Course Content

ASEAN is a major producer and exporter of palm oil, crude rubber, rice, sugar, seafood and fruit. This course discusses changing agricultural systems and food security as related to land conversions, climate change, sustainable food and biomass production, and environmental pollution. Focus is set on management and new technologies, product platforms, and innovative business models, which will possibly dominate the shift from both traditional peasant and modern industrial agriculture towards a socially just and environmentally sustainable food production and distribution system.

Learning Objectives

Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand the basics of crops and husbandry production, including principles of biotechnology, irrigation, fertilization and plant protection

• Discuss economic gains and environmental challenges related to alternative use of crops for food, feed, fuel and fibre, and be aware of potential values in crop residues

• Assess consequences of various biomass production on soil fertility and erosion, water and air pollution, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emission, food security, and on local societies

• Analyze economic, environmental and social consequences of alternative land-use conversions in specific contexts

• Understand various mechanisms for food and feed preservation, storage and transport

• Develop business models for various biomass production and distribution

Books and Reading Material

• FAO. (2020). State of Food and Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific Region, including Future Prospects and Emerging Issues. Thirty-fifth Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC 35). Bangkok.

• FAO. (2017). Strategic Work of FAO for Sustainable Food and Agriculture.

• Lamine, C. (2015). Sustainability and resilience in agrifood systems: Reconnecting agriculture, food and the environment. Sociologia Ruralis, 55(1), 41-61.

• Mattas, K., Baourakis, G., & Zopounidis, C. (Eds.). (2018). Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security: Aspects of Euro-Mediteranean Business Cooperation. Cham: Springer.

Course Coordinator

F.M.C. Sigit Setyabudi, Assistant Professor (Universitas Gadjah Mada)

Henrik Nielsen, Professor (University of Agder)