ENVS 80F Introduction to Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems

Our current food system is unsustainable for the environment and unjust for the farmers, farmworkers, and consumers who depend on it. Course provides an interdisciplinary, experiential, and systems-focused introduction to agroecology and other approaches to advancing a more just and ecologically sustainable food system. Students will come to understand agroecology as a science for understanding agricultural ecosystems, as a farming practice, and as a social movement to change the way we produce and distribute/access food. Course examines many topics—including biological fertility and pest management, seeds, livestock raising, and aquaculture—from the perspective of both the natural and social sciences, leaving students with a perspective that transcends any particular academic discipline. Students gain hands-on experience with farming research, production, and food distribution happening across the UCSC campus farm and food system.