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Feeding the Billions: Challenges and Innovation in Food and Water Security
Interdisciplinary Studies Program
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Dates: 7/5/25 - 7/19/25
Feeding the Billions: Challenges and Innovation in Food and Water Security
OVERVIEW
CEA CAPA Partner Institution: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Primary Subject Area: Env. Sciences
Instruction in: English
Transcript Source: Partner Institution
Course Details: Level 300
Recommended Semester Credits: 3
Contact Hours: 45
DESCRIPTION
There are 8.0 billion people to feed today, and this number is expected to increase to about 10 billion by 2050. More food is needed, and more food means more water for crops and livestock to grow.
This course is evidence-based and addresses food and water challenges and innovative interventions from various disciplinary perspectives and socio-cultural contexts, using real-life examples. This year, students will collaborate with students from Rhodes University in South Africa on joint assignments and presentations through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). Interactive theoretical lecture sessions (partly online) are alternated with discussions, group work, and a field visit. Students will benefit from discussions with their peers from different disciplinary backgrounds and countries of origin. At least five of the following topics will be covered:
- Food systems, Food and Nutrition Security and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture
- Water management, water security and Climate-Smart Agriculture
- Extension services, Policies & challenges
- International food markets and economic factors that affect food security
- Innovative interventions along the value chain (from farm to fork)
We bring practice to the classroom by using real-life examples from the Netherlands and from South Africa. Assessment will be based on students? participation in discussions, debates, and group presentations.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of key concepts related to food systems, food markets, food and nutrition security, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, water security, and climate-smart agriculture.
- Develop and apply transversal skills, including communication, debating, digital literacy, presentation, team collaboration, in an intercultural setting.
- Design and implement data collection tools.
- Conduct a comparative analysis of stakeholder perceptions of in the field of food systems
- Reflect critically on food security, nutrition and climate change challenges across diverse socio-ecological contexts.
This course is going to be taught through (partly online) lectures, excursions (if possible), discussions, group work, and videos. Students will be assessed through active participation in debates, discussions and group presentations.
Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course. CEA CAPA's recommended credits are based on the contact hours assigned by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam): 15 contact hours equals 1 U.S. credit
This course is evidence-based and addresses food and water challenges and innovative interventions from various disciplinary perspectives and socio-cultural contexts, using real-life examples. This year, students will collaborate with students from Rhodes University in South Africa on joint assignments and presentations through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). Interactive theoretical lecture sessions (partly online) are alternated with discussions, group work, and a field visit. Students will benefit from discussions with their peers from different disciplinary backgrounds and countries of origin. At least five of the following topics will be covered:
- Food systems, Food and Nutrition Security and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture
- Water management, water security and Climate-Smart Agriculture
- Extension services, Policies & challenges
- International food markets and economic factors that affect food security
- Innovative interventions along the value chain (from farm to fork)
We bring practice to the classroom by using real-life examples from the Netherlands and from South Africa. Assessment will be based on students? participation in discussions, debates, and group presentations.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of key concepts related to food systems, food markets, food and nutrition security, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, water security, and climate-smart agriculture.
- Develop and apply transversal skills, including communication, debating, digital literacy, presentation, team collaboration, in an intercultural setting.
- Design and implement data collection tools.
- Conduct a comparative analysis of stakeholder perceptions of in the field of food systems
- Reflect critically on food security, nutrition and climate change challenges across diverse socio-ecological contexts.
This course is going to be taught through (partly online) lectures, excursions (if possible), discussions, group work, and videos. Students will be assessed through active participation in debates, discussions and group presentations.
Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course. CEA CAPA's recommended credits are based on the contact hours assigned by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam): 15 contact hours equals 1 U.S. credit