Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems I

Catalog description

This course is the first of a two-course, four-credit sequence that will 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 first course, the students will first focus on soil as a key element in regenerative agricultural systems through an introduction to relevant aspects of soil science, focusing on soil types, soil biology and related management practices in the United States. Students will then be introduced to different types of agriculture and agricultural systems. An overview of present dominant food production methods will be provided, specifically monoculture and chemically-based agriculture systems and related issues such as corporate control of seed and mechanization. Options for regenerative agriculture are then examined, exploring ways to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services while maintaining production. The unit will thus familiarize students with the differences between conventional and regenerative agricultural approaches, and with their respective roles with respect to climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation. Relevant aspects of US agricultural policy will also be outlined. The unit content will be linked to a variety of field trips and will be further supplemented through interactions with relevant stakeholders in the sector.