Agri-Food Systems Analysis (edX)

Through this course, students will develop an understanding that the food system is a supply chain managed by numerous actors with varying interests and goals. Changes in natural resources, markets, policies, technologies, organizations, and information influence the management of the food system.

Students will examine how food systems affect ecosystems and biodiversity by examining other factors such as lifestyle changes, health care policies, energy policies, cross-border atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, or opportunities for non-food employment. Students will also learn about the economic impacts, as well as the impacts on human health, global climate change, and community livelihoods to provide economic and social importance so policymakers and business leaders can recognize it and respond appropriately.