Food & Water:Global Issues Local Impacts

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Dookie campus during the September mid-semester break (5 day week - Monday - Friday) 24-28th September 2012 (proposed date). Flexible delivery including lectures, tutorials and forums.

120 hours

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. This course requires all students to enrol in subjects where they must actively and safely contribute to field excursions and laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Subject Coordinator and Disability Liaison Unit (8344 7068 or DLU-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au).

Globally there is a broad range of issues identified as impacting on the future of our planet. These issues include climate change, water availability and quality, waste and recycling, energy, biodiversity, salinity and land degradation, biotechnology and genetically modified organisms, changing demographics, human and animal welfare issues. In order to bring about change globally these issues must be addressed at the regional and national level.
The long term future of our rural communities will depend on how we meet these challenges. This subject will explore these issues at the catchment level analyzing how these issues impact on the catchment, practice change requirements, and develop strategies for decision making and implementation as well as critically evaluating environmental, social and economic implications of change

At the completion of this subject students will be able to:

• Evaluate -- using available information sources on specific cases -- the impacts of increasing human populations, urbanization and globalization on prospects for sustainable agricultural production, food security and safety, and the health of human communities;
• Understand and assess a wide range of policy alternatives to deal with evaluating environmental, social and economic change
• investigate, assess and design a sustainable food system;

Exam- 40%, Assignment (2,500 words) - 30%, Discussion Group/Workshop - 30%

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

This subject encompasses particular generic skills. On completion of the subject, students should have the:
• Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning and research
• Awareness of and ability to utilise appropriate communication technology and methods for the storage, management and analysis of data
• Capacity for creativity and innovation, through the application of skills and knowledge
• Ability to integrate information across a broad range of disciplines to solve problems in applied situations
• Highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
• Ability to participate effectively as a member of a team
• Ability to plan work, use time effectively and manage small projects