The world state of food security and nutrition. Environmental impacts of food production.
Soil, food production and human health. Urban agriculture and microbes. Use of microbes to reinstate equilibrium in degraded ecosystems. Food from microbes.
Reviews and scientific papers from specialized journals. FAO reports and outlooks. Publications supplied by the teacher.
Learning Objectives
To provide students advanced knowledge on the environmental impacts of agriculture and animal husbandry and tools for using microbes in the production of food, in the protection of soil, water and atmosphere, and in the mitigation of the impact of climate change.
Prerequisites
Solid knowledge on the biology of principal microbial groups (Bacteria, Archea, Fungi, Microalgae) and on their role in carbon and nitrogen cycles.
Teaching Methods
Lectures and seminars by experts. Discussion groups in which students will play and active role.
Type of Assessment
Active participation of the student in the discussion groups during the course. Report on a selected topic. Final oral examination aimed at verifying specific knowledge and ability to elaborate the topics of the course.
Course program
The world state of food security and nutrition. Feeding the world in 2050. Environmental impacts of food production. Losses, inefficiencies and waste in the global food system
Global diets, environmental sustainability and human health. Environmental impacts of food production. Soil, food production and human health. Urban agriculture and microbes. Use of microbes to reinstate equilibrium in degraded ecosystems. Food from microbes. Use of microbes to protect soils and the environment.