Duration
45h Th
Number of credits
| Master in agricultural bioengineering, professional focus | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The course will explore the interrelated concepts of markets, value chains, and agri-food sectors. The analysis will progress from the internal dynamics of an individual value chain to the complex structure of global markets. We will use concrete examples to illustrate the economic, geopolitical, environmental, and social aspects of agri-food systems, as well as the impacts of technology and innovation. A central focus will be placed on analyzing current events and recent shocks, and on exploring ways to make agri-food systems more resilient.
The course will present and apply a methodological toolkit (qualitative and quantitative) for value chain diagnosis and market analysis. These methods will be applied to real-world cases to master structural analysis, identify power dynamics among actors, and pinpoint bottlenecks and critical areas for improvement within a value chain.
Finally, the course will establish the operational link between diagnosis and action: how to transform the conclusions of a value chain analysis into a structured development project aimed at resolving the identified critical issues and improving the sector's overall performance.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Critically analyze the structure and governance of national and international agro-industrial supply chains.
- Evaluate the competitive strategies of market participants and their impact on the overall performance of the supply chain.
- Identify market failures and propose strategic or policy solutions.
- Measure and interpret the economic, social, and environmental performance of an entire sector.
- Develop market evolution scenarios based on consumer trends and technological innovations.
This course contributes to the development of the following competencies, based on the bioengineer competencies frameworks :
- Analyze the overall functioning of a production chain by considering its internal and external components and their interactions.
- Design, scale, and optimize an innovative production system based on multiple objectives defined in terms of sustainability, resilience, integration, and adaptation to local and global contexts.
- Identify operational objectives based on an assessment that integrates technical, socioeconomic, and political aspects.
- Identify the limiting factors of a production chain by integrating technical, financial, and human resources.
- Formulate recommendations regarding risk prevention and management.
- Manage all activities and financial, human, and technical resources of a project in a manner that meets its overall objective.
- Integrate the roles, responsibilities, and tools of a bioengineer into their professional practice in an ethical and professional manner.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
- Food Policies and Strategies
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
- Lecture: 18 h
- Individual work and presentation : 18h
- Seminars : 9h
- Field visit if possible
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Recommended reading:
1.Value Chain Analysis for Policymaking: Methodological Guidelines and Development Issues, FAO, (2005)
2. Supply Chain Management for Sustainable Food Networks, by Eleftherios Iakovou, Dionysis Vlachos, and Angelos Xanthopoulos, (2014)
3. Agribusiness Management, by Freddie Barnard, Jay Akridge, Frank Dooley, and John Foltz, (2016)
4. The Handbook of Logistics and Distribution Management, by Alan Rushton, Phil Croucher, and Peter Baker, (2017)
5. OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2026-2035, (2026)
6. The State of Food and Agriculture, FAO, (2025)
7. Tools and methods to support the design and implementation of policies for agrifood systems transformation. A handbook for policymakers, FAO, (2026)
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( open-ended questions )
Written work / report
Further information:
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam
Written work / report and oral presentation
Final grade : Individual report and oral presentation : 60% / Written exam : 40%
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Not applicable
Contacts
- Thomas Dogot
- thomas.dogot@uliege.be
- Arno Faivre
- arno.faivre@uliege.be
- Isabel Lambrechts