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Food Production for Urban Landscapes (HORT90038)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Burnley)

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Overview

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Semester 1
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In this subject you will learn about the history of urban agriculture in countries around the world and explore the various roles of urban agriculture in modern-day cities. Given the nature of the subject, a wide diversity of topics will be covered including but not limited to: plant growth requirements, agricultural inputs (such as water and nutrients), soil contamination, pests and diseases, urban-specific production methods, design and management of community gardens and edible landscapes, mainstream and alternative crops (fruit and vegetables), agro-ecology principles and practices ; and the economic value of residential food gardens. You will be required to implement and maintain an allocated crop plot in the Burnley Field Station throughout semester. Field visits will also form part of this subject.

Intended learning outcomes

On the completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Ability to identify a range of different urban agriculture production methods and their various risks and benefits in particular settings, drawing on examples from Australia and overseas.
  • You should also be able to discuss the social, economic and environmental role of urban agriculture and its potential contribution to sustainable cities of the future.
  • Understand how to grow common and alternative food crops in an open field allotment setting, including experience in working from a plan, plant nutrition, drip irrigation for food crops etc.
  • A broad understanding of the historical drivers of urban agriculture and the current trends in countries around the world.
  • A broad understanding of the role of extension and facilitation principles and practices in communicating and promoting technical and social aspects of urban agriculture in a variety of settings eg. Schools, community gardens etc.

Generic skills

  • Sourcing, interpreting and applying information from written and electronic sources to individual tasks;
  • Use scientific and technical literature to answer specific questions;
  • Time management and the meeting of deadlines;
  • Report on an issue using rigorous and objective analysis;
  • Retrieval, from a range of paper-based and electronic sources, of information required to develop understanding of a topic, and the use of this information, with appropriate recognition, in report writing.

Last updated: 16 August 2024