The Future of Farming: Exploring Climate Smart Agriculture
How can we adapt farming to an uncertain future? Could the answer be Climate Smart Agriculture? Find out with this free course.
Duration
3 weeksWeekly study
3 hours
The Future of Farming: Exploring Climate Smart Agriculture
Other courses you might like
This course isn't running right now. We can email you when it starts again, or check out these other courses you might like.
Browse more in Nature & Environment
Can Climate Smart Agriculture help farming meet the challenges of climate change
Global warming is a reality so it’s vital our societies and industries respond to the changing climate. Can farming meet this challenge?
Explore the principles and practical applications of Climate Smart Agriculture: mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, adaption to climate change and stable or increased food production in the context of European dairy farming and wine production.
How does farming impact on global warming and greenhouse gases? What are the barriers to adopting CSA and how can these be addressed?
What topics will you cover?
Week 1:
- Climate change and greenhouse gases
- The interactions between climate change and agriculture
- Food security
- Climate smart agriculture; history, principles and examples
- Different views on the food production system
Week 2:
- The basics of milk production, cow husbandry, digestion and herd management
- Greenhouse gas emissions and the possibilities for reducing them, within dairy farming
- The importance of plants for our atmosphere
- Other forms of sustainable farming
- Possible options for reducing energy consumption
Week 3:
- The basics of wine production
- General, sustainable crop management practices
- Problems for the wine industry created by climate change
- Possibilities for adapting the wine industry to climate change
- Examples of how data can be used to help make decisions in agriculture
- Critical views regarding climate smart agriculture
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.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Investigate the interactions between climate change and agriculture, including basic facts about the effects of climate change and the most important greenhouse gases
- Describe the principles of climate smart agriculture, in particular the three pillars of mitigation, adaptation and productivity
- Explore the basics of milk and wine production, possible future problems in these sectors and how they can be subject to adaptation and mitigation
- Discuss the complexity of food production systems, why it can be difficult to implement climate smart agriculture and other forms of sustainable farming, and how the effects can be measured
- Reflect on how consumer behaviour, policies and regulations, and financial aspects influence the adoption of climate smart and other sustainable practices
Who is the course for?
There are no special requirements for this course. It will be of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about modern food production, farming and environmental challenges.
Who will you learn with?
I am an animal scientist, with a particular interest in nutrition, metabolism, and behaviour of animals, as well as agriculture.
I am an academic interested in effects of climate change on agriculture and forestry. I specialise in studying ecosystem productivity, carbon cycling and the link between diversity and stability.
I am a post-doctoral researcher with a background in plant physiology, agronomy, and agricultural economics. I work mostly on sustainable farming, as well as issues of healthy and sustainable diets.
Who developed the course?
University of Reading
The University of Reading has a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and enterprise.
Endorsers and supporters
supported by
supported by
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn
Learner reviews
Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.
Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...
You can use the hashtag #FLFutureofFarming to talk about this course on social media.