The world state of food security and nutrition. Environmental impacts of food production.
Soil, food production and human health. Urban agriculture and microbes. Use of microbes to reinstate equilibrium in degraded ecosystems. Food from microbes.
Reviews and scientific papers from specialized journals. FAO reports and outlooks.B. Biavati, C. Sorlini. Microbiologia Agro-ambientale. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana (2008)
Learning Objectives
To provide students advanced knowledge on the environmental impacts of agriculture and animal husbandry and tools for using microbes in the production of food, in the protection of soil, water and atmosphere, and in the mitigation of the impact of climate change.
Prerequisites
Solid knowledge on the biology of principal microbial groups (Bacteria, Archea, Fungi, Microalgae) and on their role in carbon and nitrogen cycles.
Teaching Methods
Lectures and seminars by experts. Discussion groups in which students will play and active role. Visits to industrial plants and specialized farms.
Type of Assessment
Active participation of the student in the discussion groups during the course. Report on a selected topic. Final oral examination
Course program
1. The world state of food security and nutrition.
• Feeding the world in 2050.
• How much land, water and fertile soils will be needed?
2. Environmental impacts of food production
• Losses, inefficiencies and waste in the global food system
• Desertification and deforestation: causes and remedies
• Global diets, environmental sustainability and human health
• Trade and equitability of global food distribution
• The soil-food-peace nexus
• Societal value of soil carbon
3. Soil, food production and human health
• Food-borne microbial diseases
• Environmental footprint of meat production.
• The feed vs. food debate.
• Human nutrition and the gut microbiome
4. Urban agriculture and microbes
• Soilless production of photosynthetic biomass.
• Role of microbes in aquaponics and hydroponics
• Growing vegetables and microalgae with artificial light
5. Use of microbes to reinstate equilibrium in degraded ecosystems
• Microbial bioremediation and detoxification of contaminated soils
• Microbes and the next nitrogen revolution
• Microbial biostimulants and biofertilizers
• Cyanobacterial crusts
6. Food from microbes.
• Sustainable protein sources
• Microbial protein
• Novel foods