NES8103 : Assessing Agricultural Production Systems
NES8103 : Assessing Agricultural Production Systems
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Dave George
- Lecturer: Dr Hannah Davis, Dr Ankush Prashar, Professor Neil Boonham, Mr James Standen
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
The overall aim of this module is to provide the knowledge and skills required to assess and appraise
agricultural management in practice, with particular emphasis on evaluating 'sustainable' production
approaches.
Utilising pre-existing research and commercial platforms at NU Farms, students will investigate and
appraise crop, livestock and soil systems, considering how aspects of precision agricultural
technology can be used to inform assessments and practices.
The module will investigate the impact of farming systems on crop/animal performance and
environmental and welfare gains.
Outline Of Syllabus
1. An overview of rotational design and soil management, and of livestock production
2. General field experiment design and data gathering.
3. Crop and livestock sampling techniques.
4. Soil sampling and processing techniques.
5. Overviews of different management systems in situ at NU Farms related to arable crops and
livestock.
6. The role of Precision Agricultural Technology and agri-technology in supporting on-farm
assessments and practices.
7. Data analysis and reporting
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
By the end of the module the students are expected to be able to recognise and explain:
1. Key attributes of crop and livestock systems
2. Key 'sustainability' metrics of importance to crop, livestock and soil systems.
3. The benefits and challenges of implementing 'sustainable' agriculture approaches in crop and
livestock systems.
4. The role of agri-technology and precision agriculture technology is assessing and driving
'sustainable agriculture'
5. The importance of 'soil health' to farming systems.
Intended Skill Outcomes
At the end of the module, students should be able to:
1. Develop detailed sampling plans to assess 'sustainability' metrics in crop, livestock and soil
systems.
2. Assess the risks of sampling in on-farm environments and carry out sampling in a safe manner.
3. Incorporate precision agriculture and agri-tech approaches in in-field sampling.
4. Identify the major arable crop and livestock species and the challenges to their production (e.g.
diseases, pest and weed problems) and their impact on crop yield and quality.
5. Design a sustainable crop rotation or livestock management plan.
6. Demonstrate intellectual and key skills: i.e. oral and written communication; gathering and critical
analysis of information (e.g. scientific literature) and data, problem solving; computer software
application; teamwork etc. developed within the continuous assessment programme.
7. Integrate information gained from this module and others to enable them to apply them in practice
and deal with a range of challenging questions (professional/subject specific skill).
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 6:00 | 6:00 | Presentation Preparation |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 18 | 2:00 | 36:00 | Lectures on core module material by teaching staff and visiting speakers |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 0:30 | 0:30 | Completion of oral presentation |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Report preparation – research, reading, formulation, writing. |
Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 18 | 2:00 | 36:00 | Writing up lecture notes and consolidation of learning |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 8 | 2:00 | 16:00 | Student led seminar presentations / discussions based on oral presentations |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 5 | 6:00 | 30:00 | Field visits and seminar presentations at local organic arable and livestock producers |
Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Student research of materials beyond taught content |
Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 15:30 | 15:30 | Write up of visit and practical notes and consolidation of learning |
Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
• Lectures deliver the basic knowledge needed by students to understand the principles underlying the livestock
and cropping systems utilized in the module.
• Small group activities (i.e. field sampling) provides an opportunity for students to extend and critically
assess lecture and published material and information acquired through their own reading, with information
presented by student groups, and to develop and practice key skills such as team-work, communication and
presentation, questioning leading practitioners and experts and information technology applications.
• Fieldwork and planned field trips will be a demonstration of current practice and involve discussion of
pragmatic solutions to commercial problems.
• The interactive learning environment Canvas will be used to encourage discussion among the students and with
the lecturer. Canvas will also be used to provide links to supplementary material that will enhance the
students’ understanding of the course material.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oral Presentation | 30 | 2 | M | 20 | Assessed group presentation on allocated topic regarding sustainable production systems |
Other Assessment
Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Report | 2 | M | 80 | Individual report on a scenario based problem involving qualified decision making (max. 4000 words) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The module investigates a range of agronomic sub-systems (livestock production, arable crop production, soils, precision agriculture, and the interaction between) within the complex of overall, integrated management systems.
The assessed oral presentation and report are appropriate ways of assessing the students’ combination of
knowledge and understanding acquired over the programme of lectures, practicals, fieldwork and visits. These are
designed to assist, enhance and promote the learning experience and develop key skills in an integrative/holistic rather than compartmentalised manner, by focusing learning around hands-on activities undertaken in 'real world' test platforms at NU Farms.
The students are permitted to frame the circumstance of their report in accordance with their intended progression - many of the candidates intending to apply their learning in practice post gradation. The scenarios are applicable to the students’ ambition, which are geographically diverse.
The presentation is the opportunity for the students to justify the content of their proposals in an interactive
conference. The presentations take place in advance of the report submission and as a consequence are a live test of the reasoning in the report, the audience being invited to query the cognitive and pragmatic aspects of the proposal that will cause the presenters to consider their rational.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES8103's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- NES8103's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
Welcome to Newcastle University Module Catalogue
This is where you will be able to find all key information about modules on your programme of study. It will help you make an informed decision on the options available to you within your programme.
You may have some queries about the modules available to you. Your school office will be able to signpost you to someone who will support you with any queries.
Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.