Global Organic Food Chains - agroecology, environment and livelihood

It is the aim of this course to acquaint young researchers (PhD students) with recent research in organic food and farming within a globalised food chain context.

The course provides opportunities for the young researchers to reflect on their own research in the context of the principles of organic food and farming, the certification and regulations in a globalised world, and production practices as they are reflected in the global food chains.

Through lectures, discussions and group sessions participants will gain understanding of the agroecological, environmental and livelihood issues involved along the food chain. By the end of the course participants should be capable of discussing the dilemmas and dichotomies in organic food and farming in light of the current development, including such questions as

 

• How are the principles translated into regulations for certification?
• How uniform are regulations between countries? Differences North – South?
• What practices are realised through the regulations?
• What is the relationship between consumers and producers
• What is the impact of transition to organic farming on the production systems, nutrient flows, energy consumption etc.
• What is the role of organic farming in creating economic development and sustainable farming systems globally

Course responsible
Associate professor Andreas de Neergaard, LIFE/KU, Denmark

 

Course teachers
Professor Tor Arvid Breland, UMB, Norway

Senior scientist Mette Vaarst, AU Denmark

Associate professor Vibeke Langer, LIFE/KU, Denmark

Director Niels Halberg, ICROFS

PhD student Myles Oelofse, KU/LIFE

Associate professor Katherine O’Doherty Jensen, KU/LIFE

Associate professor Sander Bruun, KU/LIFE

 

 

Course description

The whole course is scheduled to run over two and a half weeks, split into a pre-course assignment and an intensive, residential course. The residential course includes lectures and discussion, presentations of pre-course assignments, an excursion to an organic farm/enterprise, group work and presentations of group work.

 

    Programme

 

Pre-course assignment

Before the intensive course participants are required to prepare a pre-course assignment in the format of a poster. The poster should be presented at the course, and feedback from course teachers will be given orally after each presentation. The pre-course assignment calls on participants to reflect on the relationship between their own PhD project within Organic Food and Farming and the general theme of the course: The principles, regulations and practices of organic food and farming in a global food chain context. Guidelines and literature will be available to support you in the assignment from October 1st. The purpose of the pre-course assignment is to create a common platform for the course participants to follow the course and participate actively in discussions and group work during the intensive week, and to introduce participants to one another as well as the teachers. The course is planned for a workload of app. 100 hours, corresponding to 4 ECTS. The intensive week is half the course, so you should allocate around 50 hours for the pre-course assignment and reading.

 

Guidelines

 

Template

 

Intensive week

The pre-course assignment will be used during the course. First, participants will present their assignment ‘in class’, as a way of introducing themselves. Secondly, the assignments will be used as inputs in the group work, where groups are seen as an interdisciplinary group of researchers developing a research proposal. Here, the assignments will serve as ‘CVs’ of the researchers in order to highlight resources within the group.

A number of lectures serve to give an overview of issues in contemporary research through case studies and theoretical frameworks. Lectures are also meant to open for discussion among participants and teachers, and as inputs for the group work on research proposals.

 

Excursion

Tuesday we have an excursion to Krogerup, which is part of the Danish company Aarstiderne. Their mission is to reestablish the close connection between production and consumption; 'between cultivating the land and the pleasure of good food, full of good raw material, health, taste and nearness'. They have close collaboration with their suppliers, and they communicate actively with their clients. They deliver through a box scheme, and clients place orders via the Internet. Our purpose with this visit is to get insight into their business, how they relate to organic principles like nearness, and how they see themselves in the global organic food chains.

 

Group work

The participants will work in groups on issues merging from the excursion, and formulate interdisciplinary research proposals, including the expertise and different research backgrounds present in the group. The course teachers will function as supervisors during the group work. The outcome of the group work will be presentations made on the last day of the course.

 

Assessment

Assessment of the students’ performance is based on three elements:

1) the pre-course assignment and its presentation

2) the performance during the intensive course

3) the quality of the final project and its presentation

 

Evaluation

The course will be rounded up through an evaluation session to help the students sum up and reflect over what they derived from the course, and decide on further actions in their research. The evaluation will also function as quality control and course development tool for the organizers.

 

Reading

Organic Principles: IFOAM and European Union 

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Course work load 4 ECTS

The course includes lectures, exercises and pre-course assignment. Homework is necessary: eight days preparatory work for assignment and reading in Oct-Nov 2009. 4 ECTS corresponds to 100-120 hours of work.

 

Special prerequisites

The course is open to Master students working on their thesis

 

Assessment

Pass/fail based on pre-course assignment, presentation of assignment, active participation and quality of group work

 

Time

Intensive course from Sunday 22 November at 5 p.m. to Friday 27 November 3 p.m. 2009

 

Registration

Registration form here. Please download form, fill it and save on your computer, and send the form to latest on November 1^st.

 

Cost for food and accommodation

Non-NOVA PhD students will be charged 500€ for food and accommodation

NOVA PhD students are those enrolled at KU/LIFE Denmark, SLU Sweden, UMB Norway, AU Denmark and HU Finland. SOAR PhD students will not be charged, irrespective of university.

The course is targeting PhD students engaged in research projects within organic agriculture and food systems, involving both natural and social sciences. The course is also open to students at Master level (final year), as well as post docs and senior researchers.

 

Venue

Danhostel Lyngby-Tårbæk, Rådvad, Denmark (North of Copenhagen)

By public transport: Take S-train to Lyngby and bus 182 or 183 from there:

Bus 183 at 16:27 from Lyngby Station to 'Vejporten', arrival 16:41. We can pick you up there (3 km).

Time schedule for bus 182 and 183

By car: Take exit no. 15 marked ‘Lundtofte’ on the Helsingør Highway (E47/E55/19). Follow the signs to the hostel immediately after the turn-off (3km).

Map