In this interdisciplinary course, we will critically explore intersecting literature on agroecology, biodiversity, ecosystem services, diversified farming systems, agroforestry, and farmer's livelihoods. The first part of the course will focus on the application of ecological theory to the study of diverse farming systems including intercropping and agroforestry. The second part will emphasize biodiversity both in terms of how agricultural landscapes affect biodiversity and how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability, productivity and resilience of agroecosystems and farming communities. The last part of the course will cover some of the most salient social issues in diverse farming systems, such as tree and land tenure and gender issues as well as the social rural movements that promote diverse farming systems and agroecology.

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