University of Liege | Version française
Study programmes 2010-2011Last update : 11/04/2011
VEGE0019-1  Case Study in Tropical Crops
- Food-producing and Industrial Crops
- Horticultural production
Duration :  Food-producing and Industrial Crops : 21h Th
Horticultural production : 14h Th
Credits/ECTS :  
Advanced Master in Development, Environment and CommunitiesSecond semester1,5
Advanced Master in Plant and Animal Resource Management in tropical environmentToute l'année4
Holder(s) :  Food-producing and Industrial Crops : Guy Mergeai
Horticultural production : Hugo Magein
Language :  French language
Course contents :  
Food-producing and Industrial Crops

I. Introduction
a. The different aspects of the concept of cropping system under the tropics.
b. Natural factors influencing the performances of the tropical cropping systems.
c. Consequences of the clearing and the cultivation of a plot with ploughing of the soil under the tropics.
d. Main cultivation practices permitting a sustainable management of the tropical cropping systems.

II. Case study of cropping systems representative of semi arid low-, mid-, and highland tropical areas.

III. Case study of cropping systems representative of sub-humid low-, mid-, and highland tropical areas.

IV. Case study of cropping systems representative of humid low-, mid-, and highland tropical areas.
Course objective :  
Food-producing and Industrial Crops

Presentation of case studies allowing to better understand the factors influencing the management of traditional cropping systems under the tropics (food-producing and industrial crops) and to choose the production practices to implement in order to improve their performances while assuring a sustainable exploitation of the environment.
At the end of the course, the student must be able:
To understand the factors influencing most the sustainability and the performances of the traditional cropping systems of the main agro-ecological zones met under the tropics (Sahelian, Soudanian, Guinean and tropical mountainous zones).
To distinguish the main tropical cropping systems according to their characteristics.
To identify the production practices that are best adapted to improve the performances and assure the sustainability of the traditional cropping systems under the tropics.
Organization :  
Food-producing and Industrial Crops

Lectures: 6h
Tutorials: 15h
Written notes :  
Food-producing and Industrial Crops

Beets W.C. 1995. Raising and sustaining productivity of smallholder farming systems in the tropics: A handbook of sustainable agricultural development. AgBé Publishing, Alkmaar, Pays-bas.
Norman MJT, Pearson CJ, Searle PGE. 1995. The ecology of tropical food crops. Cambridge Univesity Press. Cambridge, Grande Bretagne. 430 p.
Assessment :  
Food-producing and Industrial Crops

Personal work: 100%
Contacts :  
Food-producing and Industrial Crops

Mergeai, Guy (Chargé de cours) Phytotechnie tropicale et Horticulture 081 62 21 44 mergeai.g@fsagx.ac.be


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