Improving Agriculture: Sustainability
Sneak Peek
Self Paced 20-hour course to help you understand more about Improving Agricultural Sustainability.
Farming today has more potential for both success and failure than ever before.
If farms match what they grow to the location and resources available, a great deal can be achieved, but if not, a great deal of damage can be caused to the physical and economic resources of a property. This course helps you to better understand how to make better choices about what you farm and how you farm, in order to achieve greater longevity of the farming enterprise. It helps anyone who provides goods or services to farming, to understand their industry , identify opportunities and to better manage resources -human, financial, land and others.
Our 20 hour courses are self paced and will help you understand a topic in a short amount of time. You can work through the course when you like- test yourself with mini-tests along the way. There are extra case studies or research you can undertake if you would really like to get into the topic. Once you have completed the lessons and self assessment tasks, there is a final exam undertaken online- you can then download your personalised certificate.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Short-Course covers 11 lessons:
INTRODUCTION
LESSON 1 DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE
What to do
Know your Land
a) Evaluating a site
b) Land Carrying Capacity
c) Assessing Land Capacity
An Indication of Sustainability
LESSON 2 SUSTAINABLE CONCEPTS
Organic Farming
WHOLE Farm Planning
Systems Thinking In Sustainable AGRICULTURE
Permaculture
Minimal Cultivation
No Dig Techniques
Biodynamics
Crop Rotation
Seed Saving
Urban Farming
Hydroponics
Aquaponics
Vertical Farming
Environmentally Friendly Farming
LESSON 3 SOILS
Growing Media
Major Types of Soil Problems
Erosion
Salinity
Soil Sodicity
Soil Structural Decline
Soil Acidification
Build-up of Dangerous Chemicals
Adding Organic Matter
Cultivation Techniques
Plant Nutrition
Natural fertilizers
Soil Life
Earthworms
Mycorrhiza
Nitrogen Fixing
Composting
Guidelines for Using Compost
Mulches
General Rules for Mulching
LESSON 4 WATER MANAGEMENT
Water Usage
Methods of Water Storage
Rainwater Collection and Storage
Livestock Water Requirements
Problems with Water
Mosquitoes
Algal Blooms
Livestock Contamination
Water Quality
Water Saving Measures
Water Wastage
Reed Beds
Swales and Keylines
Irrigation Systems
Irrigation System Design
Maintenance Procedures and Scheduling
Innovations in Water Management
Surface or Flood Irrigation
Sprinkler Irrigation
LESSON 5 PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL
Use of Pesticides
Cultural Controls
Physical Controls
Sprays and Dusts
Biological Controls
Companion Plants
Legislation
LESSON 6 SUSTAINABLE WEED CONTROL & CULTIVATION
What is a Weed?
Ways to Control Weeds Without Chemicals
Check Soil Condition
Biological Weed Control
Chemical Control of Weeds
Herbicides
LESSON 7 FARM MANAGEMENT
Changing an Existing farm to a Sustainable property
New Farm Products
Pre-Planning
Monitoring and Reviewing the farm System
Socioeconomic Considerations
Production planning
Organic Certification Schemes
Contingencies and Seasonal variations
Planning for drought
LESSON 8 GROWING AND HARVESTING PLANTS
Selection Criteria for Plants
Grain and Other Broad Acre Crops
Row Crops
Cover Crops
Ways of Using a Cover Crop
Hay and Silage
Silage Production
Silage Timing
Quality Control
Hydroponic Fodder
LESSON 9 TREES, FODDER AND OTHER PLANTS
Agroforestry
Timber Trees
Fodder Trees
Windbreaks
Firebreaks
Habitat Corridors for Wildlife
Tree Planting Methods
LESSON 10 SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL MANAGEMENT
Possible Problems Of Livestock Production
Production Systems
Land Care Practices
Pastures
Sustainable Pasture Varieties
How Much Grazing?
Grazing Methods
Guidelines For Raising Different Livestock
LESSON 11 TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
Precision Agriculture
Machines And Tools
Drones
Wearable Technology
Robotics
Computer Technology
Fertilisers And Soil Conditioners
Chemical Pesticides and Herbicides
Soil Microbes
Biotechnology And Sustainable Agriculture
Modifying Organisms Genetically
Cloning
Nuclear And Isotopic Techniques
Problems For Biotechnology
FINAL ASSESSMENT
An ideal learning experience for anyone seeking to better understand "SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE":
- Fully online
- 20-hour, self-paced course
- Optional practical set tasks throughout
- Automated self assessment tests
- "Certificate of Completion" on achieving a 60% pass rate on a final assessment
How does this course work?
You can enrol at any time
Once you have paid for the course, you will be able to start straight away.
Study when and where you like. Work through at your own pace.
You can download your study-guide to your smart phone, tablet or laptop to read offline.
There are automated self-assessment tests you can complete at the end of each lesson. You can attempt these as many times as you wish and each time, upon completion, you can see your results. You will need internet access to complete the self assessment tests.
At the end of the course, you are presented with a large assessment which can be attempted online, anywhere, anytime. If you achieve a 60% pass in the exam; you immediately receive a downloadable certificate of completion with your name on it. If you do not achieve a 60% pass rate, you can contact us to re-sit your exam. ( email- admin@acs.edu.au )
Contact us at anytime if you have any issues with the course. admin@acs.edu.au