Trends & Issues in the World Food System

Constantly evolving market forces, socioeconomic trends local, national and international policies and unexpected shocks transform food systems in diverse and complex ways. An important aim of this course is to explore, research, and analyse how trends and issues in the world food system impact on businesses, global corporations, households, producers, retailers, consumers and governments. Current issues that we address may include pandemics, economic development, growth, trade, climate change, technology, food safety, nutrition, health, diet, intellectual property rights, resource management, finance, retail markets and risk. This course requires students to learn how to analyse and evaluate these issues using core concepts from systems thinking and economic principles. Students will be required to assess an issue, transform it into an economic question, and then analyse it. This will require students to examine the connection between the diverse parts and the whole of a particular issue. This will encourage an understanding of how issues impact on different economy structures (free-market, and command and control) and different economic and social issues (e.g. inequality and gender issues). The course is designed to help students write effectively and communicate their ideas with clarity.