Course programme, Regional
MSc course (27 credits)
2003 - 2005
Course outlines | Email addresses | Mini-Projects (2003-05) | Research theses (2003-05) |
The second MSc course began on 28 July 2003. There are some changes in the programme which are detailed below:
Week |
Date |
Course (credits) |
Suggested course leader(s) |
Location, Country |
|
Travel |
Jul 27 |
Students to Vietnam, travel to An Giang |
Dr Hieu, Mr Cong |
An Giang, Vietnam |
|
1 |
Jul 28 to Aug 3 |
Introduction to the course and computers etc |
Reg Preston /Dr. LT Hieu |
An Giang, Vietnam |
|
2 6 |
Aug 4 to 6 Sept |
Microcomputers; Mini-projects, experimental design, biometrics (4) |
Reg Preston/ Xe Van Do |
An Giang, Vietnam |
|
7 8 |
Sept 8 Sept 19 |
Participatory methodologies (PRA; Open Space) (3) |
Britta Ogle / Brian Ogle/Reg Preston/ Ngo Van Man |
An Giang, Vietnam |
|
9 - 10 |
Sep 22 Oct 04 |
Biological basis of biomass production and utilisation by livestock; large ruminant nutrition(3) |
Ron Leng / Reg Preston |
An Giang, Vietnam |
|
Travel |
Oct 4-5 |
From An Giang to Khon Kaen |
Mr Cong and 16 students |
Thailand (Khon Kaen) |
|
12 13 |
Oct 6 Oct 25 |
Ruminant nutrition and production (contd); analytical methods (2) |
Metha Wanapat / Charan |
Khon Kaen, Thailand |
|
Travel |
Oct 26 |
Depart from Khon Kaen to Chiang Mai |
Mr. Cong and 16 students |
Chiang Mai |
|
14 15 |
Oct 27 Nov 8 |
Farming systems research methodology (2) |
Anan / Pongchan |
Chiang Mai |
|
16 |
Nov 10 Nov 15 |
Upland farming systems (1) |
Choke Mikled |
Chiang Mai |
|
17 |
Nov 17 Nov 22 |
Range management (1) |
Inger Ledin / Bounthong |
Chiang Mai |
|
Travel |
Nov 23 |
Depart from Chiang Mai to Ha Noi (NIAH), Vietnam |
Mr. Cong and 16 students |
NIAH, Vietnam (GRRC, Ba Vi) |
|
18-19 |
Nov 24 Dec 6 |
Small ruminant systems (2) |
Inger Ledin / Nguyen Thi Mui/Surasak |
GRRC, Ba Vi
|
|
20 |
Dec 8 Dec 13 |
Agroforestry (1) |
Nguyen Van So |
GRRC, Ba Vi |
|
21-22 |
Dec 15 Dec 27 |
Animal Traction (2) |
Nguyen Van Thu (Ann Pearson) |
GRRC, Ba Vi |
|
Travel |
Dec 28 |
Depart from Ha Noi to HCMC |
Mr. Cong and 16 students |
UAF, Vietnam, |
|
23 |
Dec 29 Jan 3 |
Aquaculture (1) |
Le Thanh Hung |
UAF, Vietnam |
|
24 26 |
Jan 4 Jan 24 |
Project Planing (TET) |
Leave for home country Return UAF, Vietnam 25/1 |
Home |
|
27- 29 |
Jan 26 Feb 14 |
Biological basis, monogastrics; Pig and poultry systems (3) |
Brian Ogle/Le Duc Ngoan /Bui Xuan Men |
UAF, Vietnam |
|
30 |
Feb 16 Feb 21 |
Renewable energy (1) |
Reg Preston / Bui Xuan An |
UAF, Vietnam |
|
Travel |
Feb 22 |
Depart from HCMC to Can Tho |
Mr. Cong and 16 students | CTU, Vietnam | |
31 |
Feb 23 Feb 28 |
Soil-plant-animal interactions (1) |
Stig Ledin/Tran Kim Tinh |
CTU, Vietnam |
|
Travel |
Feb 29 |
Depart from Can Tho to HCMC |
Mr. Cong and 16 students | UAF, Viet Nam | |
32 |
Mar 1 Mar 6 |
Project presentations |
Brian Ogle/Inger Ledin/ Reg Preston/ LT Hieu |
UAF, Vietnam |
|
Travel |
Mar 7 |
Vietnam to home country |
|
|
Course
1. Participatory
rural appraisal methodologies. 3 credits. Level D.
The students carry out
participatory rural appraisal exercises in villages in areas where the host
institutions have ongoing related research projects.
Course 2: Use
of micro-computors for recording, analysis and presentation oJ research data.
2
credits. Level A.
Each student is provided
with a lap-top computer and appropriate software for personal use during the
duration of the course. The students learn to use the different software
programmes that are appropriate for recording, analysis, presentation and
publishing of their research.
Course 3: Statistical analysis and experimental
design. 2 credits. Level A.
Students become familiar
with procedures for analysis of data by descriptive statistics, analysis of
variance and covariance, correlation and regression, non-linear parameters and
transformations.
Course
4: Renewable energy. 2 credits. Level C
Trends in production and
use of energy derived from fossil and renewable sources are discussed with
emphasis on needs, uses and opportunities for agricultural production.
The topics for discussion include biodigesters (biogas), solar systems
(electricity and water heating), windmills and mini-hydro (electricity),
gasifiers and gas turbines (cogeneration of
electricity and heat) and fuel cells (electricity).
This course focuses on:
·
Sources of livestock feeds (high
biomass crops, crop residues and agro-industrial byproducts, trees and
water plants) and the factors influencing their nutritive value for all classes
of livestock;
· Digestive physiology and metabolism of herbivore and
monogastric animal species; Requirements for nutrient according to productive
function;
·
Appropriate analytical methods.
Course 6: Animal traction. 2 credits. Level C.
Feeding
and management of draft animals with many farm visits and an emphasis on
practical aspects.
Course
7: Soil-plant-animal interactions. 2 credits. Level C.
Emphasis
is on the role of livestock as a means of maintaining / improving soil fertility
and plant growth through recycling of manure and its transformation into
nutrient-rich effluent (by biodigesters) and humus (by earthworms).
Course
8: Small ruminant livestock production systems. 2 credits. Level C.
Smallholder
production systems for sheep and goats are discussed with particular attention
to feeding and management strategies and the opportunities for control of
parasites in cut-and-carry systems integrated with agro-forestry.
Course
9: Livestock integrated with tree crops. 2 credits.
Level C.
This
course will discuss the opportunities for integration of small ruminant
livestock with commercial tree crops such as Rubber, African Oil Palm and
Coconuts, with field trips to estates in Malaysia.
Course 10: Farming systems research methodology. 2
credits. Level C.
Evolution
of agricultural and farming systems research and the recent emphasis on farmer's
knowledge, farmer's research and experimentation and farmer's participatory
research. The course is based on the views and experience of the course
participants and the course facilitator.
Course
11: Sloping land farming systems. 2 credits. Level C.
Traditional
slash and burn farming systems are discussed in the light of pressures on
land which have made these unsustainable. Farming
systems based on agro-forestry principles are described as the sustainable
alternative.
Course
12: Large ruminant nutrition and production systems. 2
credits. Level C
Smallholder
beef, dairy and dual-purpose systems, in particular feeding and management
strategies in zero-grazing systems in high potential areas in Asia based on crop
residues and agro-industrial by-products, and also peri-urban systems.
Course 13: Agroforestry. 2 credits. Level C.
The
general agronomic principles of agroforestry. Use of multipurpose trees for
fodder, fuel and mulch in integrated small-holder farmer systems
Course 14: Range management. 2 credits. Level C.
Basic
principles of range ecology, range resource assessment including the concept of
carrying capacity, range management techniques (traditional and modern),
pastoral systems, nutritional value of range vegetation and possibilities to
improve.
Course
15: Poultry and pig nutrition & production
systems. 2 credits. Level C.
Smallholder
pig and poultry systems, in particular feeding and management strategies based
on the sustainable use of renewable natural resources for monogastrics. The
relationship between village pig and poultry systems and other components of the
farming system, e.g. fish-duck-rice system, peri-urban systems.
Course 16: Aquaculture.
2 credits. Level C.
The
integration of smallholder aquaculture with livestock, including the role of
biodigesters and emphasizing the environmental and socio-economic aspects of
these integrated systems.
Course 17: Management of genetic resources.
2 credits. Level C.
A re-examination of the role of genetic
improvement practices in the context of integrated farming systems for
small-holder farmers. Emphasis is
given to use of local ecotypes of livestock
according to the nature of the farming system.
Course 18: Reproduction.
2 credits. Level C.
The physiology of
reproduction with emphasis on small livestock species and interactions with
nutrition, disease and the environment.
Course 19: Livestock
research methodology. 2 credits. Level D.
Research
plans for the thesis work are gradually developed and the proposals are
presented and discussed by the group of students and facilitators.