APMA41-Agriculture in the Tropics

Module Provider: Agriculture
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Andrew Daymond
Email: a.j.daymond@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Learn about the agricultural systems of tropical and sub-tropical regions. Examine the major components of agricultural systems including crops, livestock, soils and climate, and their interactions. Discuss Awareness of current issues for agriculture in developing countries such as the 'Green Revolution' and the use of pesticides.

Aims:
This module will consider tropical agriculture and horticulture and farming systems, focussing on the physical, climatic, edaphic and biological factors affecting crop and animal production, and using case studies to show how these factors are interrelated and integrated in farming systems and livelihoods.

The module is highly relevant for students following GIIDAE MSc programmes and caters for students following agriculture or horticulture pathways of the MSc in Agriculture and Development.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module students will be able to:

• Agriculture Pathway
  
  
  
  • Describe the major crop and livestock species and farming systems in the tropics and sub-tropics
  
  
  
  


• Horticulture pathway
  
  
  
  • Describe the major horticulture crops and their contribution to farming systems in the tropics/ sub-tropics.
  
  
  • Explain how the distribution of tropical farming systems an d their component parts are influenced/constrained by biological, environmental/physical, edaphic and socio-economic factors.
  
  
  
  

Additional outcomes:

Outline content:

Introduction: agriculture and horticulture and major issues facing tropical farming systems in the 21st century

• Characteristics of agriculture including horticulture and agroecosystems in the humid tropics, seasonally arid tropics, semi-arid tropics and highland tropics;.


• The analysis and classification of tropical farming systems and the influence of climate on these;.


• An introduction to the major crops and trees used in tropic al agriculture;


• Role of biotic constraints (pests & diseases) on agricultural productivity;Ìý


• Tropical soils: nutrient use and management.


• (Agriculture pathway) The role of livestock in the production system, and ways in which their contribution can be increased.Ìý


• (Horticulture pathway) An introduction to fresh produce in the tropics

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Lectures/seminars and class discussion.

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

1. Paper on a tropical farming system of the student’s choice (80%)

2. Group presentation on a farming system (must differ from that in (1)) (20%)

Formative assessment methods:
(i) creation of a farm system diagram for a maize-dairy farming system, and, for a location with two wet seasons,
(a) Gantt chart showing monthly crop management calendar and/or
(b) Seasonal feeding calendar for livestock

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: