Course Description
Food systems are a set of activities ranging from production to consumption. They are embedded within social, economic, environmental, and political systems. This multidisciplinary course uses a systems approach to understand the current state of food systems and address the present and future sustainability, security, and resiliency of food systems.
Athena Title
Food Systems
Prerequisite
ALDR 4600/6600 or CRSS 4020S/6020S or GEOG 4890/6890 or HPAM 7050 or HPAM 7050E or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will: - Develop an understanding of systems thinking and complexity - Understand the basic tenets of sustainable food systems - Understand current priorities and advances in this area on the part of the many disciplines - Gain an appreciation for the contribution(s) of each discipline to create a more sustainable food system - Formulate and argue their individual point of view among their peers
Topical Outline
Introduction to Systems Thinking - Socio-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems (human dimensions) - The food system as a complex adaptive system - Resiliency theory Food Systems and Public Health - Dietary, occupational - Food safety Ecological Threats to the Food System - Ecosystem services - Ecological integrity of food systems - Water - Energy, GHG, and climate change Food System and Inequalities - Class and food - Communities and food - Food system workers - Production system workers Food Insecurity - Distribution - Access - Availability - Food safety net programs Communities and Food - Rural - Urban - Measures of community food security Food System Economics - Production - Food supply chain - Consumption Food Policies - Farm bill - State and local policies - Trade policies Food Production System - Crops - Animal - Processing, distribution, retail Food Consumption - Eating patterns - Nutrition - Metrics of food consumptions - Food environments - Food safety - Impacts of changing eating patterns
Syllabus
Public CV