PLSCS 4030 - Traditional Agriculture in Developing Nations

(crosslisted) IARD 4030  
(CU-SBY, EC-LASP)     
Spring. 1 credit. S/U grades only.

P. Hobbs.

Half the world's arable land is farmed by traditional farmers who have produced food and fiber for millennia with few outside inputs. Many of these practices are forgotten but some are still used by farmers in developing countries. This course examines the pros and cons of some of these traditional systems through the lens of various Cornell faculty who have experiences with traditional agriculture in developing countries.

Outcome 1: Discuss the pros and cons of traditional agricultural practices found around the world from biophysical and social perspectives.

Outcome 2: Compare and evaluate traditional agriculture farming practices in terms of productivity, sustainability, labor needs and possible relevance to today's agriculture.

Outcome 3: Research other traditional agricultural practices and discuss how components could be useful or not in helping modern day agriculture meet food security needs.



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