Farming System approach. Classification and characterization of the faming systems in the Tropics. Household analysis. Participatory approach. Multi-criteria decision making analysis. Cost benefit analysis. Project cycle management. The logical framework approach.
Chambers R. 1992, Rural appraisal: rapid, relaxed and participatory, IDS Discussion Paper, 311 [online: http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/774/Dp311.pdf?sequence=1 ]
Darnhofer I., Gibbon D. and Dedieu B. (Eds) 2012. The farming systems approach into the 21st century: The new dynamic, Springer, Berlin
Doppler, W., & Calatrava, J. (Eds.). 2000. Technical and social systems approaches for sustainable rural development. In Proceedings of the 2nd European IFSA Symposium, Granada,Spain [online: www.ifsa-europe.org]
European Commission, 2004. Project cycle management guideline [online: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/multimedia/publications/publications/manualstools/t101_en.htm]
European Commission, 2014. Guide to COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS of investment projects. [online: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/studies/pdf/cba_guide.pdf]
Learning Objectives
The objective of the course is to enable the students to understand the principle of system analysis and to provide them with the skills needed to analyse the rural environment and identify solutions capable of improving the living conditions of the local communities.
By the end of the course, students shall become familiar with the tools needed to analyse the rural environment and formulate development projects.
Teaching Methods
Lectures and practicals
Type of Assessment
A test will be given halfway through the course to verify the knowledge acquired in the first part of the programme. Students who pass the mid-term test will be expected to take the final examination only on the second-part of the programme. Students who instead do not take the mid-term test or who fail to pass the test will be expected to take the final examination on the entire programme. Both the first test and the final examination will consist of a written test with open questions.
The evaluation will cover the ability to illustrate concepts, the ability of critical reasoning, and the competence in the use of specialized terms.
Course program
Farming System approach. Classification and characterization of the faming systems in the Tropics. Household analysis. Participatory approach. Multi-criteria decision making analysis. Cost benefit analysis. Project cycle management. The logical framework approach.