Securing Sufficient and Healthy Food

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Thirty-six hours contact time: eight-four hours directed study, assessment and reading (total 120 hours).

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Food security is defined by WHO as “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. This is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain with increased populations, trade restrictions and war compounded with predicted reducing availability of energy (oil), fertilizer (phosphorous) and climate challenges. This subject will explore the causes of food insecurity and the mitigations to secure food at the local and global levels by farmers (producers), politicians, scientists and non-government organizations alike. Topics will include:
• Definitions and causes of food insecurity
• Impacts of populations and cultural practices on food availability
• Risks to food security from the environment and current energy reserves
• Societal aspects aiding and preventing food security
• Roots of food insecurity: Food production verses food distribution
• Securing food locally through rescue and redistribution, and reduced waste
• Defining nutritious food and health risks from contamination
• Major plant and animal-borne diseases that impact food security
• Impacts of chemical control on the food chain and environment
• Quarantine measures and impacts within the food trade
• Transforming food production systems in the face of climate challenges

On completion of this subject, students will be knowledgeable in:
• Causes of food insecurity (political, cultural, economic and biological)
• Vulnerability and resilience of food systems
• Current national and international focus on food policy
• Securing food in a changing world
• Practical grass roots approaches to reducing food waste
• Impacts of pests and diseases on food security
• Pre and post farm-gate methods for food protection and human health protection
• Transformational changes occurring in food production systems aimed to increase yields under current and predicted climatic risks

Assessment in this subject will include:

• One 3,000 word essay on a topic chosen from a list of provided topics (worth 30%) due in Week 6;
• A report on a field excursion of 2,000 words maximum (worth 20%) due in Week 10; and
• A two hour exam (worth 50%).

"Food Security and Global Environmental Change". Edited by John Ingram, Polly Ericksen and Diana Liverman. Earthscan, UK. ISBN 978-1-84971-127-2

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students should have developed:

• An ability to critically review scientific literature;
• Communication skills, through written and oral presentations; and
• A sense of intellectual curiosity