Agricultural Sectors Past and Present

main objectives

This module is a part of the first Semester IL3 unit ‘The Farming Environment’: Understand farming operations in their context, most notably the historic and geographic contexts in relation to this module.,A mix of issues and farming systems on several continents will be covered. Students will be introduced to multi-disciplinary methods (history, sociology, geography, economics, engineering/science and technology) used in comparative agriculture. A focus will be also made on the historical approach in order to understand the main process underlying existence of several types of agrarian systems.,Detailed Objectives are: ,- To understand the large contemporary farming systems in different areas of the world: crop or livestock farming systems, and different types of production, i.e. familial or business farms,- To know how to analyse differences between these systems, using an analysis framework based on physical and human geography, history, analysis of technical systems,- To take into account agricultural diversity and local development issues in future professional activities,- To use a historical perspective (recent history) and projection into the future, understanding what a historical viewpoint can provide,- To learn about the main historical agrarian/farming systems and consider the main factors in the evolution of these systems (i.e. the approaches of Mazoyer and Jared Diamond),