Course Objective

After successfully completing this course, students will:
• have a broad understanding of the concept of Food and Nutrition
Security (FNS);
• be able to identify, calculate and interpret basic indicators for FNS
and judge their relevance;
• be familiar with and understand the challenges to achieve FNS;
• be familiar with and understand the challenges posed by FNS failure
for societies and individuals;
• be familiar with and understand the rationale for possible
interventions to improve FNS.

Course Content

Food and nutrition security is a critical input for the functioning and
wellbeing in any society. At the same time, food and nutrition security
remains far from guaranteed with more than 700 million people being
undernourished and another billion people suffering from a lack of
vitamins and minerals. In this course you will first develop a broad and
deep understanding of the concept of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS),
both historically and
contemporaneously. Next, the course will analyze challenges to ensure
food and nutrition security for all now and in the future as well as
challenges posed for societies and individuals by food and nutrition
insecurity.

Teaching Methods

Lectures and workgroups

Method of Assessment

Exam (60%), assignments (30%), presentation (10%)

Entry Requirements

There is no formal entrance requirement for the minor Global Food
Security Studies, and hence also not for this course. We specifically
aim for a diverse group as we strongly believe that interdisciplinary
research is best taught through active interaction between students from
different disciplinary backgrounds. However, we expect that this course
is especially of interest to students of economics, social sciences and
health sciences. The minor is a university minor which implies that VU
students do not need to ask for permission from the Examination Board to
acquire the credits for courses for their own BSc degree.

Literature

To be announced

Target Audience

The minor Global Food Security Studies and hence also this course is
open for students from all majors who want to acquire familiarity with
the core principles of global food security and interdisciplinary
methods. We are particularly interested in students who wish to
contribute to food security through rigorous interdisciplinary knowledge
production. The international staff that teaches in this minor program
conducts research in a variety of regions around the globe. This holds
great appeal to students who are keen to understand the diversity and
similarity in problems and solutions related to food (in)security.

Additional Information

Part of minor Global Food Security

Custom Course Registration

To register you should enroll through VUnet. Registration is open from mid-July. Early registration is recommended. Students without access to VUnet should enroll as secondary course students ('bijvakstudent'). More information can be found on this page: Dutch information about the application procedure > English information about the application procedure >