VEGE0034-1 : Chemical, biological and environmental risks related to plant productions

Study Programmes 2016-2017

VEGE0034-1

Chemical, biological and environmental risks related to plant productions

Duration :

30h Th, 42h Pr

Number of credits :

Master in agricultural bioengineering (120 ECTS)		6

Lecturer :

Bernard Bodson, Patrick du Jardin, Bruno Schiffers, François Verheggen

Coordinator :

Bruno Schiffers

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents :

The objective of this Module is to present (exposed and case studies):
The methodology of risk analysis in its three pillars: risk assessment, risk management and risk communication.
The risk assessment methodology (4 steps) and the models used to calculate /evaluate population or environment exposure.
Monitoring procedures, prevention, detection and response to the presence of a contaminant or an invasive agent.
Applications of risk analysis in various areas: risk linked with pesticides residues and other chemical contaminants in foodstuffs, risks for the operator (professional), biological risks linked to exotic species, biotechnology risks, environmental risks (pesticide and nitrogen inputs; ecotoxicology) and GES emissions due to agricultural activities.
Ethical considerations when choosing actions considering they could generate risks, and methods for integrating ethical aspects into the analysis and decision-making diagrams, evaluation of moral standards and values explaining moral assumptions of this action.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit :

At the end of this course, students will have demonstrated during seminars and the final exam its ability :

To analyze a problem in its complexity and assess a risk, incorporating not only the scientific data from various fields of science, but also rules applicable to societal impact, economic constraints, measurement of uncertainty, ...
To propose solutions for risk mitigation tailored to a professional context and a changing regulatory environment, to formulate conclusions and recommendations, and to propose appropriate forms of communication.
To address, through the exploration of controversial GMO or pesticide use, the ethical aspects of risk management (justify the choice of action by setting goals and respect of principles and values, that ethical analysis tries to explain).

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Module "Biotechnologies végétales"-
Module "Fondements sur la gestion et le contrôle des bio-agresseurs"
Module "Phytotechnie générale"
Good background on pesticides and biocides properties, basic knowledge on entomology, phytopathology and weed science.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Oral presentation (ex-cathedra)
Collection and research of information and documentation (on internet and other sources)
Group works and oral presentations with power points: application of theoretical elements presented during lectures to case studies (data integration, synthesis)
Preparation of an individual final evaluation

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Face-to-face
Groups exercices