AGRIBUS 7054 - Global Food & Agricultural Policy Analysis

North Terrace Campus - Trimester 2 - 2020

Policies affecting agricultural and food businesses are examined using an economic framework and an international perspective. Students develop a solid understanding of the agricultural and food policy environment, the policy formulation process, and the role, rationale and economic consequences of government intervention in food and agricultural markets. They will develop the skills and working knowledge necessary to critically assess current and potential changes to domestic and global agricultural and food policy, trade policy, environmental and natural resource policy, and market regulations. Basic economic theoretical concepts and analytical tools are used to deal with the policy issues being discussed. For example, students will gain experience conducting cost benefit analyses using various policy instruments and programs. Each topic is motivated by a current or emerging issue facing the food and agricultural sectors of the economy.

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Course Details

Course Code	AGRIBUS 7054
Course	Global Food & Agricultural Policy Analysis
Coordinating Unit	Centre for Global Food & Resources
Term	Trimester 2
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Taught as an Intensive
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Assessment	Assignments and Exam

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Alexandra Peralta

Lecturer in Charge: Dr. Alexandra Peralta
Email: alexandra.peralta@adelaide.edu.au
Location: North TCE Campus Office: 5.20 Nexus10 Tower
Office Hours: Friday 1-2 pm.

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

This course will demonstrate how economists tackle a range of policy-related issues that are relevant to food and agricultural businesses. Economics is often divided into two streams: microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics deals with how individuals and firms choose to allocate scarce resources, how markets work and how government intervention may affect market processes and firms in the market. Macroeconomics deals with the “big” picture; for example, national output and employment. We will deal with policy issues from both fields, but we will focus mostly on microeconomic issues.

When it comes to policy issues, there are often no “right” answers, but economic principles and concepts are useful for analysing and comparing the social impacts of different policy scenarios. Basic theoretical tools are introduced as required to deal with the issues being discussed. In the process students are exposed to a large number of economic concepts and analytical tools, and to the “language” of economists. After learning the “basics”, these new skills are utilized to examine the potential economic impacts of different policy instruments that might be used to deal with current issues facing agricultural and food markets. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to professionally communicate with economists in a variety of situations, for example when they are working with government officials, as consultants, or simply when they are attempting to assert their opinion in related forums.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Demonstrate practical applications of policy analysis related to agriculture and food value chain issues
Discuss the economic and political feasibility of policy changes and instruments
Develop the ability to think critically about the need for policies and policy reforms
Identify and analyse how public policy and firm and firm decisions affect agribusiness, market, and society
Recognize policy related problems and anticipate opportunities available in the market
Write concise summaries of policies affecting the agricultural and food sectors, and argue orally its implications

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1,2,3,4
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1,2,3,4,5
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	2,3,4,5,6
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	3,4,5,6
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	1,2,3,4,5,6
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	1,2,3,4,5,6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Assigned readings and related materials, that will be posted on the course MyUni website, and lecture notes. Lecture notes are not substitute for the assigned readings, they constitute a guide for the lectures and are not comprehensive.

We will use different textbooks available for check out at The University of Adelaide Library and for online reading via The University of Adelaide Library website http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/

Lectures will be recorded but they are not substitute for class attendance. Rather, a source for reviewing course materials when need it.

Recommended Resources

Textbooks:

Available for check out at the University of Adelaide library and for on-line reading at the University of Adelaide Library website http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library:

Nestle, M. (2007). Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition, and Health, Revised and Expanded Edition (Revised and Expanded Edition edition). Berkeley: University of California Press.

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

Pinstrup-Andersen, P., & II, D. D. W. (2011). Food Policy for Developing Countries: The Role of Government in Global, National, and Local Food Systems. Cornell University Press.

Available for check out at the University of Adelaide Library http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library:

Mankiw, N. (2004). Principles of Economics. Cengage Learning.

Penson et al. (2014). Introduction to Agricultural Economics. Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Ray, D. (1998). Development Economics. Princeton University Press.

Available on-line to download at the University of Adelaide Library website http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library:

Microeconomics - A Fresh Start. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.springer.com/economics/microeconomics/book/978-3-642-37433-3

For the required and recommended readings for each lecture, please check the course reading list.

Journal articles and peer reviewed journals.

Some recommended peer review journals are Food Policy, World Development, Global Food Security, Agricultural Economics, Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 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 and https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2160. Resources are not limited to these ones, newspaper articles and research centre working papers are additional excellent sources of information. I will provide other resources in MyUni and in the course reading list.

Online Learning

MyUni will be used to post all class materials, articles, quizzes, and announcements.

All communication for this course will take place via email and MyUni. You are expected to be checking your University of Adelaide email (@adelaide.edu.au) frequently to check for course updates.

Learning & Teaching Modes

The class will consist of structured lectures and in-class activities that will expose students to all of the basic economic concepts with examples and case studies of real situations in which the knowledge acquired can be applied. Class discussion and online discussion will be encouraged during and outside course contact hours. In some cases, class time will be allocated to solve and practice problems and exercises. Students are expected to come prepare to class, which means that they must read the required readings for each lecture before the lectures. This is essential for understanding the material, clarify questions, and participate in class activities. Since this course is thought in an intensive format, students are encouraged to start reading the class material ahead of time in the trimester, before the course contact hours begin.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The course consists of 4 contact hours per day and 12 hours a week, 7 to 10 hours per week of independent or group study outside of the classroom. Since this course is thought as an intensive course, students are expected to start reading and preparing the material for contact hours before Day 1, when contact hours begin.

Learning Activities Summary

Week	Learning Activity	Related Learning Outcomes
Every week	Lectures	1,2,3,4,5,6
Every week	Class activities	1,2,3,4,5,6

The tentative lecture schedule is presented below. Any major changes to this schedule will be announced in class and on MyUni.
Day	Topic
1	Introduction to the course. Current issues in food and agricultural policy. What is agricultural/food policy? Market failure. Rational for government intervention. Class activity.
2	Review of the concept of elasticity. Agricultural and food policy instruments. Taxes and subsidies. Price controls. Class activity.
3	Domestic market policies. Marketing systems, food and agricultural markets. Food and agricultural production, supply policies. Green revolution.
4	International trade policy instruments. Developed and developing countries price policies and its effects in the food system. Class activity.
5	Environmental policy instruments. Soil and water conservation. Common pool resources. Invited Lecturer: Dr. Adam Loch. Class activity.
6	Human health and nutrition policies. Examples of policies aim to improve nutrition (vitamin supplements, school programs). Nutrition facts vs. labelling. Class activity. Invited lecturer: Dr. Lenka Malek
7	Obesity and the double burden of under and over nutrition. Examples of issues and policies. Invited lecturer: Dr. Di Zeng.
8	Food aid. Cash transfers. Class activity.
9	Food safety. Local Food.

Examples included in the course material are frequently updated.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Weighting	Learning Outcome
Assignment 1	Individual	10%	1,2,3,4,5,6
Assignment 2	Individual	10%	1,2,3,4,5
Policy Brief	Group	30%	1,2,3,4,5,6
Participation in class activities	Individual	10%	1,2,3,4,5,6
Final exam	Individual	40%	1,2,3,4,5,6
Total		100%

For specific due dates please see MyUni.

Assessment Related Requirements

Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is an unacceptable behaviour. We take plagiarism issue seriously. Students are required to visit this website to understand their responsibility for academic honesty and to develop the knowledge and skills to avoid plagiarism.

To avoid plagiarism please read:
https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/resources/avoiding-plagiarism

Assessment Detail

(i) Assignments
Students will submit two assignments during the semester. The lecturer will post the assignment one week ahead of its deadline. These assignments will be based on the course material and additional short readings. You can discuss your assignment with your classmates but you must turn it individually.

(ii) Policy brief
Students will submit a collaborative policy brief as part of the course assessment. The lecturer will post the topic of the policy brief and guidelines on MyUni. Example policy briefs will be uploaded for students’ guidance. A template will be provided and you are expected to use it and strictly follow the provided instructions, otherwise penalties apply.

The policy brief should contain a cover letter with the class title student(s) name(s), student(s) 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 policy brief.

Policy brief should be double spaced, with 2.6 cm margins, font size 12, Times New Roman or Times, in A4 size paper. The policy brief should not be less than 1500 words and no more than 1800 words.

Failure to follow formatting guidelines will result in a 20% penalty on the final mark for the policy brief.

The pilicy brief guidelines and a rubric for marking will be available in MyUni.

(iii) Participation in class activities.
Attendance to all lectures, guest lectures, and class activities is expected. Participation in class activities will be marked separately. Notes, class exercises, written questions and comments will be collected to mark your class participation. Guidelines and marking schemes will be provided depending on the activity.

(iv) Final Exam.
The final exam is comprehensive. All the material covered in the class will be evaluated, including class activities, assignment and invited lectures.

Examination
All examination will form part of the assessment and will consist but not be limited to quizzes, open book exams, exams, take home papers, practical exams, etc. The topics to be assessed will include everything at the moment of the task unless discussed otherwise with the students.

Submission

Penalties:
Any assignment submitted after the deadline will be considered late. The penalty will be:

1) 20% of each assignment’s mark for assignment submitted the next day the assignment is due.
2) 50% of each assignment’s mark for assignment submitted two or more days after the assignment is due.

Communicate any issues to the lecturer before the assignment deadline. Do not wait until last minute.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator