The unit explores human population growth and the impending global food crisis by introducing agriculture as a managed ecosystem, from the earliest shifting cultivation systems to the most intensive systems currently practiced today. The ecological, economic and social sustainability of these systems is considered in relation to diversity, intensity of management and productivity. The unit...

Traditional approaches to food safety assurance are failing to keep up with the modern food industry. In response, and to harmonise international trade in food, food safety management is moving to a ...

Microorganisms, though invisibly small, collectively make up the majority of the living matter on Earth and have profound influences on many aspects of our lives. This unit will draw on contemporary, real-world examples to explore the influence and impact of microorganisms - both positive and detrimental - on human activities and aspirations. Students will be introduced briefly to the ecology and...

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms- how they work and their role in our world. Microorganisms encompass huge diversity and include bacteria, viruses, fungi and single-celled animals and algae. Although not visible to the naked eye, microorganisms have a profound effect on our world. They are fundamental to the basic nutrient and biogeochemical cycles that underpin life on Earth; they...

Value chain and supply chains are both concerned with the same activities: creating goods or services and delivering them to a customer. However, value chains describe this process in terms of how each business and its components adds value for the end-point consumer, and considers ways to increase this value, with the overall goal of increased business competitiveness. Whereas supply chains...