Sustainable Production

Biology, Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management.

To achieve the course objectives and develop the intended competencies, the teaching and learning process is built upon:

i) Lectures and structured discussions of course content, led by both teaching staff and students;

ii) In parallel, drawing on information that students are encouraged to independently research alongside materials presented by the teaching staff, a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) scheme is implemented, organised around a specific agricultural holding or crop. The sustainability challenge is broken down into a series of questions that are progressively addressed throughout the classes, culminating in the production of a final project, followed by its formal presentation and discussion.

Learning Objectives

Students, future Masters in Agro-Pastoral Engineering, should be able to:

1. Understand the foundations of the different sustainable agricultural production paradigms – Integrated Production (IP), Organic Farming (OF), Agroecology, Regenerative Agriculture, Agroforestry Systems and their respective certification frameworks – recognising their origins, philosophies and contributions to the agroecological transition;
2. Critically analyse the environmental, climatic and public health impacts of agricultural practices associated with crop and livestock production;
3. Design and justify technical itineraries for sustainable production, integrating environmental, social and economic dimensions – namely the protection of functional biodiversity, landscape management, soil health, and the production of differentiated-quality food products with market recognition.

Competencies to be Developed

Upon acquiring this knowledge, students will be equipped to:

1. Distinguish and compare the normative frameworks of sustainable production – Codes of Good Agricultural Practice, IP, OF, Agroecology, Regenerative Agriculture and EurepGAP/GlobalG.A.P. – identifying convergences, tensions and complementarities between paradigms;
2. Navigate the regulatory landscape and institutional support mechanisms for IP and OF, including Common Agricultural Policy instruments (CAP, eco-schemes, agri-environment measures) and certification and traceability systems;
3. Identify and manage the main phytosanitary challenges, selecting biological, cultural and physical

1. Introduction. Definitions and concepts: ­ i) Sustainable Development, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Use of Pesticides, Integrated Production (IP) and Organic Farming (OF); ii)­ The evolution of Sustainable Production in Portugal and the institutionals funds; iii) QREN, PRODER, and PDR2020, Agro­Environmental measures, eligibility and commitments of the beneficiaries.

2. About IP: Rules from the International Organization of Biological Control; ii)­ Portuguese Official Rules; iii) Criteria for pesticides selection in IP in the context of the the Directive of Sustainable Use of Pesticidas and Portuguese legislation.

3. About OF: i) The different currents of OF (organic, ecological, natural, biodinamic and permaculture); ii) Concept of OF , rules and legislation; iii) Soil mobilization, fertilization and plant protection in OF.

4. Sustainable production of crops with case studies to be developed by the teachers: i) Procedures to be observed in the installation of crops – location, soli preparation, fertilization and plant material to be used; ii) Procedures to be observed during crop formation – soli conservation, pruning, fertilization, irrigation and soil water analyses; iii) Crop protection – main enemies, their importance and damage, risk assessment and prevention and combat methodologies in Integrated Protection and Organic Farming.

5. Case studies to be presented by students: i) Crop Technical Itineraries for crops in IP and OF; ii) Innovation and new technologies for sustainable crop production.

Continuous Assessment

Assessment will be carried out through a test and a PBL assignment centred on the sustainability of a farm or crop, comprising an exercise completed in stages throughout the classes and evaluated according to the following 6 components.

PBL#1(12.5%) + PBL#2(10%) + PBL#3(10%) + PBL#4(7.5%) + PBL#5(7.5%) + PBL#6(2.5%) + Test(50%)

PBL#1 - Scientific Content. Assesses the quality of information, bibliographic sources used, and the construction of objectives and argumentation.

PBL#2 - Methodology and Results. Assesses clarity in the methodology used for the assignment.

PBL#3 - Oral Presentation. Fluency, organisation, time management, voice, and interaction with the audience.

PBL#4 - Visual Resources. Quality of slides, images, tables, legibility, and source referencing within images.

PBL#5 - Ability to address technical and critical questions, justification of choices, and use of evidence.

PBL#6 - Monitoring of Student Activity in Classes. Assesses attendance and punctuality, active engagement during sessions, consultation of relevant materials and sources, and autonomy and progression throughout the process.

A student passes upon achieving a weighted average mark equal to or greater than 9.5 out of 20. In both the Test component and the Practical Assignment component, the student must score above 7.5 out of 20.

Exam

In each academic year, a student who does not pass during the teaching period (i.e., through continuous assessment) is entitled to sit a final examination during the Normal and Resit periods, on dates set out in the Academic Calendar and the Examinations Calendar.

Where necessary, alternative arrangements will be made for specific situations provided for by law.

The examination will consist of a written paper covering all content addressed in the curricular unit.

A student passes upon achieving a mark equal to or greater than 9.5 out of 20.

NAO