Interdisciplinary studies in relation to Food Systems – methodological

issues and concerns

J. Magid , and Andreas de NeergaardPlant and Soil Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Sciences; KVL

Key points

• The SLUSE Consortium

• Urban areas as ’Super Organisms’

• Agricultural production in a Rural – Urban Gradient (Kwa Zulu Natal)

• Delienating Urban Agriculture as a Food System?

Achievements (1998-2004):The foundation for teaching inter-disciplinary environmental courses has been set up in the three partner universities in Denmark and in the partner consortia in Malaysia, Thailand and southern Africa (MUCED, TUCED and SACUDE SLUSE).

SLUSE joint research programs have been set up in Malaysia, Thailand and southern Africa.

12 PhD students within SLUSE

In Denmark extensive course catalogues have been set up, and over 300 Danish students have taken or currently attend SLUSE courses at the three universities.

In Malaysia 100 students have gone or are going through the M.Sc. training, and of these about 70% were mid-career professionals.

The past 2 years have seen an intake of 50-60 students annually in SLUSE curricula in Thailand.

In southern Africa HRD programmes and educational and research activities are now being established in Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland.

www.sluse.dk

Capacity building and HRD

Scientists’ Fantasies?

and on problem orientation ?

Why this focus on interdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinary

Research- Staff- Students

Action Research- Agencies- Academics- Communities

ThesisDissertation-Graduate students

KNOWLEDGE

Academic Knowledge

Applied Knowledge

Academic Curriculum

Teaching

Training

Reports/Publications

Management Policy/Frame

work

Academic Qualification/Accreditation

Practical Intervention/Action Plans

Sustained Results of Land Use UtilizationRESEARCH

(Diagram developed jointly by SLUSE consortia partners)

Interdisciplinary

Research- Staff- Students

Action Research- Agencies- Academics- Communities

ThesisDissertation-Graduate students

KNOWLEDGE

Academic Knowledge

Applied Knowledge

Academic Curriculum

Teaching

Training

Reports/Publications

Management Policy/Frame

work

Academic Qualification/Accreditation

Practical Intervention/Action Plans

Sustained Results of RESEARCH

(Diagram developed jointly by SLUSE consortia partners)

Framework for Research-Based TeachingFramework for Research-Based Teaching

SLUSE adaptive model

Study area, in this case a watershed,

The SLUSE model in actionThe SLUSE model in actionStudent field-courseStudent field-course

ResearchResearch

GA & NGO activitiesGA & NGO activities

Continued research &Continued research &development of activitiesdevelopment of activities

where a number of related activities takes place

The importance of homegardens for household livelyhoods

Succes and failure of community projects

Land use and land distribution

The use and misuse of medicinal plants

From Liebig's book Agricultural Chemistry: The introduction of water-closets into most parts of England results in the loss annually of the materials capable of producing food for three and a half million people; the greater part of the enormous quantity of manure imported into England being regularly conveyed to the sea by the rivers ...like a vampire it hangs upon the breast of Europe, and even the world; sucking its life-blood.

Long-term trajectories for soil fertility

Time, years

0 20 40 60 80 100

Tot

al C

(t h

a-1

)

10

20

30

40

50

60CommercialCommunal

Time (years)

So

il C

(t h

a-1)

Century modelling of data from chronosequences in Zimbabwe

Harare 5E red clay

Zingore, Manyame, Nyamugafata and Giller (2002)

Agricultural production along a rural-urban gradient

MadlangalaUmbululu

Hammersdale

Downtown

Madlangala

Umbululu

Hammersdale

Development housing?

Typologies of urban farmingPrivate gardens

“Squatter farming”

Community gardens

Key points

• Extractive urban areas are rapidly changing the face of the earth (GEC)

• Food production (squatter / private / communal / commercial) in urban and peri-urban areas is a livelyhood issue (700 mio. people)

• Linkages to health (public and private) issues are crucial

What are the drivers

• Why do the urbanites use the soil so intensively (economics, health, livelyhoods) ?

• Does it make sense to study urban/peri-urban food systems (squatter commercial) ?

• Can urban areas be managed into becoming more benign (less extractive) superorganisms?