International Agriculture and
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Traditional Agriculture in Developing Countries
[CSS/IARD 403]
[Wednesday
S/U grading only. One credit course
 |
|
Today, perhaps over half of the
world's arable land is farmed by traditional farmers. They developed
sustainable agriculture practices which allowed them to produce food and fiber
for millennia with few outside inputs. Many of these practices have been
forgotten in developed countries but are still used by many traditional,
subsistence, or partially subsistence farmers in developing countries. The
course examines traditional systems from several disciplinary points of view.
What are some lessons that can be learned from these traditional systems that
would be applicable to today’s modern agriculture? Are the traditional systems
still sustainable within present day pressures of growing populations and need
for more production from less land and with pressures on natural resources and increasing
environmental concerns?
The aim of this agriculture
course is to enhance student knowledge about different traditional cropping
systems grown in different parts of the developing World and how these systems
could be useful for evaluating and improving present day agriculture. A number
of Cornell faculties with knowledge of different traditional cropping systems
in developing countries will be the main source for class lectures. Students
will be required to choose a topic of their choice and interest for a final
term paper at the end of the semester. The topic selected should be related to
some traditional agriculture system in the developing World.
Peter R Hobbs
Adjunct Professor, Department Crops and Soil Science
609 Bradfield Hall
254-7295; ph14@cornell.edu
Web site: http:\\www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/hobbs/index.htm
Office hours: Call or e-mail
me for an appointment
Professor Hobbs has lived and worked
with agricultural scientists and farmers in
Adjunct
Professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences (CSS) at Cornell from October 2002
CIMMYT representative and cropping systems agronomist for
CIMMYT
wheat systems agronomist in
IRRI rice-based cropping systems agronomist based in
OTHER FACULTY
- Dave Thurston. Professor Emeritus. Plant
Pathology Department. 319 Plant Science. 255-7835. hdt1@cornell.edu Taught this course for
many years prior to retiring
- David Bates. Professor Plant Biology
Department.218 Plant Sciences. 255-3155. dmb15@cornell.edu A specialist on “Ethno-botany” and familiar with the Ifugao tribes in the
- Alice Pell.Professor
Animal Sciences.325 Morrison Hall. 255-2876. ap19@cornell.edu A specialist on
animal pastoral systems in eastern
- Johannes Lehman. Assistant Professor Crops and
Soil Sciences.909 Bradfield Hall. 254-1236. cl273@cornell.edu A soils
specialist with expertise on black soils of the Amazon.
- Harold Van Es. Professor Crops and Soil
Sciences. 1005 Bradfield Hall. 255-5629. hmv1@cornell.edu A specialist in
soil physics and talks on the history of soil management.
- Tammo Steenhuis. Professor
Bio and Environmental Engineering. 206 Riley Robb. 255-2489. tss1@cornell.edu An irrigation
specialist with expertise in
The lectures should be 40 minutes
long leaving 15 minutes time for class discussion.
Two one hour classes are set aside in the term for discussions; preferably on
topics the students want to pursue
A short term paper is required for all students taking IA 403 for credit. The
paper should be 5-10 pages (double spaced) in length and should be related to
the theme of the course -- traditional agriculture in developing countries and
on a subject of interest to you.
Before you begin the work on your paper, the subject of your paper should be
approved by one of the Professors participating in the course. You may work
with and receive help or advice from any of the participating Professors. See
the list of faculty for details of the various instructors.
We prefer that you choose your own topic for this paper on a theme that
interests you or you have experience. There is a list of possible titles for
those that have trouble making a decision on a suitable topic. A database of
over 3,400 books and articles on traditional agriculture that can be searched
and would be useful to those of you looking for information on your term paper
subject can be found at http//:tapp.mannlib.cornell.edu This site is also
listed under the "External Links" button on the blackboard site
There are more resources and a photo database listed on the "External
Links" button in this web site. The papers are due on November 18th.
Assignments include:
- One final exam on a topic of student’s choice
that should be related to a traditional farming system in the developing
or even developed World.
- Participation in class discussions at the end of
each lecture and in the two classes set aside for discussion of topics of
interest to the student
Syllabus for 403 in Fall 2006 semester
|
Date |
Title/Topic |
Speaker |
|
30 August |
Traditional agriculture systems and plant disease management |
H. David Thurston |
|
6 September |
The ethno-botanical foundation of “traditional” systems |
David Bates |
|
13 September |
The Three Sisters farming system |
Jane Mt. Pleasant |
|
20 September |
Video "You Can't Eat Potential" |
Peter Hobbs |
|
27 September |
The discovery and implication of the ‘Tierra Preta’ systems in the Amazon |
Johann Lehmann |
|
4 October |
Rice in Deepwater – traditional deepwater rice |
Peter Hobbs |
|
7-11 October |
Fall break |
|
|
11 October |
Slash and Burn Agriculture |
Peter Hobbs |
|
18 October |
Raised bed systems and the use of organic matter including video on “The Chinampas of Mexico”. |
H. David Thurston |
|
25 October |
Pastoral Animal Systems |
Alice Pell |
|
1 November |
History of soil management |
Harold Van Es |
|
8 November |
Traditional irrigation systems |
Tammo Steinhuis |
|
15 November |
Tibetan traditional farming systems |
Peter Hobbs |
|
16 November |
Term paper is due |
|
|
22-27 November |
Thanksgiving |
|
|
29 November |
Discussions on the semester classes |
Peter Hobbs and other Professors |
| 2 December | End of classes |
A list of reading material
will be posted on the Blackboard web page and be held on reserve in Mann
Library (both e-reserve and course reserve). There are many sources of
information but no one text book is recommended for the course. The following
are some of the reading material suggested:
- Thurston, H. David. 1992. Sustainable Practices
for Plant Disease Management in Traditional Farming Systems. Westview, Boulder, CO. 279 pp. S470.S64.T76.1986
- Marten, G.G. (ed.) 1986 Traditional Agriculture
in
- Wilken, G.C. 1987. Good Farmers. Traditional
Agricultural Resource Management in
- King, F.H. 1926. Farmers of Forty Centuries.
Harcourt, Brace.
- Miracle, M.P. 1967. Agriculture in the
- Weatherwax, P. 1951. Indian Corn
in Old
- McHugh, O.V. et al. Can Integrated Watershed
Management bring greater food security in
http://www.tropag-fieldtrip.cornell.edu/Thurston_TA/Chapter14.html
http://www.tropag-fieldtrip.cornell.edu/Thurston_TA/Default.html
http://www.tropag-fieldtrip.cornell.edu/docthurston/smokinhome.html
http://odell.mannlib.cornell.edu/cupp/catalog/index.php?cPath=49
http://tapp.mannlib.cornell.edu
"You can't eat potential"
[Sasakawa-Global 2000 and Producer & Director:
Tony Freeth].
A documentary
program about the urgent need for agricultural development. "Food security, poverty reduction
and environmental protection all depend on the development of
agriculture....Does the world have the political vision to ensure that the
vast, untapped potential which exists is mobilized to avert the (food)
crisis?"
"The Chinampas" [University of California Extension Media Center]
"The Chinampas" is an Aztec term referring to a method of ancient Mesoamerican agriculture through floating gardens—small, rectangle-shaped areas of fertile arable land used for agriculture in the Xochimilco region of the Basin of Mexico. Chinampas were stationary artificial islands that are used for growing crops. Chinampas were used for most of the Pre-Columbian period in the central part of modern-day Mexico; it is estimated that food provided by chinampas made up one-half to two-thirds of the food consumed by the city of Tenochtitlán (modern-day Mexico City). Chinampas became less common after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, but some still exist. The word comes from the Nahuatl word chinamitl, meaning "square made of canes."
Grades for the course will be determined by the one
term paper and class participation in discussion sessions:
The course only offers a pass-fail, S/U option for this one credit course
No final exam. Instead a final term
paper is required based on a topic chosen by each student in discussion with a
member of the faculty teaching the course