Food forestry is argued to be a radical alternative. By mimicking and relying on ecological processes, food forests aim to discard the modernist dichotomy of nature and agriculture and offer a truly circular and sustainable mode of food production.

Using food forestry as a case study, the course takes an interdisciplinary approach in analyzing this apparent agricultural paradigm shift. We will zoom in on several novel insights from a range of academic disciplines, which together challenge the way we may understand both nature and agriculture.

During the first two weeks, we will familiarize ourselves with the concept and practice of food forestry, and visit two food forests in the Netherlands. During the second phase, a series of guest lectures will provide us with novel insights that open up new perspectives on agriculture, and more generally on the relationship between humans and nature. In the final phase of the course, you will turn knowledge into practice: in a hands-on placemaking project you will design and co-create a food forest on the Science Park campus.

Coordinator

Jordy Willems

Timetable

You can find the timetable on Datanose.

Entry requirements

Open to second and third year bachelor students.

Registration

UvA Bachelor's students can register from 2 to 9 December 2024 in the GLASS registration rounds. Master’s students can send a short motivation to keuzeonderwijs-iis@uva.nl.

‘Bijvak’ students and contract students can register from 2 December 2024 until one week prior to the start of the course, by completing the online registration form.

If you have any trouble while registering, please contact us at keuzeonderwijs-iis@uva.nl.

Costs

Prices can be found on the IIS website.

SDGs in education

The IIS strives to reflect current societal issues and challenges in our elective courses, honours modules and degree programmes and attempts to integrate the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in this course. For more information about these goals, please visit the SDGs website.