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European Master Agroecology Semester 3 Fall semester 20 10 at ISARA, France. Structure of the Master course. Fall semester 2010. St art of the Semester. Introductory courses and workshop (2 days). Module 1 Agriculture and landscape management in a particular agricultural region
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European Master Agroecology Semester 3 Fall semester 2010 at ISARA, France
Structure of the Master course Fall semester 2010
Start of the Semester Introductory courses and workshop (2 days) Module 1 Agriculture and landscape management in a particularagricultural region Number of credits: 4 ECTS
One week excursion and group studies in the Camargue. • Introductory lectures and preparation of group work (transects, interviews). • Meetings with different stakeholders to understand the agricultural, economic and environmental characteristics of this area. • Visits of specific stakeholder (different students groups) to analyse specific questions (e.g. cropping systems, livestock breeding, landscape management, rural tourism, nature conservation or water contamination).
Module 2 Sustainable soil management Number of credits: 6 ECTS • Lectures, meetings with experts, case studies in the field, literature work. • In the field: assessment of soil fertility (physical, chemical, biological) in analysing soil profiles with different diagnostic tools and surveying soil distribution and related agricultural production on a farm area. • Role of conventional, organic farming and conservation agriculture practises on soil fertility and their impact on the environment, • Agronomic innovations (i.e. conservationagriculture).
Module 3 World agroecosystems and agricultural use Number of credits: 6 ECTS • Lectures on the different agricultural farming systems in the world’s agroecosystems.Critical analysis of influencing factors such as economy, politics, land tenure or social issues.Which resource conservation techniques are feasible in the different agroecosystems?
Forest destruction and use of tropical forest products Traditional upland use in northern Thailand and northern Vietnam Agropastoral land usein the West African Sahel Indigenous and modern land use systems in the Andes
Integrated vineyard-based cropping systems in France Multifunctionality of livestock farmers in the Allgäu, Germany Aquaculture systems in the world Pastoral livestock systems in the French Alps
Module 3 World agroecosystems and agricultural use • More in-depth studies on different agronomic innovations such as agroforestry or intercropping. • Seminar: (Traditional) agriculture and indigenous knowledge.
Module 4 Management of agroecosystems: implications from policies, global change and nature conservation Number of credits: 6 ECTS • Agricultural policies in Europe: impact on the management of agroecosystems. • Ecology of agroecosystems and management (biodiversity, agrobiodiversity, animal-plant interactions…) • Global change: impact on agricultural land use. Climate change, but also land use change, biodiversity loss and land degradation.
Options for global agroecosystems management:- international conventions (e.g. Convention on Biological Diversity, Kyoto-Protocol, Convention to Combat Desertification)- international and national attempts for nature and resource conservation: Biosphere Reserves, Regional Nature Parks. Excursion to a Regional Nature Park Land use and land degradation in and around protected areas of Cuba • Seminar on agroecosystems management in a region nature park.
Module 5 Group project Number of credits: 8 ECTS • Real-life projects. • group work during the whole semester. • Respond to a demand from an external client (e.g. technical institutes, regional agricultural departments) or from an research project. • General objectives: use different methodological and project management tools (defining leadership, time schedule, deliverables). • Work objectives: literature review, field work or surveys in order to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse collected data, to discuss the findings in group presentations with the clients.
Example 1: Influence of agricultural practices on water quality of shallow lakes in the Dombes region, France Ponds with water Empty ponds
Example 2: Food chain and marketing of organic cereal products in two regions of France
Originality of the semester • All courses in English (which is rare in France) • Lecturer from Scotland, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and different universities in France • Exchange with students and professors of different background, cultures and knowledge • Group work skills, presentation skills • local to regional scales approaches and analysis, but considering global issues • Implication in ongoing research projects • Testing new methods • Double Diploma Degree
Economical aspects • Erasmus scholarship (around 250 Euro per month). • Living costs in France are about 20 % lower than in Norway (4 month study, around 500 Euro per month (200 accommodation + 300 living costs) • For none double diploma students: normally 2250 Euro semester fee, but a few scholarships of 1250 Euro are available
You should not come to France if you … • do not want to learn French (French language courses are integrated in the planning of the semester) • do not like wine and cheese and baguette • do not want to be together with other French and foreign students • are not interested to study in a UNESCO world heritage town of high cultural and historical importance in France • do not like to travel • are not interested in nearby attractive tourist areas (Provence, Ardeche, Alpine mountains, Paris)
