Postgraduate Course: Frameworks to assess Food Security (PGGE11164)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will introduce students to global context for food security including: trends on population demographics and their impact on food demand, distributional issues (eg affordability and accessibility issues); food supply (availability) and the effect of technology and climate change; importance of trade for food availability and as a stabilisation mechanism. A number of food security methodologies will be used to analyse country and household level vulnerability to food insecurity. |
| Course description |
Topic Descriptor
1 Overview of food security
A general overview of the multiple dimensions of food security is provided with examples of current and future challenges such as population, climate change, water, competing land uses etc.
2 Food security concepts, frameworks and vulnerability assessment
The concepts and tools used in food security analysis are introduced. Food security is defined and its relationship to the concepts of vulnerability, hunger, malnutrition and poverty considered. Applications in developing and developed countries are outlined. Methods to assess vulnerability are presented. Case study to be developed.
3 Understanding food supply and Farm Management.
An overview of food production at farm level and food supply national level will be provided. Factors affecting the food supply will be considered. The concept of farm management optimisation process in response to these factors will be presented.
4 Food distribution and food security
The downstream part of the supply chain will be considered. The role of wholesaling and retailing will be reviewed on food security will presented. It will consider issues such as the importance of supermarkets in developed and developing countries.
5 Understanding food demand
The individual and aggregated food demand and factors affecting them will be presented. Issues such as the effect of changes in prices and income on the demand will be discussed. The changes in consumption patterns due to changes in income will be considered.
6 Nutrition and food security
This covers the relationship between nutrition and food security and considers the basic concept of malnutrition. Nutritional status is assessed, and the most commonly used nutrition indicators are identified.
7 Poverty and food security
The close relationship between poverty and food insecurity will be considered. The concept of poverty and its measurement will be presented. Trends on poverty and measures to overcome it will be discussed.
8 Globalisation and food Security
The issue of trade and food security is examined with particular reference to the past, present and future role of the World Trade Organisation and its push for trade liberalisation. In addition, a quick overview of agricultural policies related to trade.
9 Sustainability of the food system and food security
It will cover a number of topics related to the functioning of the food system such as health, waste, impact on environment.
10 Roundtable of different aspects of food security
Experts of different aspects of food security present their views to the class and a debate on different aspects of food security are considered.
11 Delivery of essay and presentation of posters
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 33,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
163 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
The course is 100% coursework.
Coursework:
Vulnerability Report: 40%
Poster Presentation: 20%
Critical analysis assignment: 40% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Have an understanding of the global context of food security including its political, economic, social and environmental components.
- Identify the main trade-offs that might exist between food security and other desirable goals.
- Carry out independent research on food security issues and report them in a number of different formats (e.g. written, verbal).
- Be competent in constructing logically sound arguments and analysing scientific theories and data-generating methodologies.
- Have understanding in at least one specialist area (e.g. modelling food security or food supply chain analysis).
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Reading List
Overview of Food Security
Maxwell, S. and Slater, R. (2003). Food Policy Old and New. Development Policy Review, 21 (5-6): 531-553
Pinstrup-Andersen, P. (2009). Food security: definition and measurement. Food security, 1(1), 5-7.
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries. Chapter 4 Food Security, Consumption and Demand Policy.
Timmer, C. P., Falcon, W. P., Pearson, S. R. (1983). Food policy analysis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 1 Introduction to Food Policy Analysis
Eicher, C. K., & Staatz, J. M. (Eds.). (1998). International agricultural development. JHU Press. Chapter 1 Agricultural development ideas in historical perspective.
Food Security Concepts and Frameworks
Devereux, S. (2006) Distinguishing between chronic and transitory food insecurity in emergency needs assessments. SENAC, WFP, Rome.
Gittinger J. P. (1987). Food Policy: Integrating Supply, Distribution and Consumption. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries.
Understanding food supply
FAO Statistics Division. Website on Supply Utilization Accounts and Food Balance Sheets in the Context of a National Statistical System. (http://www.fao.org/es/ess/suafbs.asp)
Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS) (1996). Guidelines for Crop and Food Supply Assessment Missions. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), GIEWS. (http://www.fao.org/giews/english/tools/CFSAME1996.pdf)
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries. Chapter 7 Food Production and Supply Policies.
Southgate, D. D. Jr., Graham, D. H., Tweeten, L. G. (2006). The World Food Economy. Wiley-Blackwell: Oxford. Chapter 3 The Supply Side: Agricultural Production and its Determinants.
Food distribution and food security
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries. Chapter 4 Domestic Market Policies.
Timmer, C. P., Falcon, W. P., Pearson, S. R. (1983). Food policy analysis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 4 Marketing Functions, Markets, and Food Price Formation
Understanding food demand
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries. Chapter 4 Food Security, Consumption and Demand Policy.
Southgate, D. D. Jr., Graham, D. H., Tweeten, L. G. (2006). The World Food Economy. Wiley-Blackwell: Oxford. Chapter 2 The Demand Side: How Population Growth and Higher Incomes Affect Food Consumption.
Timmer, C. P., Falcon, W. P., Pearson, S. R. (1983). Food policy analysis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 2 Analysis of Food Consumption and Nutrition
Nutrition and food security
FAO (2006). The double burden of malnutrition Case studies from six developing countries. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 84, Rome 2006. http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0442e/a0442e00.htm
FAO (2003). Measurement and Assessment of Food Deprivation and Undernutrition FIVIMS (2003) Proceedings, International Scientific Symposium held in FAO, Rome 26-28 June 2002. http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4249E/Y4249E00.HTM
FAO (2004) Incorporating Nutrition Considerations into Development Policies and Programmes: Brief for Policy-Makers and Programme Planners in Developing Countries,. http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5343e/y5343e00.htm
Haddad, Lawrence, Kennedy, Eileen and Sullivan, Joan (1994). Choice of indicators for food security and nutrition monitoring. Food Policy, 19 (3) 329-343
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries. Chapter 3 Human Health and Nutrition Policies.
Smith, Lisa C. (1998). Can FAOs measure of Chronic Undernourishment be strengthened? Food Policy 23 (5), pp. 425-445.
Timmer, C. P., Falcon, W. P., Pearson, S. R. (1983). Food policy analysis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 2 Analysis of Food Consumption and Nutrition
Poverty and food security
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries. Chapter 5 Poverty Alleviation Policies.
Sen, Amartya Poverty and Entitlements. in: Gittinger J. P. (1987). Food Policy: Integrating Supply, Distribution and Consumption. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Practical Vulnerability Analysis
Løvendal, C.R. and M. Knowles (2005). Tomorrow¿s hunger: A framework for analysing vulnerability to food insecurity. ESA Working Paper 05-07
(http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/af140e/af140e00.htm)
World Food Programme (2009). Comprehensive Food Security & Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) Guidelines - First Edition, 2009
http://www.wfp.org/content/comprehensive-food-security-and-vulnerability-analysis-cfsva-guidelines-first-edition
Globalisation and food Security
Anderson, K. and Martin, W. (eds.) Agricultural Trade Reform and the Doha Development Agenda. Basingstoke, U. K.: Palgrave Macmillan; Washington, DC: World Bank
Koo, Won W. and P. Lynn Kennedy, (2005). International Trade and Agriculture. Blackwell Publishing,
Pinstrup- Andersen, Per and Watson, Derril D (2011). The Role of Government in Global, National and Local Food Systems: Food Policy for Developing Countries. Chapter 10 Globalization of Food System.
Southgate, D. D. Jr., Graham, D. H., Tweeten, L. G. (2006). The World Food Economy. Wiley-Blackwell: Oxford. Chapter 6 Globalization and Agriculture.
Sustainability and food security
Edwards-Jones, Gareth, Llorenç Milà i Canals, Natalia Hounsome, Monica Truninger, Georgia Koerber, Barry Hounsome, Paul Cross et al. (2008) "Testing the assertion that local food is best¿: the challenges of an evidence-based approach." Trends in Food Science & Technology 19(5): 265-274.
Garnett, T. (2011) "Where are the best opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the food system (including the food chain)?." Food Policy 36: S23-S32.
Godfray, H. Charles J., Ian R. Crute, Lawrence Haddad, David Lawrence, James F. Muir, Nicholas Nisbett, Jules Pretty, Sherman Robinson, Camilla Toulmin, and Rosalind Whiteley (2010) "The future of the global food system" Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 365(1554): 2769-2777.
Lang, Tim, Barling, David and Caraher, Martin (2001). Food, Social Policy and the Environment: Towards a New Model. Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 35, No. 5, December.
Rosegrant, Mark W. and Cline, Sarah A. (2003). Global Food Security: Challenges and Policies. Science Vol. 302, N. 12 December.
Ruttan, V. W. (2002) Productivity Growth in World Agriculture: Sources and Constraints. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 16(4): 161-184.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Frameworks to Assess Food Security - Food Demand Food Security Global Change Environment |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Montserrat Costa Font
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Jennifer Gumbrell
Tel:
Email: |
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