Course Code: C168

Course Title: Sustainable land management

College: SOAS CEDEP

Course Director: Laurence Smith

Course Description: This course explores the problem of ensuring the continued productivity of the world's land resources. This is a key issue for sustainable development affecting both the developed and developing world. Developing nations face the challenge of transforming traditional agricultural systems as they become less viable in the face of demand for land. Demand for land also threatens natural environments increasingly subject to encroachment for agriculture.

The intensification of agriculture generates sustainable development challenges for modern' farming systems also. These include excessive nutrient loading associated with use of inorganic fertilisers, toxicity problems caused by pesticides, and the salinisation of soils in irrigated systems.

The course begins by considering land use change arising from increased agricultural production and how these changes can lead to unsustainable land management practices. This leads to a general discussion of the range of possible causes of land degradation and the current state of knowledge on the global extent of land degradation.

This overview is followed by an introduction to soil science and an examination of principal degradation processes and their assessment. The units that follow consider land management problems in different agroecological zones and farming systems.

Finally the course considers the policy options for governments seeking to influence land management practices of farmers and other land users. In particular the relationship between poverty and environmental degradation is examined.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• describe the components of soil and important land degradation processes (erosion, nutrient depletion and salinisation)

• explain how multiple factors may lead to unsustainable land management practice and identify possible points of intervention for tackling land degradation problems

• give examples of successful strategies for sustainable land management in different ecological zones and farming systems and identify the biophysical and socio-economic factors related to their success

• discuss the complex relationship between poverty and environmental degradation

• examine the role of government intervention and policy in creating conditions for sustainable land management.

Assessment: Exam 100%

Course Credit: All SOAS CeDEP short course students receive a certificate of completion. Students of SOAS CeDEP Short Courses who may wish to transfer credit to Certificate, Diploma or Masters-level programmes are advised to select short courses which also act as Core Modules on CeDEP's various programmes.

Course Study Hours/Duration: 240 hrs over 35 weeks

Schedule of Availability: Feb - Oct (Enrolment deadline prior to Feb start - 30th November)

Delivery Mechanisms: Print; CD-Rom; Online Discussion

Cost: £960

How to apply: To enquire about applying for this course, or for any other information, please contact the Course Administrator using the online Enquiry Form below