ANSCI 3600: Global Food and Agriculture
Global Food and Agriculture is a very thought provoking class taught by Dr. Kelly George. The class focuses on three aspects of food production that are all challenges for different parts of the world. The first is famine, the second is the environment and limited resources, and the third is globalization. I was not surprised that these are issues that the world faces today. Even though food production is at an all-time high, food distribution is not equal and there are still areas of the world such as Africa, where production is low and political environments can make the distribution of food difficult. In addition to that, the world has a limited amount of resources, and it is important for producers to consider that and use sustainable practices so that resources are available for future generations. Finally, globalization has been a driving force for many industries, and for agriculture which has allowed the distribution of food, technology, and resources.
Class Reflection
I took Dr. George’s class my freshman year and it inspired me to study abroad during my undergraduate career. This class was really the first time that I thought about agriculture outside of the United States. As naïve as it sounds, prior to this class, I had not really considered that food production around the world was significantly different and highly varied compared to food production in the United States. While the class covered topics including famine, environmental/limited resources, and globalization/trade, the one that I was most intrigued by was globalization and trade. I became very curious about food production in other countries. What types of food are produced in different countries and what are the resources available to farmers in those countries. I also became interested in not only how food was produced, but about the social, economic, and political schemes that affected it. This is what ultimately drove my desire to travel and study abroad.