International Research Consortium on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (IRC-FNSSA) COMPETENCY LIBRARY
A
| Agricultural Economics and Rural Development: Involves the study of economic principles as they apply to agriculture and rural communities, including market access, value chains, and policy. |
| Agricultural Engineering: Focuses on designing and implementing engineering techniques and technologies in improving efficiency in agricultural production systems and promote sustainable agricultural practices. |
| Agricultural Extension and Education: Developing and delivering educational programs, as well as providing technical assistance to farmers and other agricultural professionals, in order to promote sustainable farming, improve agricultural productivity, and encourage the adoption of new technologies through advisory services and community outreach. |
| Agroecology: The study of ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems, focusing on sustainability and biodiversity. |
| Agroforestry: The integration of trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes to improve biodiversity, soil health, and productivity. |
| Animal Genetics and Plant Breeding: involves using cutting-edge genetic techniques to improve livestock and crop traits, conducting selective breeding programs, analyzing genetic data, and implementing practices and strategies to increase productivity, disease resistance, and sustainability. |
| Animal Health and Disease Management: Expertise in livestock disease prevention, biosecurity policies and measures for disease control, and animal health promotion and protection to support agricultural production, food security and safety, public health, and animal welfare. |
| Animal Nutrition: Assesses the nutritional content of various feeds, provides livestock dietary guidance, and formulates diets for various species, optimizing feed to support growth, reproduction, and health while boosting productivity and well-being. |
B
Behavioral Nutrition: Studies the behaviors and practices that affect food choices and nutritional status, often focusing on education and intervention strategies.
C
| Climate-Smart Agriculture: Practices that increase agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Community Nutrition: Engages with communities to improve nutrition through education, local food initiatives, and support programs. |
| Crop Science and Agronomy: The science of growing crops efficiently and sustainably, including plant breeding, biotechnology, and crop management. |
D
Dietary Assessment and Planning: Skills in assessing nutritional needs and planning diets to ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients.
F
| Food Policy and Governance: Involves understanding and influencing policies that affect food systems, including access, affordability, and quality of food. |
| Food Safety and Quality: Ensures that food is free from contaminants and meets regulatory standards for safety and quality. |
| Food Security Analysis: Involves assessing and addressing issues of food availability, access, and utilization in different contexts, especially in vulnerable populations. |
I
| Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Combines biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools to manage pests in an economically and ecologically sound manner. |
| Irrigation Engineering: entails designing and managing drainage networks and efficient irrigation systems for sustainable water use, optimizing water distribution, reducing waste, and managing them for maximum crop yields by using cross-cutting irrigation techniques and technologies, as well as conducting environmental impact assessments. |
L
Livestock and Pasture Management: Focuses on the sustainable management of animals and grazing systems to ensure the health of the ecosystem and the animals.
P
| Policy Advocacy and Communication: Skills in influencing policy and effectively communicating issues related to food security and sustainable agriculture to diverse audiences. |
| Public Health Nutrition: Focuses on improving the nutritional status of populations through policy, programs, and education. |
R
Research and Innovation: Conducting research to develop new technologies, practices, and policies that promote food security and sustainability.
S
| Social and Environmental Justice: Ensuring that food systems and agricultural practices are equitable, inclusive, and do not harm marginalized communities or the environment. |
| Soil Science and Fertility Management: Involves understanding soil health and developing practices that maintain or enhance soil fertility without harming the environment. |
| Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Involves the study of soil-plant interactions across different spectrums, including agroecosystems and natural systems. This includes soil physics, soil chemistry and mineralogy, soil biology, plant nutrition, soil fertility, fertilizers and soil amendments, soil analysis, classification, and surveying to boost crop growth, address nutrient deficiencies, and promote sustainable land management. |
| Supply Chain Management: Understanding and optimizing the processes involved in moving food from production to consumption in a sustainable manner. |
| Sustainable Development: Integrating principles of sustainability into food and agricultural practices to meet current needs without compromising future generations. |
| Sustainable Farming Systems: Developing and promoting farming practices that are environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially responsible. |
| Sustainable Food Systems: Looks at the entire food system, from production to consumption, and seeks to make it more sustainable, equitable, and resilient. |
| Systems Thinking: The ability to understand and manage the complex interactions between different components of food systems and agricultural practices. |
T
Thermodynamics: Study of the thermal behaviour of complex systems, as well as the application of energy transformation and heat management principles to increase efficiency in agricultural systems.
W
Water Resource Management: Involves managing water use in agriculture to ensure sustainability, particularly in the face of climate change and water scarcity.