Certificate in Food Security Online/Urban Ag Courses

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Taylor in Education, Training Programs // 2 Comments

Online Urban Ag Courses and Certificate in Food Security

Do you have a keen passion and interest in food security? Then, register today for our post-degree Certificate in Food Security!

The Certificate in Food Security explores the challenges of creating sustainable food systems based on social justice and democratic decision-making that will ensure the right of dignified access to healthy food. The program’s perspective on food security is local and global covering both rural and urban situations. Participants will learn how to strengthen the sustainability of city food systems through the development of innovative urban agriculture policy and practices. They will also learn the challenges facing rural farming communities worldwide and explore the possibilities for supporting farming livelihoods and rebuilding local food systems for the public good. An essential part of the Certificate in Food Security is also building student’s understanding of how the food policy environment determines food security outcomes and the necessity for collaborative, inclusive, transparent and accountable approaches to food policy planning and implementation.

As regards urban agriculture, a course series has been developed as part of the elective offerings in partnership between Ryerson University and the RUAF Foundation in the Netherlands. Students can do this series of four urban agriculture courses separate from the certificate if they so wish and receive an official university award of completion.

The current online course offerings for Winter 2018 are:

Concepts and Principles of Food security (CFNY403)
Applied Research Methods and Evaluation (CFNY405)
Urban Food Security (CFNY 408)
Understanding Urban Agriculture (CVFN410)

Please note that CVFN410 is the foundational course for the Urban Agriculture Course Series – it is recommended (but not required) to start with this course if you are interested in completing the whole series. CVFN410 has just undergone a significant revision this autumn.

Also note that, although CFNY408 usually has CFNY403 as a prerequisite, this can be waived if you contact the academic coordinator and wish to do CFNY408 as your first food security course.

For more information on how to register for the courses offered starting January 14, 2019 contact Reg Noble (Academic Coordinator) at food@ryerson.ca. Registration is open until January 20, 2019.

AWARDS: In May 2013, the program received a national award for excellence in continuing education from the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE). In November 2013, the Certificate received a North American Pedagogical Innovation award from the Sloan Consortium, an organization that supports online education across North America and has hundreds of institutional members. Our program was the only Canadian one to receive an award.