Production Systems II.

The general objective of the course is to highlight, and analyse the differences between agricultural systems in different parts of the world, and discuss why these differences occur. Agricultural systems develop from the needs for food and other products. The physical environment might determine what it is possible to produce but it is increasingly recognised that the surrounding social, political and economic environments largely shape how agricultural systems develop and are conducted.

The course aims to promote an understanding of commonly-occurring agricultural systems outside Australasia, with particular reference to southern and eastern Asia and the Pacific and explore typical approaches to the definition, analysis and description of agricultural and farming systems.

This course includes:

• diverging trends in world agricultural systems;

• the historical development of the systems-based approach;

• introduction to systems philosophy;

• examine the technical, economic and political factors affecting agriculture and horticulture;

• increase familiarity with the typical methodologies used to describe, classify and analyse farming systems, including traditional research; and

• technology transfer, adaptive research, farming systems research, agroecosystems analysis, and farmer participatory research and development.

Written assignment of 3000-5000 words (60%), seminar presentation (20%) and a 1.5-hour examination (20%).