Agroecology

On a national and international scale there is an increasing need to reconcile the need for increased food production with the need for conservation of natural resources. There is also a need for people to understand and deal with complex land situations such as within agricultural systems.

The course

This course is intended to provide students with a detailed understanding of basic and applied agro-ecology and the issues associated with, on the one hand, the increased and shifting needs for food production and on the other the need for conservation and management of natural resources. Sustainable food production and sustainable intensification are of high policy importance both nationally and internationally. Agro-ecology is a key aspect of sustainable intensification.

This course is underpinned by an extensive programme of agri-environment research at Harper Adams and long-standing collaborations with research institutes and other organisations in the UK and overseas. The course will utilise our teaching strengths and offer an alternative focus for students with an interest in both agriculture and the natural environment, and will complement other specialist postgraduate courses such as the Entomology courses, Integrated Pest Management, and Weed Science.

Specifically the course will enable students to:

- Identify the nature, structure and complexities of multifunctional landscapes.

- Evaluate the interactions between organisms and consider these when making management recommendations for successful agro-ecological landscapes

- Evaluate the strategic and operational issues and conflicts affecting the sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems.

- Appraise the role of agro-ecology within the wider context of global food security and sustainable food production

- Select the most appropriate conservation management solution in a range of agricultural and other environments.

- Develop the ability to solve conflicts in agro-ecosytems by the application of novel research techniques