Available courses
The following list outlines the study programs chosen by collaborating higher education institutions to integrate and enhance the Real-life Learning Lab model (RLLL). These courses seamlessly blend theoretical learning with hands-on field experiences, immersing students in real-world scenarios that align with the requirements of non-academic stakeholders. Throughout these programs, students receive guidance from teachers/course leaders and also from non-academic stakeholders serving as challenge owners, ensuring a comprehensive and dynamic educational experience.
Project Development and Management
Department:
Sociology and Anthropology
Level:
Bachelor 2
Duration:
September – December
Sessions:
3hrs/week for 14 weeks
Objective
Designed to equip undergraduate students with the essential knowledge and skills required to successfully plan, implement, and evaluate development projects. Real world case studies social aspects of food systems and climate change
Concepts in course & Comm Service
ToC, Results based management, Proposal development
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Poster Presentation for dissemination
Participatory Community Planning
Student intervention for select community problem
Local Economic Development and Strategic Planning
Department:
School of Planning and Architecture
Level:
Bachelor 2
Duration:
September – December (right now January – April)
Sessions:
3hrs/week for 14 weeks
Objective
Exposes the students to the different factors that determine local economic development, introducing them to the basic concepts of strategic planning and relations to economic development.
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Economic concept, Participatory GIS, food systems, Stakeholder engagement, Policy and Regulatory Environment
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Poster Presentation for dissemination
Participatory Community Planning
Student intervention for select community problem
Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IK)
Department:
Dept of Environmental Science
Level:
Bachelor 3
Duration:
September – December
Sessions:
3hrs/week for 14 weeks
Objective
Exposes students to Indigenous worldviews, enabling them to establish the link between indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and environment.
Concepts in course & Comm Service
IP rights, conservation Nat res., food systems, climate change
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Poster Presentation for dissemination
Participatory Community Planning
Student intervention for select community problem
Introduction to Agriculture
Department:
Agricultural Sciences
Level:
Bachelor 1
Duration:
September – December
Sessions:
3hrs/week for 15 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about Sustainable Animal husbandry and Agribusiness
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Emerging issues in agribusiness; Sustainable animal husbandry (under CC); Knowledge of agricultural equipment and machinery, tools, and emerging technologies used in farming (Agribusiness, Value addition, Marketing)
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
University farm and greenhouse;
Farmer groups;
Local dairy cooperative;
Participatory experiments;
Knowledge co-creation;
Knowledge gap identification and solution prescription;
Knowledge dissemination
Horticultural Production
Department:
Agricultural Sciences
Level:
Bachelor 4
Duration:
September – December
Sessions:
3hrs/week for 15 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about Post-harvest management of horticultural produce
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Greenhouse & nursery management; Postharvest crop management; Reduc, Recycle, Reuse crop waste; Sustainability – climate change, storage practices, circular economy
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
University farm and greenhouse;
Community farmer groups
University agroforestry nursery
Integrated Livestock Farm Enterprises
Department:
Livestock and Industrial Resources
Level:
Bachelor 1
Duration:
September or October
Sessions:
60 contact hours (20 lectures, 40 practical)
Objective
Teaches students about climate change & farm production, Climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in livestock farming
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in livestock farming; Climate smart agriculture; Water recycling production techns; Integrated Pest management, forage conservation
RLLL – Relevant Community services
After lectures, students are grouped and attached to the incubation center and/or partner industrial livestock firms/farms for conduct of farm challenges analysis and solutions development (a service learning report presentation).
Dairy Animal Health, Production & Management
Department:
Livestock & Industrial Resources
Level:
Bachelor 2
Duration:
Integrated; September – October 2024;
6/1/2024 – Integration
Sessions:
45 contact hours
Objective
Teaches students about climate change and food systems, Climate change and animal health, milk safety and hygiene, Mitigation of climate change / climate smart diary production; Accessing production; case studies.
Concepts in course & Comm Service
simple mobile based tool to monitor farm management, animal health, production and economic performance.
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Plan to use survey and analyze results of the survey (COIL); Service Learning; Taking the university to the community; Farm and field attachment or placement
Food Systems and Security
Department:
Department of Environment and Livelihoods Support Systems
Level:
Bachelor 2
Duration:
February – May 2025
Sessions:
3 hrs/week for 15 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about:
- Genetic engineering (bio-fortification)
- Environmental issues and climate change: Emission levels at various
- Introducing food systems from other parts of the world (examples from Spain/Europe): Preservation technologies / Manufacturing technologies (enhancing shelf life) – drying, cooling / Water reuse (in factories, purification)
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Climate and climate change
Systems thinking in crop and livestock production systems
Analytics of systematic changes (food availability, quality)
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community service:
Improving community members’ agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change
Biodiversity conservation and climate change
Department:
Biological Sciences
Level:
Bachelor 2
Duration:
September – December
Sessions:
5 hrs/week for 13 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about Climate change, biodiversity change and food security
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Ecosystems, biodiversity and Climate change; (assessment of) Impact of climate change on food security; Models to predict climate change and GIS; community climate adaptation and mitigation (COIL); community mapping (COIL)
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community service:
University farm and fields
Community farmer groups
Community natural resources management
Applied Entomology
Department:
Biological Sciences
Level:
Bachelor 4
Duration:
January – April
Sessions:
5 hrs/week for 13 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about Integrated Pest and Vector Management (IPVM)
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Organic farming through safe pest management (UDS), options for monitoring & scouting pest populations, Pest status, economics of IPM, Climate-smart IPM
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
University farm
Community farmer groups
Entomology
Department:
Biological Sciences
Level:
Bachelor 4
Duration:
September – December
RLLL: January – April
Sessions:
5 hrs/week for 13 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about contribution of insects to food and feed security, and health
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Climate Change effects on insects; Concepts of entomophagy and its potential to impact food system sustainability, health and livelihoods; Insects and sustainability of ecosystem services; Community use of insects for food, feed and waste management
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
University farm
Community farmer groups
Intégration des principes et approches de production biologique dans la gestion des exploitations agricoles
Department:
Faculty of Agronomy
Level:
Bachelor 3 and Master 1&2 (not compulsory)
Duration:
January 2024
Sessions:
40 hrs/week for 2 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about Organic production, Climate change, Sustainable soil fertility management, Sustainable pests and diseases management, Organic products certification, Food waste management
Concepts in course & Comm Service
organic agriculture concepts and principles; Approaches to extension and advice in organic agriculture; Certification Procedures and Market Access
Roles of certification in organic production; Farmer field approach implementation; Design strategic business an business skills advisory services (long list per professional profile) ; UAC (Benin) for soil fertility management;
University of Abomey (Benin) for pests and diseases management
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community service:
- Organic farmers support in socio-economic development through facilitation of adoption of sustainable farming practices
- Farmers organization support in the process of organic certification
- Organic food processor support in implementation of best practices
AMAP (Association for the maintenance of peasant agriculture) is one of the main community identified pour RLLL approach implementation
Rain water harvesting & Conservation Practices
Department:
Amanzi for Food
Level:
NQF Level 6
Duration:
January – July 2024
Sessions:
2 hrs/week
Objective
Teaches students about Food security, Climate Change Adaptation & Resilience
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Sustainable farming & RWH & C Practices, Stakeholder mapping,
Agricultural Systems, Learning Networks, Food & nutrition security
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community service:
- Building of Food Gardening Demonstration Sites
Introduction to Agribusiness
Department:
Department of Agribusiness
Level:
Bachelor 1
Duration:
October – January
Sessions:
2 hrs/week for 8 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about
- Food Losses and Waste;
- SDGs;
- Food Governance
Concepts in course & Comm Service
SDGs, Food Governance (UWC); Food losses and waste along commodity value chains esp. marketing; how to measure food waste; Climate change as cause and effect; Implications of food losses and waste for food and nutrition security and food safety; methods to reduce, food losses and waste
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
- Third Trimester Field Practical Programme(TTFPP)
- Industrial Attachment
Agricultural Marketing and International Commodity Trade
Department:
Department of Agribusiness
Department of Agricultural and Food Economics Department of Animal Science
Level:
Bachelor 4
Duration:
Start of course where the discussion will be on internal food marketing
Sessions:
2 hrs/week for 8 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about
- Food Safety;
- Food Loss and Waste;
- Food Governance; Food losses / waste are not very serious with respect to export commodities (??) (Note: more or less the same content as the other UDS course at Bachelor 1!)
Concepts in course & Comm Service
SDGs, Food Governance (UWC); (methods to reduce) Food losses and waste along commodity value chains esp. marketing; how to measure food waste; Climate change as cause and effect; Implications of food losses and waste for food and nutrition security
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services (in year 1, 2 or 3??):
- Third Trimester Field Practical Programme(TTFPP)
- Industrial Attachment
Nutrition and Food Sciences School
Department:
Food and human nutrition
Level:
Bachelor 2
Agricultural Engineer 3
Duration:
2 to 21 October, 2023
RLLL: Feb 2024 (Involve professionals)
9 April – 4 June (Internship services)
Sessions:
8 hrs/week for 4 weeks
Objective
Teaches students about Climate change and human nutrition
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Post-harvest handling; Climate change and adaptation; Climate change and field studies (SEKU); concepts of food systems (MUST), food and nutrition security /human nutrition; food composition and its role in human body; Meat, poultry and fish technology (MUK); Fish processing, technology and quality (SEKU)
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
- Internship services (firm/farm
- Involvement of professionals
Climate Change and Management of natural resources
Department:
Natural Resources Management
Level:
Master 1
Duration:
February, 2024
February 2/24 (Involve professionals)
Sessions:
8 hrs/week, 25 hours in total
Objective
Teaches students about food systems
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Fundamentals of climate change; (SEKU) vulnerability of biological resources to climate change; methods for adapting to and mitigating; Food systems and security (MUST)
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
- Internship services (firm/farm
- Involvement of professionals
Policies and agricultural value chains
Department:
Economics, Socio-Anthropology and Communication School
Level:
Master 1
Duration:
2024 / for RLLL: same as above
Sessions:
8 hrs/week
Objective
Teaches students about climate change
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Climate change (adaptation) and field studies (SEKU); Theories value chain approach and its applications in agricultural development policies; Value chain development program design technic; Value chain identification and analysis skills; Rural area organization and functioning study skills; Local Economic development & strategic planning (MSU); Project development and management (MSU)
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
- Internship services (firm/farm
- Involvement of professionals
Land evaluation, mapping and Soil Conservation
Department:
Crop Production School
Level:
Master 2
Duration:
2023, October – November (Involve professionals)
March to July (Internship services
Sessions:
8 hrs/week (semester 3)
Objective
Teaches students about Food security, food lost and waste
Concepts in course & Comm Service
Food system and security (MUST); Food lost and waste (UDS/UENR); Soil degradation factors; soil mapping and land evaluation; Soil restoration technics; Agroecological bases of soil management, climate change and soil, Knowledge of several local languages; CC field studies / adaption (SEKU)
RLLL – Relevant Community services
Community services:
- Research Internship services
- Involvement of professionals