Course Coordinator: 

Name:	Dr. Alexandra Peralta
Email:	alexandra.peralta@adelaide.edu.au
Location:	Nexus 10 - Level 5
Phone:	8313 1783
Consultation Hours:	TBA

Lecturer from week 2 to 5: 

Name:	Dr. Jayanthi Thennakoon
Email:	jayanthi.thennakoon@adelaide.edu.au
Location:	Nexus 10 - Level 5
Phone:	8313 6226
Consultation Hours:	TBA

Students should acquire the facts, skills, and problem solving abilities to:

1. Understand and become familiar with the concepts of economic growth and economic development, their differences and importance for policy.
2. Understand the concepts of poverty and inequality, and interpret how they are measure and how they evolve in time.
3. Examine world agricultural trade patterns, the role of emerging economies and the changes in world agricultural trade systems.
4. Explore the role of globalization and the impacts of trade policy, and foreign aid on economic development.
5. Identify components of agricultural development strategies.
6. Compare the basic characteristics of agricultural systems around the world and how they have changed.
7. Identify potential solutions to current world development issues.
8. Understand and become familiar with the role of human capital and gender roles in agriculture.
9. Identify the characteristics of land, labour, inputs and credit markets in agriculture, and the role of risk and uncertainty on farmers’ decision-making.
10. Become familiar with the basics of conducting impact evaluation of development programs.
11. Apply concepts learned during the course to analyse case studies and particular problems.

The required and suggested readings for the class are listed in the class readings list. Students are expected to read all required readings before class, and prepare for class discussion. The suggested readings list is provided for students who want to gain in depth understanding of the class topics. During the course some readings may be changed or added. Students will be notified with anticipation of these changes so they can prepare for class.

Textbooks:

Norton, G. W., Alwang, J., & Masters, W. A. (2014). Economics of Agricultural Development: World Food Systems and Resource Use (3 edition). New York: Routledge.

Todaro, M. P. & Smith, S. (2015). Economic Development 12th Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

These books are available at the University of Adelaide library.

Journal articles and peer reviewed journals. Some recommended peer review journals are Agricultural Economics, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Food Policy, World Development, Global Food Security. Some websites with working papers and policy briefs include http://repec.org/, http://ideas.repec.org/, http://econpapers.repec.org/, International Food Research Policy Institute IFPRI (www.ifpri.org), World Bank (www.worldbank.org) Human Development Report (http://hdr.undp.org/en). Resources are not limited to these ones, newspaper articles and research centre working papers are additional excellent sources of information.

Information on resources to be accessed from the Library (including specialist libraries at the Waite and Roseworthy campuses, and in Law and Music. If relevant provide the contact details of the relevant subject librarian).

Study/essay writing/referencing guides that may be available at the Discipline/School/Faculty level. There are often particular Discipline-related conventions for the presentation of work.

The course makes extensive use of MyUni for purposes including the posting of lecture notes, and important announcements. It is expected that all students will regularly check the MyUni course website, and regularly check their university email accounts.

https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/webapps/login/

Students are required to attend all lectures. The material is cumulative and intensive, so it is highly undesirable to miss any lecture.

Lectures will follow a seminar format followed by class discussion. Class discussion will focus on concepts and problems raised in weekly readings. Each week at tutorials students will make short presentations and help guide the discussion.

The tentative lecture schedule is presented below. Any major changes to this schedule will be announced in class and on MyUni.



 
 

Not applicable

Assessment for this class is in the form of assigned policy briefs, papers, student presentations, class participation and a final examination. There will not be any exemption from any of these components on account of previous studies or under any circumstances. In other words, you are required to submit all policy brief and paper, make presentations by the specified due date or you will not receive full credit for the policy brief, paper or presentation.

Policy brief	20%
Paper	20%
Presentations	15%
Class participation	10%
Final examination	35%
Total	100%

Not applicable

(i) Policy brief

Students will submit a policy brief for the first assessment. The lecturer will post the topic of the policy brief and guidelines during the second week. An example policy brief will be discussed during the tutorial of that week. Students will be given three weeks to complete the task. A template will be provided and you are expected to use it and follow the provided instructions, otherwise penalties apply.

The policy brief should contain a cover letter with the class title student name, student id, and date of submission. References should follow the American Psychological Association (APA) format and the list of references should be presented at the end of the paper policy brief. The four-page (04) limit, excluding cover letter and references, is strict. Each additional page will reduce your grade by 20%.

Policy brief should be double spaced, with 2.6 cm margins, font size 12, Times New Roman or Times, in A4 size paper.

This is an individual assignment, you can discuss with your classmates about the topic of the policy brief/paper, but you should write your own and turn it individually.

(ii) Paper

Students will turn one five-page (05) paper during the semester. This papers will respond to a question that will be posted by the lecturer, and students will be given three weeks to complete the assignment. The paper is expected to be analytical, rather than a summary of journal articles or class contents, supporting their discussion with relevant references and/or citations. The paper should focus on broad issues rather than on specific details, show your understanding of the concepts presented in the class and how they relate to the question for the paper assignment. Students will have three weeks to complete the task.

The paper should contain introduction, analysis and conclusions. A cover letter with the class title, referring to the assignment, your name, student id, and date should accompany the assignment. References should follow the American Psychological Association (APA) format and the list of references should be presented at the end of the paper. The five-page (05) limit is strict, exclusive of cover letter, graphs, tables, and references. Graphs and tables should be use sparsely, and only with the aim to help you make your point, they should be listed at the end of the paper, and you should indicate their location in the text. Each additional page will reduce your grade by 20%. Paper should be double spaced, with 2.6 cm margins, font size 12, Times New Roman or Times, in A4 size paper.

This is an individual assignment, you can discuss with your classmates about the topic of the policy brief/paper, but you should write your own and turn it individually.


(iii) Presentations

Presentations will start on Lecture 2. For each class, students should be prepared for a five to ten minute presentation (depending on enrolment) about the topic of the class. Students are expected to read and critically present the material. Some examples include discussing a country case related to the class topic, discussing a recent research paper you have read on the related topic, discussing a possible solution/critique for an issue/concept related to the lecture etc. Presenters will be assigned at the beginning of the semester (number of students presenting per class to be determined on Lecture 1), and each student will present at least twice (depending on enrolment) during the semester. The main objective of the presentation is to (1) raise interesting topics for discussion and (2) to practice short presentation skills. You should write one (01) page A4 paper, one side, double space, with 2.6 cm margins, font size 12 Times New Roman/Times with a short summary if your presentation. The criteria for marking the presentations and to provide feedback to presenters will be provided at the beginning of the semester.

Students in the audience are expected to listen politely, take notes of interesting points, and to actively participate in discussion.

Lecture 1 tutorial will be use for planning tutorials, determine how many students will present per class, and provide explanations about the policy brief/paper and other class activities.

(iv) Participation points

After each presentation students in the audience will get together to briefly discuss the presentation to write questions to the presenters (number of questions to be determine). The questions will be collected and mark according to their quality (marking criteria will be provided). We will have two class activities where attendance will be required. Quality of questions and attendance to class activities count for your participation points. 

(iv) Final examination

• The final exam will be at a venue and date to be announced.
• The exam will assess all topics covered throughout the course.
• Lecture notes, tutorial discussion, and readings are the main references.
• Further details will be announced on MyUni.

Policy brief and paper should be submitted printed on the assigned drop box by 5:00 pm the day of the deadline and sent electronically through Turnitin by 5:00 pm the day of the deadline. Policy brief/paper turned after the deadline will not be accepted. Medical and compassionate reasons will be considered, students should notify the lecturer before the deadline to make arrangements. The lecturer reserves the right to change the policy brief/paper assignment for students that cannot turn their papers on the deadline because of medical or compassionate reasons. Medical and compassionate reasons will be considered, students should notify the lecturer to make arrangements.

Policy brief deadline                         TBA

Paper deadline                                  TBA
You must be present the date you are presenting, otherwise you lose presentation points. The opportunity to present another time will only be granted under medical and compassionate reasons, other reasons may be considered ONLY if communicated with anticipation to the lecturer.