Cairo University
Faculty of Agriculture
Food Processing
Contemporary International Issues (FPT 217)
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)
(Second Term) Module 4
Feb. - March 2024
Course Description:
This course examines the global challenges affecting food production, focusing on current issues (Food Security) that illustrate these challenges. Students will investigate a range of topics including earthquakes, climate change, water scarcity, energy, and environmental aspects, regional disparities in the ability to meet basic human needs, and protection of the natural environment in an attempt to help students to appreciate the natural resources, to provide them with some historical perspective on the present status of the planetary environment; to give students opportunities to analyze specific environmental quality issues and to familiarize them with the ideas and practices of managing resources and environments according to the principles of sustainable development.
Grading
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Exam (Feb. 25, 2024) ..........................................................… 20%
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Oral Exam (March 20) ............................................................. 10%
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Term paper (March 20, 2024) …........................…..............…. 20% (How to write a term paper?)
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Final Exam …………..........................................................….. 50%
Course Notes in pdf (Download)
INTRODUCTION
1. Climate Change (variation): (presentation in pdf) (Video)
1.1 Causes, evidence
1.2 Greenhouse effect
1.3 Global warming
1.4 Sea-level rise
2. Plate tectonics, Earthquakes, Tsunami (presentation in pdf)
2.1 Plate tectonics
Origin of Earth, Earth cross section, Types of plate boundaries
2.2 Earthquakes
Forces, Seismic waves, Magnitude, Seismograph, Distribution
2.3 Tsunami
3. Water Issues:
3.1 Global water balance (presentation in pdf) (Video)
3.2 Water scarcity (presentation in pdf) (Video)
3.3 Water resources in Africa_Int. water Law (presentation in pdf) (Video)
3.4 Water Resources in the Arab World (presentation in pdf)
3.5 Water resources in Egypt (presentation in pdf) (Video)
3.6 Nile water balance, projects, and Aswan High Dam (Video)
4. Transboundary issue in the Nile Basin:
2.1 Water challenges in Ethiopia (presentation in pdf) (Video)
2.2 Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and water treaties
5. Desertification and Energy issues: (presentation in pdf) (Video)
3.1 Drought, Potential Evapotranspiration, deforestation, overgrazing, urbanization.
3.2 Sand dune encroachment.
6. Energy Resources issues:
4.1 Non-renewable energy resources (fossil oil, natural gas, coal, uranium).
4.2 Renewable energy resources (solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectricity, biomass, biofuels, nuclear
power).
7. REVIEW (presentation in pdf) (Video)
Last updated March 27, 2024