CSS 4140 - Tropical Cropping Systems: Biodiversity, Social, and Environmental Impacts

(crosslisted)
(also IARD 4140)

Fall. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: none specific; interest in agriculture and tropical cropping systems.

P. Hobbs.

This course is divided into 4 sections. The first part looks at characterization of natural, physical and social resources including climate, water, soil and socio-economic factors and their importance in determining different farming systems. The Second part looks at the various crops and livestock found in tropical cropping systems and discusses various systems including traditional shifting cultivation; dryland systems; lowland rice-based systems; smallholder mixed farming including root crops and livestock; plantation fruit and oil crop systems; and agroforestry. The third section looks at the constraints to production, profitability and sustainability of farming systems. The fourth looks at the effect of various externalities like GCC, fossil fuel, migration, population etc. on future trends in production, profitability and sustainability. Characterizes and discusses traditional shifting cultivation; lowland rice-based systems; upland cereal-based systems; smallholder mixed farming including root crops and livestock; plantation fruit and oil crop systems; and agroforestry. In addition to species diversity and domestication, factors such as climate, land quality, soil management, land tenure, labor, and markets are considered. Evaluates the impact of tropical cropping systems on the environment.