Courses -Sustainability

Duration: 100 Hours (you study at your own pace).

COURSE STRUCTURE

There are eight lessons in this module as follows:

1.Introduction: Scope & Nature of Sustainability.

2.Soils

3.Water

4.Land care: Weed control, Tree Management, Pest and Disease, Fire, etc.

5.Financial Sustainability

6.Broad Management Strategies

7.Enterprise Selection & Management: Plants

8.Enterprise Selection & Management: Animals

COURSE AIMS

·Understand the broad possibilities for improving sustainability on farms.

·Understand how to avoid serious degradation of soils on a farm through sustainable management.

·Understand the broad possibilities for improving sustainability on farms.

• Understand how to avoid too serious degradation of soils on a farm through water management.
• Understand Economic Rules that apply to a farm Enterprise.
• Crop management techniques for sustainability.
• Minimising degradation through planning and management.
• Evaluate the financial viability and potential of animal enterprises.

WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE

·Investigate whether an organic certification scheme operates in your country, and if so, find out what is involved currently in attaining that certification for a farm.

·Obtain either literature or advice relating to the management to soil degradation in your locality.

·Identify the most important issues that farmers need to address in a region within approximately 100 km( or 50 miles ) of your home; in order to remain financially viable over the next two decades

·Distinguish between hydroponics, permaculture, biodynamics and certified organic farming.

·Identify a farm situation where it might be appropriate to convert to either permaculture, biodynamics or certified organic system.

·Suggest what might need to be done

·What is being done to improve sustainability of agriculture in the region, country or state of your choice.

·Obtain information from your local government department or irrigation supply company. Find out what the local water quality is like and how it was measured.

·Explain how you can test your local water supply for contaminants. What contaminants were found? eg. Bacteria, heavy metals, silt etc.

·Outline how can these contaminants be removed from the local water supply  eg.  filtration, chemicals, etc.

·Identify cost effective means by which contamination can be prevented.

·Identify types of water catchment in your local area ?  eg.  dams, stream, creeks, etc.

• Find out what types of conservation are being practiced in your local area.
• Outline methods of pest control being practiced in your area
• Describe methods of weed control used in your area.
• Identify and describe any natural control methods being used in your area.
• Research tourism activities are available in your local area.
• Investigate planning and advisory services in your local area.
• Investigate existing animal enterprises in your local area and the economic impact.

To Enrol in the UK, Africa or Middle East Click here

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