CNFS 3714
Food Security III
NQF LEVEL : 7
CREDITS : 16
Sustainable Food Systems
and Development
Compiled by
Dr Nokuthula Tinta
2025
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Instructor Information.............................................................................................3
2. Module Description...................................................................................................5
3. Graduate attributes..................................................................................................6
4. How learning will take place.................................................................................8
5. Assessment of learning breakdown................................................................10
6. Learning units,module schedule and contact sessions...........................11
7. List of materials.......................................................................................................14
8. Keys for thriving in the module.........................................................................15
9. Policies and expectations....................................................................................16
10. Evaluation procedures..........................................................................................16
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1. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Dear student,
Welcome to CNFS 3714, Food Security III! I am Dr Tinta, and I will be
teaching this module. My goals for teaching are to impart knowledge and wisdom
to students, promote independence, ensure that the content of my module is
pertinent and useful to cover the content thoroughly, engage with my students
in complex discussions, learn from their participation, and improve upon the
prior session.
I trust that your food security journey has been exciting, enlightening, and
enjoyable. In this course, I attempt to explain what sustainability in food security
is and how it can be implemented. I hope you will find it just as exciting and
informative as the previous modules.
The focus of this module is sustainability in the value chain, with an emphasis on
food security. Important topics such as eco-consumption, changing consumers,
alternative production systems and food miles will be covered. Make sure that
you pay attention and understand the content. ENJOY!
This manual aims to inform you about the module's organisational and
administrative aspects and provide you with a general overview of the module.
Although I, as a lecturer, am committed to making this module as interesting as
possible, you are still responsible for your learning. This means that you have to
make the most of this learning opportunity.
Remember, we welcome interaction with our students. Please feel free to contact
us regarding any problem you may encounter.
The following page contains all the information you will need to contact other
relevant staff and me in the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and
Development.
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HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
Head of Prof JA van Niekerk
Department:
Office number: LG 63
Email address: vniekerkja@[Link]
Phone number: 051-4013765
Consulting hours: By appointment only
LECTURER
Lecturer: Dr N Tinta
Office number: LG 9.108
Email address: tintan@[Link]
Phone number: 051 – 4012728
Consulting hours: By appointment
MODERATOR
Lecturer: Dr Ismari van der Merwe
Office number: Sustainable Food Systems and Development (Foyer)
Email address: ivdmerwe@[Link]
Phone number: 051 – 401 2598
Consulting hours: By appointment
The Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development is proud of the
good relationship between staff and students. Therefore, we invite all students
who experience problems with any aspect of their learning to discuss the matter.
If you experience challenges, please follow the following procedure:
Step 1: Discuss the problem with the lecturer offering the module.
Step 2: Discuss the matter with the coordinator or moderator of the
module.
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Step 3: If the matter is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student is
welcome to see the Head of Department and, after that, the Dean of the
Faculty.
EMAIL AND PHONE ETIQUETTE
To maintain professionalism and effective communication with your lecturers, it
is important to know proper email and phone etiquette. When sending emails,
make sure to use a formal and respectful tone. Clearly state the purpose of your
email in the subject line. In the email, clearly state your name, surname, student
number, and the reason for your email. Regarding phone calls and WhatsApp, be
mindful of the lecturer's availability and personal time; please only call or
WhatsApp during business hours. If you need to call the lecturer, schedule a
convenient time.
When sending a WhatsApp, please state your name, surname, student number
and the purpose of your WhatsApp clearly before starting the conversation.
Good email and phone etiquette will contribute to positive and effective
communication throughout your academic journey.
2. MODULE DESCRIPTION
Have you ever wondered how the food you eat every day makes its way
from the farm to your table and what ensures its quality and
availability?”
Module aim and purpose
This module aims to teach you how the food security concept and the principles
are applied in food supply chains. This means you will learn about ensuring that
food is available, accessible, and of good quality throughout the entire supply
chain, from production to consumption. Our food system is complex, yet
consumers are unaware of how their choices impact the supply chain and
system. We will mainly be focussing on sustainability.
Your thinking patterns will be challenged as topics such as 3-D printed food will
pop up. Keep an open mind, ask when you don't understand and apply self-
discipline – then you should pass!
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For you to be successful in this module, you should be open-minded. This
module will stretch how you view specific issues. You should be able to "speak
up" if something bothers you or if a challenge arises. If you are self-motivated
and exercise self-discipline, you will pass this module.
I am here to assist you in any way I can. Please do not hesitate to ask me if
you need help!!!
Module outcomes
After successful completion of this module, you should be able to:
i. Define and interpret the term sustainability and what it
inherently entails.
ii. Describe agriculture production within the food security concept
and how it relates to sustainability.
iii. Investigate and evaluate the potential of modern agriculture
production methods on sustainability.
iv. Interpret the possible outcomes/consequences of adjusted
behaviour regarding the food value chain and consumption on food
security and sustainability.
v. Predict the ethical implications that human decisions and actions
can have on sustainability within food security.
vi. Evaluate the current human behavioural aspects and how it relates
to the food security situation.
3. GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
The skills and competencies that shape desirable graduates for the job market or self-
employment are called graduate attributes. Throughout this module, you will be developing
graduate attributes through the activities, assessments, and engagement with the module
and your peers. You will learn problem-solving and critical thinking through engagement with
case studies and class group assignments, oral communication through presentations,
written communication through developing and expressing ideas in writing, and an
entrepreneurial mindset. This will help you nurture your personal development and actively
contribute to your social development so that you can enter the job market. The attributes
are defined below.
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Academic Competencies
This attribute refers to the skills and knowledge that you will learn in the specific discipline of
Sustainable Food Systems and Development. In addition, academic competence refers to
your attitude towards discipline, and central to this attribute is lifelong learning. Lifelong
learning is your intentional self-development of knowledge, skills, and competence, which
illustrates curiosity and taking initiative. Lifelong learning involves sharing your knowledge
and reflecting on what you have learned.
Critical Thinking
This is the habit of the mind that you will develop, and it involves exploring ideas, issues, and
concepts completely and comprehensively before formulating your own opinion or
conclusion on a matter.
Problem-Solving
This graduate attribute is your ability to develop a strategy to solve a problem. Formulating a
strategic strategy requires designing and evaluating the ideas for intervention and
implementing the plan to achieve a goal.
Oral Communication
This attribute is your ability to prepare and communicate purposefully to an audience to
present and share knowledge, increase the listeners understanding, or foster change in their
behaviour, attitude, behaviour, or beliefs.
Written Communication
This attribute is the ability you will develop to express and communicate through writing
ideas. It involves learning to write in different genres and styles, using different technologies,
and including different texts, data, and images.
Ethical Reasoning
This graduate attribute involves your ability to reason on right and wrong human conduct.
You need to develop the ability to assess your ethical values and the social context of a
problem. In addition, this attribute requires thinking about different ethical perspectives and
the potential dilemmas associated with ethical perspectives while also considering the
outcomes of alternative actions linked to ethical perspectives. Finally, in developing this
attribute, your ethical self-identification will evolve as you learn to describe and analyse
ethical issues.
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Community Engagement
This attribute involves developing your ability to continuously engage and collaborate with
your community to exchange skills, knowledge, resources, and expertise to develop and
sustain society.
Entrepreneurial Mindset
This graduate attribute involves a set of skills, behaviour, and attitudes you will develop to
apply for personal and social development. This attribute can be applied to a cultural, social,
or commercial motive to enter a job market, for self-employment, or to start or scale up a
venture.
4. HOW LEARNING WILL TAKE PLACE
The module will be conducted with a blended learning approach. Learning will primarily be
facilitated via weekly Face-to-Face (F2F) contact sessions involving in-class activities and
assessments, while independent learning and online activities will be incorporated via
Blackboard.
Time Dedication
The module will run over 14 weeks. The 16-credit module requires 160 work hours for the
average student, thus 8 hours per week. These 8 hours per week should be divided between
classes, preparation for class, activities, and assessments.
Resources
You will be presented with a course reader, also available on Blackboard, which will support
your independent learning, while the teaching-and-learning activities in the reader and
classroom are designed to provide an active learning process. You will find the module
organisation titled “CNFS 3714 ” under My Organisations when you log in to Blackboard. All
required resource materials (reading and videos) are available on Blackboard for each unit.
In addition, videos and other resources will be available on Blackboard to support your
learning journey.
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The lecturer or the Sustainable Food Systems and Development department can update
the module schedule and syllabus (study material), either orally or in writing. It is the
responsibility of students enrolled in this module to stay up to date with the schedule and
syllabus. An announcement of this type can be given in face-to-face class sessions or
communicated on Blackboard. It is recommended that students check Blackboard daily to
keep up to date with the latest developments in CNFS 3714. Any work discussed during
contact sessions can be used for assessment purposes.
Activities and assignments
Teaching and learning in this module will be delivered through a blend of dynamic and
interactive methods designed to ensure a thorough and engaging educational experience.
Here’s how:
Lectures: Core concepts and theories related to communication and facilitation will be
conveyed through interactive lectures. These sessions will lay the groundwork for
understanding innovative approaches and their applications.
Discussions: Regular class discussions will allow students to share their insights, pose
questions, and interact with peers. These discussions will foster critical thinking and deepen
comprehension of the course material.
Case Studies: Real-world case studies will demonstrate the practical application of
communication and facilitation strategies. These case studies will help students grasp
innovative methods' real-world implications and effectiveness.
Group Projects: Students will collaborate in teams on projects that challenge them to apply
their communication and facilitation skills to solve real-world problems. These projects will
enhance problem-solving abilities and encourage teamwork and innovation.
Assignments: Regular assignments will allow students to demonstrate their understanding
of the course material. Feedback on these assignments will help students identify areas of
strength and areas for improvement.
Online Resources: Various online resources, including readings, videos, and quizzes, will
supplement the in-class instruction. These resources will allow students to learn at their own
pace and explore topics of interest in more depth.
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5. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING BREAKDOWN
Please note that continuous assessment will be used to test your skills in the
subject. Regarding the rules of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences,
the final mark of this module is calculated as follows
ASSESSMENT TYPE (E.G. CONTRIBUTION TO
WRITTEN/ORAL/PRACTICAL) MODULE MARK
Assessments Written formal/oral 50%
assessment
Online Activities Written formal/oral 20%
assessment
Class Activities Written informal assessment 15%
Reading Written formal/oral 10%
Assignments assessment
Portfolio All assessments 5%
ASSESSMENTS DATES
Assessment 1 18 March 2025
Assessment 2 5 May 2025
Assessment 3 29-30 May 2025
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6. LEARNING UNITS, MODULE SCHEDULE & CONTACT SESSIONS
Learning Units
In addressing the module outcomes above, the following learning units will be covered in this
module.
Unit 1: Exploring the term sustainability. Additional notes
Unit 2 Where do we fit in the Food Supply Chain? (Chapter 1& 4)
Unit 3 Eco-consumption, the Consumer and Food Chapter 2 +
Security.
Additional notes)
Unit 4 Food Security, Sustainability and the Global (Chapter 7)
Economy.
Unit 5 Sustainable production Systems. (Chapter 8,9 & 10)
Unit 6 Land use, Land Grabbing and Land Imperialism. (Chapter 6 &11)
Unit 7 Measuring our impact. (Chapter 12)
Unit 8 Challenges of local production. (Chapter 13)
Module Schedule
The module schedule outlines what you must do for each unit and will be provided on
Blackboard at the beginning of the semester. The module stretches over 14 weeks. Any
adjustments or changes made to the schedule will be communicated via Blackboard or orally
in class. It is the responsibility of students enrolled in this module to stay up to date with the
schedule and syllabus. It is recommended that students check Blackboard daily to keep up
to date with the latest developments in CNSF 3714. Any work discussed during contact
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sessions can be used for assessment purposes. The module calendar is also available on
Blackboard and can and will be adjusted as needed during the semester. Contact sessions
will take place as published by the University of the Free State.
Activities will be conducted in class and online (via Blackboard). All assignments and case
studies will be submitted on Blackboard as the Module Schedule indicates. Semester
tests will be written in F2F in class time and online.
WEEK DATE UNIT ACTIVITIES
10 February Orientation
1
11 February Orientation
Unit 1
2 17 February Lecture
(Additional notes)
Unit 1
18 February Lecture
(Additional notes)
Unit 2
24 February Lecture
(Chapter 1)
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Unit 2
25 February Lecture
(Chapter 4)
Unit 2
3 March Lecture
(Chapter 4)
4 Unit 2
4 March Submit Activity 1
(Chapter 4)
Unit 3
10 March Lecture
(Chapter 2 & Notes)
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Unit 3
11 March Lecture
(Chapter 2 & Notes)
6 17 March Units 1-3 Preparation for
Assessment 1
(Chapters 1,2 & 4 and
Additional notes)
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Units 1-3
18 March Assessment 1
(Chapters 1,2 & 4 and
Additional notes)
21 March Humans Right day
Unit 4
24 March Lecture
(Chapter 7)
Unit 4
7 25 March Lecture
(Chapter 7)
31 March- 4
UFS VACATION
April
Unit 5
7 April Lecture
(Chapter 8)
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Unit 5 Lecture
8 April
(Chapter 8) Submit Activity 2
Unit 5
14 April Lecture
(Chapter 9)
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Unit 5
15 April Lecture
(Chapter 9)
18 & 21 April Good Friday and Easter Monday
10 Unit 5
22 April Lecture
(Chapter 10)
28 April Freedom day
Unit 5
29 April Lecture
11 (Chapter 10)
Workers day
1 May
(Units 4 & 5)
5 May Assessment 2
Chapters 7-10
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Unit 6
6 May Lecture
(Chapter 6)
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Unit 6
12 May Lecture
(Chapter 6)
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Unit 6
13 May Lecture
(Chapter 11)
Unit 7
19 May Lecture
(Chapter 12)
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Unit 7
20 May Submit Activity 3
(Chapter 12)
26 May Lecture
Unit 8
Submit Semester
(Chapter 13)
Assignment
27 May Units 6 – 8 Preparation for
Assessment 3
15 (Chapters 6, 11, 12 &
13)
28- 30 May Units 6 – 8
Assessment 3
(Chapters 6, 11, 12 &
13)
30 May Predicate Submit Portfolios
Contact sessions
Three contact sessions are scheduled for each week:
Day Time Venue
Monday 9:10 – 10:00 EBW A 103
Tuesday 12:10– 13:00 Creative lab
[Link] OF MATERIAL
• The prescribed textbook in this module is Eastham, J., Aguiar, L.K. &
Thelwell, S. Contemporary issues in the Food Supply Chain
Management.
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• In addition to the textbook, other study material will be used as part of this
module's teaching and learning. This material and activities will be made
available on Blackboard throughout the semester.
It is each student's responsibility to ensure that they obtain and prepare all study
material in time.
8. KEYS TO THRIVING IN THIS MODULE
You CAN DO THIS! Here are the key ingredients to thrive in the module”:
• Engage with the learning material on Blackboard.
• Prepare specific sections from the reader (or study guide) before attending
the contact session.
• Class attendance is compulsory, but life happens, and sometimes you have
to miss a session; please let me know on time via email or WhatsApp if you
need to miss a session.
• Ensure you are on the class WhatsApp group.
• Participate in the learning activities which prepare you for assessments.
• Start with assignments in advance and submit assignments on time.
• Take time to study your workbook for tests.
• Engage continually with your peers and lecturers, e.g., in collaborative
group discussions.
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The value of following the recipe for success is linked to the module's aim. Therefore, the
ingredients will make you a sustainable food system expert with the essential knowledge and
skills to be a part of the solution in sustainable food systems transformation. The course
ingredients also develop all your graduate attributes, which prepares you for your career as
a desirable graduate who will be a change-maker contributing to your community.
9. POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS
GENERAL RULES
The final ingredient to thrive in the module is following the general rules.
• If you miss an assignment, semester test or class/blackboard activity, a
sick note from a doctor is required within 48 hours. Only students who have
handed in a valid sick note can write the sick test.
• Should a sick note not be received, you will get zero for the missed
assignment, semester test or class/blackboard activity.
• All assignments are submitted through the Blackboard Turn it in; this
online similarity detection system determines the amount of plagiarism
within an assignment. The acceptable percentage is 30%; if you submit an
assignment
with more than 30% similarity, you will be allowed to reduce this; if the
similarity score is still over 30% with the second submission, you will
receive zero.
• Late submission of assignments will receive a penalty of 10% for each
day it is late.
10. EVALUATION PROCEDURES
Your learning experience is of utmost importance to us as we want, and therefore, we
value your feedback to ensure our learning and teaching methods are of high quality. In
the middle and end of the module, you will be allowed to evaluate your learning
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experience, involving everything from the content of the course, the way it was taught, to
the assessment. The evaluation process involves completing a short survey in week 14 or
15.
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