Make more informed agricultural decisions as a farmer or policymaker

Economic thinking is vital in agriculture, as a farmer’s livelihood depends on the outcomes of their decisions. Governments also require economic information to make policy decisions on behalf of communities.

On this course, you’ll explore key economic principles that will help you to make sense of the changes that have occurred in agriculture and understand why different agricultural economic decisions have been made.

You’ll cover subjects like agricultural production methods, input levels, resource conservation, and sustainable agricultural production, as you consider how improved economic thinking can positively impact these areas.

What topics will you cover?

Explore the history of agricultural production and prices, and examination into the reasons behind changes in production and prices.
Develop understanding of water availability, peak phosphorus, herbicide resistance, and climate change.
Look at the relationship between inputs and outputs, the optimal level of an input, the question of pollution from inputs, and flat payoff functions.
Evaluate land conservation practices, weighing benefits and costs correctly and non-economic factors.
Discuss the importance of extending economics beyond the farm gate.
Discuss government policies that support agriculture, protect the rural environment, policies with problems and justifications for agricultural policy.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone with an interest in economic thinking for the agricultural sector.

It will be of particular interest to farmers, policymakers, and those who reside in rural communities with strong agriculture industries.

What do people say about this course?

A wonderful course indeed. Vital concepts in agricultural economics!

"A wonderful course indeed. Vital concepts in agricultural economics, environment and policy aptly explained. Recommended for anyone interested in getting a grasp of the subject. "

It really opened my eyes to the economics of resource management.

"After completing studies in Agriculture 20+ years ago, I found this course to be a great refresher and really opened my eyes to the economics of resource management."

Who developed the course?

The University of Western Australia

We’re a research-intensive university ranked in the world’s top 1% of academic institutions.

Established
1911
Location
Perth, Australia
World ranking
Top 90Source: QS World University Rankings 2020

What's included?

The University of Western Australia are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

Unlimited access to this course

Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes

Tests to validate your learning

A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible

Learning on FutureLearn

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Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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