Sustainability of Crop and Pasture Systems
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Post-graduate course
Sustainability of Crop and Pasture Systems
with application to agriculture
15-18 August 2024
Erhai Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Dali, China
Scope
Due to climate change and an ever-growing human pressure on the environment and its resources, the sustainability of crop and pasture systems is of increasing concern as this is the basis of feeding the world in the future. To get an understanding of how to enhance crop and pasture system sustainability, an interdisciplinary approach is urgently required, looking at different levels of integration (e.g., plant, crop, field, farm and region).
In this course we will investigate what key challenges lie in the domain of crop and pasture system sustainability and how these should be addressed. Mornings consist of short lectures and consequent discussions. Afternoons are spent on group assignments where each group of participants will be assigned to tackling a certain challenge in enhancing crop and pasture system sustainability, addressing agronomic, ecological and socio-economic aspects.
Outcomes of the course and group work will be presented at the 1st International Symposium on Sustainable Crop and Pasture Systems (SCPS) (August 19-24, 2024. Dali, China). The symposium comprises five themes:
- Plant-soil-microbiome interactions and resource use
- Plant and soil biodiversity for ecosystem functioning
- Sustainable crop and pasture systems: advantages and mechanisms
- Design, evaluation and implementation for sustainable cropping systems
- Sustainable cropping systems: implication for policy making
The main goal of this symposium is to bring together a diverse group of top researchers interested in the topic of sustainable crop and pasture systems to synthesize recent progress and publish a special issue (Plant and Soil); in addition, to jointly publish a perspective paper, summarizing key progress and future outlook from crop and pasture systems in a high-profile journal. Participants may also participate in this symposium.
Course set-up
- Poster carousel:
After the poster carousel there will be an introduction lecture in which the general principles of sustainable crop and pasture systems will be covered. Accordingly, each day starts with one or two lectures looking at the sustainability from different levels of integration (from plant to landscape) and interdisciplinarity. After each lecture, there is ample time for discussion in which participants discuss with the speaker the presented topic based on speaker’s lecture and a paper (s)he submitted and participants have read as preparation.
- Lectures and Discussion:
After the poster carousel there will be an introduction lecture in which the general principles of sustainable crop and pasture systems will be covered. Accordingly, each day starts with one or two lectures looking at the sustainability from different levels of integration (from plant to landscape) and interdisciplinarity. After each lecture, there is ample time for discussion in which participants discuss with the speaker the presented topic based on speaker’s lecture and a paper (s)he submitted and participants have read as preparation.
- Group work: Afternoons are spent on group work. Participants will work in groups of around 5 people and work on a challenge on sustainability of crop and pasture systems that have been brought forward by speakers of the course and symposium. The group activity is supervised / convened by the lecturers and course organizers. Output of the groupwork will be a slide presentation that groups will present at the end of the symposium
International Symposium on Sustainable Crop and Pasture Systems (SCPS)
After the course participants attend this symposium in which they will also present the output of the course.
Research visit (Beijing, Science & Technology Backyards Living Lab)
After the symposium participants travel to Beijing where they will visit research facilities of China Agricultural University, amongst other the Science & Technology Backyards Living Lab. On the last day there will be an option to visit the Great China Wall.
Lecturers to the course
- Hans Lambers
- Peng Yu
- Rui-Peng Yu
- Wopke van der Werf
- Thomas Wanger
- Kristian Thorup-Kristensen
- Wen-Feng Cong
Course Organisers:
- Wenfeng Cong (China Agricultural University)
- Claudius van de Vijver (Graduate School Production Ecology and Resource Conservation (PE&RC), the Netherlands
- Hans Lambers (University of Western Australia, Special chair China Agricultural University)
Programme:
| Thursday 15 August: Introduction, Concepts, and challenges in sustainability of cropping and pastoral systems | |
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Welcome / Introduction to the course (Wen-Feng Cong / Claudius van de Vijver) |
| 9:30 - 10:30 | Poster Carrousel |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Break |
| 11:00 - 11:30 | Poster Carrousel continued |
| 11:30 - 12:30 | Intro lecture and discussion on concepts and challenges in sustainability of crop and pasture systems (Hans Lambers) |
| 12:30 - 14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 – 16:00 | Intro to Groupwork/ forming of groups / and first steps (Claudius van de Vijver) |
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Groups present their plan of action |
| 17:00 – 18:30 | Drinks and free time |
| 18:30 – 19:30 | Dinner |
| Friday 16 August: Bio-physical components | |
| 7:30 – 8:30 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 – 9:45 | Lecture 1: Themed on mechanisms related to plant-soil-microbe interactions and resource use (Peng Yu, to be confirmed) |
| 9:45 - 10:15 | Discussion |
| 10:15 – 10:45 | Break |
| 10:45 - 11:30 | Lecture 2: Themed on mechanisms underlying crop diversity benefits (Rui-peng Yu) |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Discussion |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 - 17:00 | Groupwork |
| 17:00 – 18:00 | Drinks |
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Dinner |
| 19:00 - | Free evening / reading of papers / group discussion |
| Saturday 17 August: Managing for sustainability at different spatial scales | |
| 7:30 – 8:30 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 – 9:45 | Lecture 1: Themed on sustainability of cropping systems and natural habitats in farm and landscape (Wopke van der Werf) |
| 9:45 - 10:15 | Discussion |
| 10:15 – 10:45 | Break |
| 10:45 - 11:30 | Lecture 2: Themed on Sustainable Agricultural Systems & Engineering across scales (Thomas Wanger, to be confirmed) |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Discussion |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 - 17:00 | Groupwork |
| 17:00 – 18:00 | Drinks |
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Dinner |
| 19:00 - | Free evening / reading of papers / group discussion |
| Sunday 18 August: Synthesis: Designing for sustainability | |
| 7:30 – 8:30 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 – 9:45 | Lecture 1: Themed on designing root-based sustainable crop or pasture systems (Kristian Thorup-Kristensen, to be confirmed) |
| 9:45 - 10:15 | Discussion |
| 10:15 – 10:45 | Break |
| 10:45 - 11:30 | Lecture 2: Themed on designing cropping system structure for agriculture green development (Wen-Feng Cong) |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Discussion |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 - 15:00 | Finalising groupwork |
| 15:00 – 17:00 | Group presentations and final adjustments for the symposium presentation |
| 17:00 - 18:00 | Closing of the course/ Drinks |
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Dinner |
International Symposium on Sustainable Crop and Pasture Systems (SCPS) and research visit
| Date | Activity |
| Monday 19 August | Start-up and welcome |
| Tuesday 20 August | Theme 1: Plant-soil-microbiome interactions and resource use ; Theme 2: Plant and soil biodiversity for ecosystem functioning |
| Wednesday 21 August | Theme 3: Sustainable cropping and pasture systems: advantages and mechanisms ; Theme 4: Design, evaluation, and implementation for sustainable cropping systems |
| Thursday 22 August | Excursion: Erhai Field & Landscape Visit/td> |
| Friday 23 August | Theme 5: Sustainable cropping systems at landscape and regional scales ; Synthesis, initiation of Global Network of SCPS and closing ceremony |
| Saturday 24 August | Departure to Beijing/td> |
| Sunday 25 August | Visit Science & Technology Backyards Living Lab |
| Monday 26 August | Visit Great Wall |
| Tuesday 27 August | Travel back home |
General information
| Target Group | PhD candidates or junior researchers |
| Course duration | 4 days, followed by the Symposium Sustainable Crop and Pasture Systems (SCPS) and a 2 day visit to research facilities in Beijing |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Number of credits | 3 ECTS |
| Prior knowledge | Qualified English level and participants must have insight in agronomic processes at PhD level |
| Location | Erhai Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Dali, China |
Fee
The course and symposium are free of charge for all International PhD’s provided that they are present for the complete duration of the course, symposium and working visit. Moreover, PE&RC and WIMEK PhD participants receive a € 300,- support to cover air fair expenses.
For more information and registration contact:
Claudius van de Vijver (PE&RC) (claudius.vandevijver@wur.nl)