Tropical crop production

The course focuses on developing capacities for sustainable production of tropical crops. The students will be exposed to major crop science elements that are instrumental for a sustainable crop production. Main focus is on optimizing the use of agrobiodiversity and management practices considering the socio-economic characteristics and climate change challenges. Provide students, having a BSc-level background in agricultural, social sciences or sciences involved with development of the tropical region, with a comprehensive understanding of the properties of selected tropical environments, crop species and their management facing climate change. Focus is on climate related production constraints; that is abiotic and biotic stresses, and human endeavor to optimize crop production in small-scale farming, within the context of poverty alleviation and sustainable crop production.

Knowledge
· Manage key elements to characterize production systems in the tropics
· Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of tropical crop production
· Understand the characteristics of major tropical crops
· Demonstrate overview of tropical cropping systems in relation to agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions.
· Demonstrate knowledge on different strategies to optimize production systems in the tropics.

Skills
· Characterize production systems of tropical areas of the globe
· Analyze and synthesize diverse types of information and data on tropical crop production
· Apply a relevant analytical software for statistics
· Design cropping calendars for selected major crops species
· Develop tropical crop production plans in relation to given agro-ecological and socioeconomic conditions
· Design, implement and analyze research projects in a tropical crop production environment

Competences
· Data management, analysis and critical approach
· Assess and formulate agronomic components of development support programmes
· Advice extension and research institutions in tropical countries
· Perform and interpret statistical information to analyze scenarios of crop production and innovation.
· Propose innovative optimization strategies.