Urban Food Systems in a Changing Climate
Course content
Urbanization is one of the strongest global mega-trends. Population growth, climate change, and decreasing arable land present major challenges for our food production and pose issues related to nature, environment, and food security, including supply security. Therefore, there is a significant need for new, sustainable, and more resource-efficient agri-food systems in the urban environment.
The course focuses on issues and sustainable solutions in
contemporary and future plant and food production, as well as
by-products in local, urban, and peri-urban systems. It covers
everything from forest gardens, vegetable production on city
rooftops, mushrooms grown in coffee grounds, herb production in
hydroponic tanks, vertical aeroponic growing systems, and new foods
from algae and insects, to large-scale facilities that recycle
waste and nutrients from wastewater and household waste.
The course includes a theoretical part (30%) and an experimental
and project-oriented component (70%). The project part will provide
opportunities to work with both traditional cultivation systems in
an urban context (e.g., community gardens) and newer, more
technology-based cultivation systems, such as vertical farming.
The course is highly interdisciplinary and can potentially attract
students from a wide range of bachelor programs including: Natural
Resources, Geography and Geoinformatics, Biology, Food and
Nutrition, Landscape and Park Engineering, Forest and Landscape
Engineering, Landscape Architecture, and Agricultural Economics as
well as master programs such as: Climate Change, Agriculture,
Environment and Development, Environmental Science, Environmental
and Natural Resource Economics, Forest and Nature Management and
Nature Management.
BSc programme in Natural Resources
The overall goal of the course is for students to work theoretically and experimentally with new, local, urban, and peri-urban production systems. The focus is particularly on improving productivity, resource utilization, food quality, and reduce environmental and climate impacts. Students will gain knowledge of the latest developments and innovations in food systems and novel foods.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:
Knowledge
• Describe the importance of plant genetics, nutrition, and
physiology in relation to growth, quality, and resource utilization
under various combinations of external growth factors in urban
cultivation systems.
• Explain the principles of planning and establishing a food system
in the urban environment, including possible plant choices.
• Define the concept of sustainability in relation to urban and
novel food systems.
• Describe issues related to national and global plant and food
production in the urban environment, as well as possible solutions
using analytical methods and new technologies.
• Be familiar with the main formal barriers and opportunities for
establishing urban farming systems.
Skills
• Apply the concept of sustainability to different urban plant
production systems.
• Assess the impact of plant growth factors on quality and resource
utilization in various cultivation systems.
• Perform simple calculations of yields and identify derived
services of urban farming.
• Evaluate the application of specific analytical methods and
experimental results in relation to concrete issues within urban
food systems.
• Structure, plan, and execute a problem-oriented project in a
group.
• Acquire scientific knowledge through literature database
searches.
Competencies
• Identify and communicate issues related to resource utilization,
climate, and environment in urban plant and food production, and
select experimental approaches to address these issues.
• Discuss and reflect on the concept of sustainability in relation
to urban food systems, including which urban production systems are
best suited to a given context.
• Reflect on the use of new technologies, as well as new production
methods and products.
• Collect and analyze scientific knowledge and integrate it within
the framework of problem-based project work.
• Communicate in writing and present a problem-oriented project,
including analyzing and presenting experimental
data.
The teaching methods include lectures, theoretical exercises, project work, group work, and excursions. The students works on a project in groups in the last part of the course, resulting in a report. The course primarily takes place on the Frederiksberg campus (theoretical teaching as well as plant cultivation in, for example, a greenhouse or growth chamber as part of project work). Additionally, cultivation trials may be conducted at the experimental farm in Taastrup and there may be excursions to companies and partners in Copenhagen and the surrounding area.
Scientific articles and selected book chapters. Further information will be provided on Absalon.
It is recommended to have completed a course in basic plant biology or plant-environment interactions.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Oral exam on basis of previous submission, 60 minutes without preparation
- Type of assessment details
- Project report must be submitted to participate in the oral exam, more details during the course. The group starts with a short presentation of the report (app 15 min), then followed by individual examinations with questions related to both the report and theoretical topics of the course (12 min min each).
- Aid
- All aids allowed except Generative AI
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Multiple internal assessors
- Re-exam
-
Same as the regular exam. If the group report has not been handed in, an individual assignment will be given, and the student must submit an individual report 2 weeks before the re-examination.
Criteria for exam assessment
See learning objectives.
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 20
- Preparation
- 30
- Excursions
- 15
- Project work
- 130
- Guidance
- 10
- Exam
- 1
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- NPLB25001U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Bachelor
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 4
- Schedulegroup
-
B
- Capacity
- 35
The number of places might be reduced if you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student. - Studyboard
- Study Board of Natural Resources, Environment and Animal Science
Contracting department
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinator
- Kirsten Jørgensen (3-6f6d6e4474706972326f7932686f)
Teacher
Course coordinator: Annette Bruun Jensen (PLEN)
Teachers: Several from PLEN, IGN, IFRO, and FOOD, as well as
external guest lecturers.
Er du BA- eller KA-studerende?
Kursusinformation for indskrevne studerende