Module Content

Sub-Module 1: Definition; goals and scope of Natural Recourse management. Approaches and dimension of natural resource management. Strategies of natural resource exploitation.

Sub-Module 2: Natural resources types and origin, environment, resource and development; rational use of resources and concept of sustainable development. Community resource development, impact of population pressure on resource utilisation, administration and management of natural resource. 

Sub-Module 3: Resource economics and management. The Concept of Tragedy of Common in relation to Environmental Degradation; Cowboy and Spaceship Economy, Cost Benefit Analysis

Sub-Module 4: Consequences of misuse of resources; and the relationship between Population and Resource Management. Environmental conservation – Protection of nature and conservation of species.

Sub-Module 5: Conservation of agricultural landscape.  Case studies concerned with concepts of balanced approach to natural resources management will be explored. 

Sub-Module 6: Development of planning and management principles of natural resources and ecosystem subject to increasing development processes.

Sub-Module 7: Theories of efficient utilization of natural resources and current practices of use of resources, natural resources used in the economy, the value of natural resources to society, and the allocation of renewable and nonrenewable resources. Introduction to carbon economics.

Module Content

Sub-Module 1: Definition; goals and scope of Natural Recourse management. Approaches and dimension of natural resource management. Strategies of natural resource exploitation.

Sub-Module 2: Natural resources types and origin, environment, resource and development; rational use of resources and concept of sustainable development. Community resource development, impact of population pressure on resource utilisation, administration and management of natural resource. 

Sub-Module 3: Resource economics and management. The Concept of Tragedy of Common in relation to Environmental Degradation; Cowboy and Spaceship Economy, Cost Benefit Analysis

Sub-Module 4: Consequences of misuse of resources; and the relationship between Population and Resource Management. Environmental conservation – Protection of nature and conservation of species.

Sub-Module 5: Conservation of agricultural landscape.  Case studies concerned with concepts of balanced approach to natural resources management will be explored. 

Sub-Module 6: Development of planning and management principles of natural resources and ecosystem subject to increasing development processes.

Sub-Module 7: Theories of efficient utilization of natural resources and current practices of use of resources, natural resources used in the economy, the value of natural resources to society, and the allocation of renewable and nonrenewable resources. Introduction to carbon economics.

Course Content

For optimum utilization of available natural resources on a sustainable basis, timely and reliable information regarding their nature, extent and spatial distribution along with their potential and limitations is very important. The efficiency and accuracy of data are improved when remote sensing data products and GIS are used. Spatial tools such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) for storing and analysing spatial data can help us make better decisions in agriculture, land development, environmental protection and restoration. Specifically, this decision making tools can be used in the context of natural resource management, climate change monitoring and modelling; assessment of crop area extent, management of water resources, identification of pest attacks and diseases, yield assessment studies, land suitability assessment for agriculture disaster management and precision agriculture. Students will apply their new skills to real life case studies in topics on water resources management, agriculture, vegetation change analysis, crop monitoring, and risk assessment among others. This course will offer a mixture of lectures, demonstrations and hands-on exercises using open source GIS and RS software. Practical work forms the major part of the course

Overview and Objectives

The objectives of this course are practical oriented and allow students to: 

·        Understand the basic concepts of GIS and Remote Sensing, 

·        Understand Digital Image Processing Techniques 

·        Understand various integrations of GIS and RS for Natural Resources Management and Agriculture

·        Expose students to GIS and RS applications in Agriculture, Land Use and Soil Mapping and Water Resource management.

·        Understand Precision farming using GIS and RS for Crop management

·        Effectively communicate results to stakeholders

Objectives of the Module

1.      To introduce students to the principles of agricultural water management in sustainable food systems

2.      To train students on different water conservation technologies sustainable crop production under the changing climate

3.      To equip students with knowledge and skills that will enable them to design and select appropriate irrigation systems to ensure sustainable crop production

4.      To provide student with knowledge of drainage technology to mitigate water logging in irrigated fields.

5.      To introduce students to the basic issues associated with the impact of climate change on irrigation

6.      To introduce students to the socio-economic and environmental issues associated with irrigated agriculture

Objectives of the Module

1.      To introduce students to the basic concepts of environmental sustainability, circular economy and cleaner production

2.      To equip students with knowledge and skills for applying the principles of cleaner production in food systems

3.      To train students on agricultural waste management for sustainable food production

4.      To train students on the principles of bioresource technology for resource recovery and waste valorization

5.      To introduce students to farm structures (classification of farm structures, functions of farm structures. farmstead site selection and building arrangement). Building materials: wood/timber, steel, reinforced concrete and local materials (natural fibers, stones and earth material or soils).

Aim of the Module

This module is intended to expose the student to a holistic approach to animal improvement that is different from the reductionist disciplinary quantitative genetics approach that has dominated our thinking all this while. This is important to the African drylands when the

·      breeding aims and selection criteria of smallholder livestock farmers and pastoralists are taken into consideration in the design of breeding programmes. The student will be made to understand the difference between an “ideal” herd and an “ideal” animal in the context of animal improvement for sustainability in the African drylands.

·      The module will provide the student with insight into improvement in the productivity of animals through increased growth,power, carcass quality and reproduction, improved nutrition and feed utilization, improved quality and safety of animal source food, improved health and welfare of animals, and reduced waste through more efficient utilization of resources. This dimension is expected to take into consideration the

·      peculiarities of the animal production systems in the African drylands and properly integrate quantitative genetics and

·      animal biotechnology into the perception of community-based principal actors in the development of

·      sustainable participatory animal breeding programmes.

Aim of the Module

This module is intended to equip students with knowledge of the following:

1.      Desribe the components of natural, normal and rewarding behaviours in animals.

2.      Aquire skill to interpret  expression of normal, natural and rewarding behaviours as is related to good welfare.

3.      Identify animal stereotypical behaviours and poor animal welfare.

4.      Apply specie enrichments to encourage  good animal welfare.

5.      Integration of the concept of animal welfare to improve animal behavior

6.      Analyse the concept of ethics

Overview and Objectives

The aim of the module is to expose students to the use of cultivated forages with the potential to produce high-feed biomass of good nutritional quality and contribute to increasing livestock productivity. Moreso, as feed scarcity is the major constraint affecting livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa due to dwindling natural pasture lands, growing cultivated forages has increasingly become a necessity to supplement available feed resources. It will also expose students to the transition from free/open grazing to tethering of animals in restricted areas or backyards also demands the adoption of cut-and-carry feeding practices. The mixture of cultivated forages with crop residues is another strategy to improve the quality of the diet consumed by animals in the mixed farming system. The use of cultivated forages in the smallholder system, however, has remained very much limited, and its contribution to the overall feed biomass.

In addition to ruminants, this module will also address the utilization of cultivated forages for non-ruminant livestock species such as poultry and swine, highlighting their role in enhancing overall animal nutrition and productivity.

By the end of the module, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively incorporate cultivated forages into the diets of both ruminant and non-ruminant livestock, thereby contributing to sustainable livestock production systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

The objectives:

1. Introduce students to the significance of cultivated forages in alleviating feed scarcity challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.
2. Familiarize students with the cultivation techniques and management practices of high-quality forage species.
3. Explore the transition from traditional free/open grazing to controlled feeding methods like tethering and cut-and-carry systems.
4. Highlight the potential of incorporating cultivated forages with crop residues to enhance dietary quality in mixed farming systems.
5. Assess the current limitations and opportunities for integrating cultivated forages into smallholder livestock production systems.
6. Provide practical skills for the sustainable production and utilization of cultivated forages across various livestock species, including ruminants and non-ruminants.

Overview and Objectives

The vital nutrients that fertilizers provide to crops help them grow and produce more, making them an indispensable part of modern agriculture. But excessive fertilizer use can also result in greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and soil erosion, among other environmental problems. With an emphasis on balancing the demands of environmental preservation and agricultural productivity, this course delves into the intricate relationship between fertilizer use and environmental sustainability.

The objectives of this module are to:

i.                  Examine the global status and regional variability of fertilizer use

ii.                Assess contribution of greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer use

iii.              Identify the impact of nitrogen-based fertilizers on environment and human health

iv.              Outline the impact of phosphorus-based fertilizers on environment and human health

v.                Investigate the impact of potassium-based fertilizers on environment and human health

vi.              Identify strategies to mitigate negative impacts of fertilizer use in the environment and human fertilizers

vii.            Retrieve fertilizer use policies and regulations across the globe

Overview and Objectives

Global food security, sustainable agriculture, and profitable crop production all depend on an understanding of the mechanisms controlling plant growth and nutrition. This course explores the vital nutrients needed for plants to thrive healthily as well as the complex mechanisms driving plant growth and development.

This course will delve into the interesting field of plant biology, teaching participants about the environmental, physiological, and biochemical elements that impact plant development and nutrition. This course offers a thorough understanding of the stages of plant growth and the nutrients necessary for each, from seed germination to blooming and fruiting.

The objectives of this module are to:

i.                  Understand the chemical processes in soils that influence mineral nutrient availability.

ii.                Understand how mineral nutrients are taken up by plants, transported and assimilated by plants.

iii.              Develop an understanding of how the nutrient status of plants is diagnosed by soil and plant analysis and the strengths and weaknesses of different methods.

iv.              Acquire skills in sampling soil and plant tissues for routine analysis and diagnosis of nutrient status.

v.                Demonstrate skills in interpreting the results of soil and plant analyses.

vi.              Understand the role of mineral nutrients in the quality of the harvested product.

Objectives of the Module

1. To introduce students to the concepts of appropriate technologies in the production of major crops.

2. To equip students with knowledge of modern production techniques of some selected fruit, vegetable, cereal, legume root and tuber crops.

3.To state the postharvest loses of some selected fruit, vegetable, cereal, legume and root crops of dryland environment and ways of preventing such looses 

4.To enumerate the modern storage techniques of some selected fruit, vegetables, cereals, legumes and roots crops of the dry land environment

5. To appreciate the role of controlled-environmental food production techniques in agriculture

Objectives

The objectives of this module are to:

i.                  List the examples of various types of pests and diseases in crop production

ii.                Outline the losses caused by various pests and diseases in crop production

iii.              Enumerate the methods of managing pests and diseases in specific dry land crops

iv.              Explain  different types of integrated pest and disease management.

v.                Discuss the major advantages of integrated pest and disease management overother  methods of pest management.

Objectives

The objectives of this module are to:

i.                  Introduce students to the importance, concepts and components of soil.

ii.                Outline the types and processes of weathering of rocks and formation of soil.

iii.              Explain the physical and chemical properties of soil.

iv.              Describe the various soil resources and main soil types for agricultural production.

v.                Appraise different methods of soil conservation practices.

vi.              Identify different types of problem soils and outline their management strategies under different scenarios for profitable food production.

vii.            Introduce students to different strategies of managing soils under changing climate