EDS210 Environment, Development and Climate Change in Tanzania

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Lars Kåre Grimsby

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Limits of class size:20

Course frequency:Biennially (odd years)

Nominal workload:250 hours.

Teaching and exam period:This course has teaching and assessment in the June block.

About this course

The course is conducted over four weeks in Tanzania, and focuses on topics related to agroecology and agriculture, and issues at the interface between developmental, environmental and climate change issues. The course is organized by Noragric in collaboration with Sokoine University of Agriculture, and the NGO Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania, and is conducted in Morogoro, Tanzania.

The students will have presentations from specialists and researchers explaining relevant theories and Tanzanian policies. A series of field visits will provide the students with direct observations, experiences, discussions and interactions with farmers, and impressions that illustrate the actual practices related to the theories and policies from different perspectives. This combination of theory and practice is intended to offer the students a deeper understanding of various livelihood, development, environment and climate challenges facing Tanzania.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

The student is able to describe/explain

  • principal environmental challenges, development concerns and climate change issues in Tanzania
  • historical, socio-ecological and political economic perspectives relevant for understanding development in Tanzania
  • agriculture and agroecology’s role in development in Tanzania
  • ways in which rural livelihoods in the Global South are inter-linked with national and global governance and environmental issues

Skills:

The student is able to

  • apply real-world examples to illustrate theoretical perspectives from International Environment and Development Studies
  • apply agroecological methods and perspectives
  • evaluate interventions aimed improving rural livelihoods and reducing vulnerability
  • engage in practical work aiming at improving rural livelihoods

General competence:

The student has a general overview the principal environmental challenges, development concerns and climate change issues in the Global South, with emphasis on the agricultural sector , and an ability to evaluate and implement interventions building on agroecological principles aimed at improving rural livelihoods in a low-income country context.

  • Learning activities
    Short lectures and presentations by Tanzanian specialists and researchers will be given, with visits to key institutions and organisations. There will be group discussions, group activities og presentasjoner. The course includes field stay in village communities. The students will conduct a small group project to understand development in a local context.
  • Teaching support
    Lecturers from Sokoine University of Agriculture and NMBU will be involved inthe course, and are available during organized learning activities as well as outside teaching hours.
  • Assessment method

    The course has portfolio assessment. The portfolio includes: A group paper based on fieldwork, and an oral presentation of the paper contents, and continuous assessment of individual performance throughout the course.

    Grade: Pass/Fail.



  • Examiner scheme
    One internal and one external will participate in the assessment.
  • Mandatory activity
    Participation in all classroom activities, excursions, related lectures, and fieldwork.
  • Preferential right

    2nd year students in the B-IEDS programme, and students from M-IES, M-GDS and M-IR.

    Students who have attended EDS272 will not be prioritized.