This course will provide students with broad underpinning knowledge of practices and systems of the Australian agricultural sector. This course is intended to provide breadth of systems knowledge to allow students of a range of knowledge domains to come together and apply their knowledge in an agricultural context. It will focus on the interface between domain knowledge relevant to the modern agricultural system.  Students will gain an understanding of the complex ecological and biophysical processes and interactions between climate, soils, crop plants, livestock, and management systems. A range of land management issues are examined, with students developing the skills to design and implement improved farming systems to address these issues in the context of barriers to adoption, and key enablers of practice change.

This course is co-taught with undergraduate students but assessed separately.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Apply an understanding of key concepts to the modern agricultural system.
2. Integrate knowledge of production systems to view Australian agrifood as a system.
3. Critically review literature and 'real life' examples of agricultural production in context as a system.
4. Effectively interpret and critique agricultural data using standard analytical and communication techniques, and communicate key information about agri systems to a range of audiences.
5. Apply holistic thinking on course topics, in the context of real-world challenges.