Food Systems and Global Supply Chains | Harvard University

This course is intended for students interested in the supply-chain side of sustainable food. Of all the activities humans engage in on Earth, agriculture has the single biggest environmental impact. This course looks in detail at the supply chain of food production and the impact assessment of global food production. Together we investigate how food passes from production to distribution and consumption and what the sustainability ramifications are, specifically on air, water, soil, energy, mining, and human health. This is a research-based course where participants choose related food scenarios and quantify their impact on greenhouse gases and climate change; energy use; air, water, and soil degradation; and solid waste disposal. Topics include genetic modification of food for increased productivity, meat and dairy, additives for shelf stability, organic and local food, the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp, food subsidies, aquaculture, packaging and transportation, fast food, and food safety. The first part of the course is a series of lectures covering the principles of economics as they pertain to agriculture; agricultural styles and practices; soil resources and problems; and the myriad ways we pollute the Earth's air, soil, and water as we obtain food. The second part of the course is a series of papers and discussion on supply-chain management and simple modeling scenarios designed to quantify the economics and sustainability of common food items.