Feeding the Billions: Challenges of Food and Nutrition Security

There are 8.0 billion people to feed today, and this number is expected to increase to about 10 billion by 2050. More food is needed, and more food means more water for crops and livestock to grow. 

This course is evidence-based and addresses food and water challenges and innovative interventions from various disciplinary perspectives and socio-cultural contexts, using real-life examples. Interactive theoretical lecture sessions are alternated with debates, group work and a field visit. Students will benefit from discussions with their peers from different disciplinary backgrounds and countries of origin. At least five of the following topics will be covered:  

• Drivers of food and water security

• Food systems and trans-disciplinary research

• Water management in flood-prone areas and water-scarce areas

• Food (and water) prices and food economics

• Innovative interventions to feed the world more sustainably

We bring practice to the classroom by using real-life examples from the Netherlands and from projects in Africa and Southeast Asia. Assessment is based on student participation in an in-class debate and a group presentation.