Overview

The Agroforestry Systems and Practices module offers a comprehensive examination of a holistic approach to land management, blending agriculture and forestry practices to establish more sustainable and productive land use systems. This module examines the fundamental principles of ecological interactions, exploring agroforestry practices globally, and delving into the associated social, economic, and ecosystem benefits.

The inherent multifunctionality of agroforestry renders it an exciting and promising strategy for fostering sustainable development across diverse regions worldwide. Through this course, you will develop an understanding of how to assess agro-ecological and socio-ecological interactions, examining their benefits for individuals, communities, and the broader environment within a systems thinking framework. You will acquire practical skills in the development and design of agroforestry interventions.

Assessment in this module involves two applied reports. The first report entails the identification, classification, and description of a land-use and livelihood system. The second report takes the form of a consultant design report, providing a platform for you to showcase your ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Topics in this module include:

• Agroforestry classification
• Biophysical principles and interactions
• Agroforestry design through ‘options by context’
• Agroforestry and livelihood systems
• Agricultural components of agroforestry systems
• Temperate and tropical agroforestry system
• Agroforestry and conservation -

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -- (C) show a basic ability to classify and describe agroforestry practices based upon their components and their various spatial and/or temporal arrangements. - be able to evaluate some key agro-ecological and social-ecological interactions in agroforestry systems. - be able to somewhat demonstrate and justify how agroforestry practices can contribute to ecosystem service provision at multiple scales of analysis. - be able to somewhat interpret the scope and limitations of agroforestry practices taking into account local ecological and socio-economic conditions and use these to design an agroforestry case using options-by-context.

Good -- (B) show a strong ability to classify and describe agroforestry practices based upon their components and their various spatial and/or temporal arrangements. - be able to evaluate most key agro-ecological and social-ecological interactions in agroforestry systems. - be able to mostly demonstrate and justify how agroforestry practices can contribute to ecosystem service provision at multiple scales of analysis. - be able to interpret the scope and limitations of agroforestry practices well taking into account local ecological and socio-economic conditions and use these to design an agroforestry case using options-by-context.

Excellent --(A) show an excellent ability to classify and describe agroforestry practices based upon their components and their various spatial and temporal arrangements. - be able to evaluate all key agro-ecological and social-ecological interactions in agroforestry systems. - be able to to fully demonstrate and justify how agroforestry practices can contribute to ecosystem service provision at multiple scales of analysis. - be able to interpret the scope and limitations of agroforestry practices excellently taking into account local ecological and socio-economic conditions and use these to design an agroforestry case using options-by-context.

Learning Outcomes

• Classify and analyse agroforestry practices based upon their components and their various spatial and temporal arrangements.

• Critically evaluate the scope and limitations of agroforestry practices taking into account local ecological and socio-economic conditions and use these to design an agroforestry case using a options-by-context approach.

• Evaluate the key agro-ecological and social-ecological interactions in agroforestry systems.

• Summarise and justify how agroforestry practices can contribute to ecosystem service provision at multiple scales of analysis.