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| Semester | spring semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Every spring sem. |
| Lecturers | Else Bünemann-König (else.buenemann-koenig@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Deepening knowledge in farming systems is essential because agriculture is a major driver for environmental pressures through land use change and the use of inputs in form of energy, fertilizers and pesticides. The European Commission aims at increasing Organic farming in Europe to 25% until 2030, as it is considered as one promising option to solve the current problems of intensive agriculture encountering loss of soil fertility, decrease of biodiversity, the excessive use of natural resources and climate change. The lecture is organised as a lecture series (“Ringvorlesung”), where experts in soil, plant and animal sciences and socioeconomics will outline the principles and practices of organic agriculture, amended by case studies. In a group exercise, the students will develop their own thoughts resilience aspects of organic farming in one topic presented in the lectures, and will present it to the other participants. During a half-day excursion the theoretical material is illustrated on a long-term system comparison experiment and a practical farm in the valley of Leimen. Lecture 1: Introduction Lecture 2: Soil Lecture 3: Plant production Lecture 4, 5: Agro-Biodiversity and plant protection Lecture 6: Animal husbandry Lecture 7: Policy Lecture 8: Sustainability and food systems Lecture 9: Tropics & food quality Lecture 10: Presentation of group work and discussion Excursion I to the DOK long-term system comparison experiment and (community supported agriculture) at Birsmattehof, Therwil (optional) Excursion II FiBL Farm: experimental platform animal science, Frick long-term experiment reduced tillage, orchards (optional) |
| Learning objectives | The students are familiar with the principles and practices of organic farming. They can evaluate the strength and weeks of the farming systems and know the specific challenges in the areas of soil management, plant production and animal husbandry. The students are capable to judge critically the solutions of organic agriculture in view of a sustainable production. Detailed “Lernziele” will be provided for each lecture on ADAM. |
| Comments | Lecturers: Experts of the respective disciplines at FiBL, actively involved in national and European research with a strong link to practical farmers. |
| Weblink | adam.unibas.ch |
| Admission requirements | Students of the MSD without background in natural sciences, and who have chosen the focus area in social sciences or in economics must have completed the 'Complementary Knowledge in Natural Sciences' module (or at least earned 8 CP). Credit points are to be transferred to the FASR module (with learning agreement). |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Friday | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 01.03.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 08.03.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 15.03.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 22.03.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 29.03.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Ostern |
| Friday 05.04.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 12.04.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 19.04.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 26.04.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 03.05.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Friday 10.05.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Auffahrt |
| Friday 17.05.2024 | 12.15-14.00 | Botanik, Praktikumsraum U1.003 |
| Friday 24.05.2024 | 13.30-16.30 | excursion to the DOK Therwil, -- |
| Friday 31.05.2024 | 12.15-13.45 | Botanik, Praktikumsraum U1.003 |
| Friday 07.06.2024 | 08.15-12.00 | excursion to FiBL farm , -- |
| Modules |
Courses: Master's Studies Ecology (Master's Studies: Ecology) Courses: Master's Studies Plant Science (Master's Studies: Plant Science) Doctorate Botany: Recommendations (PhD subject: Botany) Module: Core Competences in Natural Sciences (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Landscape Systems (Master's Studies: Geosciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | 1. group work on future development of organic agriculture and resilience aspects, focussing on one topic; reflection of paper plus presentation of the group work in form of a poster. 2. Written exam on Friday, 31.05.2024, 12:15-13:45 h in the lecture hall 00.003, Botany building, Schönbeinstrasse 6 Preconditions for the exam: presentation of group work |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Science, studiendekanat-philnat@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Integrative Biologie |