The module of Agricultural Production Economics and Applied Statistics is designed for helping students to learn advance the study of agricultural production economics and to learn applied Statistics to agricultural sector.
This is the module "Quantitative Research Methodology" for Year III Agricultural Economics Students. The module has two learning units such as Research Methodology and Econometrics I.
1. Module General Introduction
The module of Environmental Economics & Natural Resources Management proposed here mainly concerns the third year students of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development and fourth year students of Agribusiness options of the Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences of the University of Rwanda.
1.1. Pursued Objectives
(i) The first objective is to acquire basic knowledge of the environment so as to obtain an overview of the impacts of the use of natural resources on the functioning and balance of the biosphere.
(ii) As second objective, the module of Environmental Economics and Natural Resources Management aims to understand the principles of economic analysis applied to the management of the environment and natural resources while focussing on the microeconomic approach. Sometime economic models will be used to analyse the efficiency of market allocation of the various instruments available to policy makers through the comparison of methods and principles proposed by different authors.
1.2. Learning and Teaching Strategies
The learning and teaching strategy will comprise: lectures, practical exercises and assignments in the computer lab, group works and plenary presentations in the class. Participatory teaching approaches (e.g. give more space for students to express themselves), making available teaching materials and respective technologies (text book, hand-outs, Power Point presentations) and providing more group exercises to materialize theoretical aspects of the module and allow more interactions between students and lecturer(s).
1.3. Assessment Strategy
The assessment will comprise group and individual assignments, presentations of proposed topics, Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)/ and a written final exam. Examinations will cover lectures, assigned reading materials, and discussions. CATs, assignments and presentations will make up to 60% while the final exam will be counted for 40%.
2. Module intended learning outcomes
Towards the end of the module, students will have acquired a framework allowing them to analyze environmental problems, natural resources issues and policies in an economic context. Students will appreciate the concepts of opportunity costs in political or private decision-making and the importance of discounting future costs and benefits, natural resources Management approaches, economic valuation of Ecosystems and biodiversity and externalities’ management and policy
3. Key readings
1. James Matthew Alston (2020). The Best Books on Environmental Economics
2. Frank Ackerman and Lisa Heinzerling - Priceless: On Knowing the Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing
3. Actual issues of environmental economics [on line]. https://www.researchgate.net/publication /319433901_ENVIRONMENTAL_ECONOMICS_TEXTBOOKS
4. Rose Anne Devlin et al. (1999). The Benefits of Environmental Improvement: Theory and Practice.
5. Ian J et al. (2003). Applied Environmental Economics: A GIS Approach to Cost-Benefit Analysis By Cambridge University Press
6. John V. Krutilla et al. (1988). Environmental Resources and Applied Welfare Economics: Essays in Honor. Resources for the Future.
7. Alan Gilpin (2000). Environmental Economics: A Critical Overview , Wiley.
8. Robert W. Crandall et al. (1983). Controlling Industrial Pollution: The Economics and Politics of Clean Air, Brookings Institution.
9. Alfred GreinerWilli Semmler (2008). The Global Environment, Natural Resources, and Economic Growth, Oxford University Press