A Nutritional Approach to Agriculture and Food Security
Develop skills to apply and evaluate innovative solutions that place nutrition at the heart of a sustainable food system.
2,218 enrolled on this course
Duration
2 weeksWeekly study
4 hours100% online
How it works
A Nutritional Approach to Agriculture and Food Security
Modern agriculture and global food systems have become very complex and do not always provide people with affordable and nutritious food. This course presents current research, which aims to place nutrition at the heart of the food system. With a focus on the Global South, you’ll learn about the components of the food system and their link to nutrition and acquire the skills to implement and evaluate nutrition-sensitive interventions.
Discover nutrition-sensitive food systems and develop nutrition skills
To uncover the benefits of nutrition-sensitive agriculture, you need to understand key concepts in agriculture, food and nutrition research and learn about the role of crops and livestock in a healthy and sustainable diet.
You’ll also acquire nutrition-specific skills used to evaluate food and diets and apply them in course activities. This will help you to design and assess nutrition-sensitive interventions. You’ll then examine research-led material on bio-fortification and other innovative food processing methods to understand how to diversify food production and improve the nutritional value of foods.
Discover how to place nutrition at the heart of the food system
As you conceptualise nutrition in relation to food systems, you’ll evaluate the consequences of nutrition-sensitive interventions and policies on socioeconomic and environmental aspects. You’ll also explore the role of different stakeholders and understand the crucial role of women in driving improvements in nutrition outcomes in households and communities.
Learn from the experts at the University of Leeds
This course is based on research led by experts in agriculture, nutrition and environmental sciences from the University of Leeds, the University of Pretoria and FARNPAN.
Syllabus
Week 1
What is a nutrition-sensitive food system?
Welcome to the course
Before you get started, take some time to meet your Lead Educator, Caroline Orfila, who will guide you through the course. You will also have the opportunity to meet other learners and plan your learning journey.
Understanding nutrition-sensitive agriculture in the context of Sustainable Development Goals
In this activity, you’ll explore the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they relate to nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems. You’ll begin to consider the role of women, and develop nutrition skills and knowledge.
The role of crops in nutrition-sensitive agriculture: towards a healthy sustainable diet
In this activity, you will explore the role that crops play in a healthy and sustainable diet. You’ll look at how to diversify agricultural production, biofortification, genetic modification, food processing and plant diversity.
Animal production for a healthy and sustainable diet
In this activity, you will explore how animal production can be part of a healthy and sustainable diet. You'll learn about aquaculture, insect production and consumption, and current technological innovations in animal production.
Summary
You have now reached the end of Week 1 of A Nutritional Approach to Agriculture and Food Security. In this activity, you’ll look at a summary of the main enablers and barriers to achieving a nutritious diet.
Week 2
Exploring nutrition-sensitive food systems
About Week 2
This week, you’ll learn about the evolving food system. You’ll think more deeply about women’s roles, explore the drivers of food choice, and consider the impacts and evaluation of nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions.
How to design a nutrition-sensitive food system
This activity will introduce the concept of an evolving food system. You will explore systems thinking, including the processes of system design and evaluation.
Food-based dietary guidelines and food choice
This activity will introduce you to food-based dietary guidelines as simple tools to promote healthy eating. You will also develop an understanding of food choice and consider interventions that could lead to change.
How to assess the broader impacts of nutrition-sensitive agriculture
In this activity, you will explore the potential impacts of nutrition-sensitive interventions, and consider how some of these impacts can be assessed. Finally, you will have the chance to design your own intervention.
Summary
This week, you’ve explored the food system and women’s role in it. You’ve also looked at the potential impacts of nutrition-sensitive interventions and how they can be evaluated. You will now review and reflect on your learning.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Conceptualise nutrition in relation to the rest of the food system
- Evaluate nutrition-sensitive approaches and how these can increase food and nutrition security with a focus on the Global South
- Develop skills in dietary assessment, food composition and measures of diet quality and diversity
- Apply the evaluation skills needed to select and introduce nutrition-sensitive interventions relevant to your own field of work or study
- Evaluate the consequences of nutrition-sensitive interventions and policies in respect of their social, economic, and environmental impacts.
- Assess the role of women in promoting nutrition-sensitive interventions
Who is the course for?
This is a skills-focused course designed for individuals with an existing interest in nutrition, sustainability and diet, in a global context. Learners will also learn practical skills that would help them to apply and evaluate nutrition-sensitive interventions in their own field of interest.
Who will you learn with?
I am Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Nutrition at the University of Leeds in the UK. For more information visit: https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/food-nutrition/staff/7148/professor-caroline-orfila
Who developed the course?
University of Leeds
As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.
University of Pretoria
The University was born from a vision to create a space for quality education and for new ideas to flourish. Over the course of its existence, and through different phases of political power and social change, UP has been resilient in its commitment to academic quality.
Endorsers and supporters
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Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $59/one-off payment |
$189.99 for one year Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 21 Feb 2023 |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Tests to check your learning | tick | tick | cross |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$189.99 for one year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$59/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 21 Feb 2023
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 28 February 2023 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 28 February 2023 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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