2024-2025 / ECON2273-1

Applied rural socioeconomics

Duration

10h Th, 43h Pr, 4h SEM

Number of credits

 Master in agricultural bioengineering, professional focus6 crédits 

Lecturer

Yves Brostaux, Thomas Dogot

Coordinator

Thomas Dogot

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course allows students to apply the appropriate methodologies for the analysis of problems of rural economy and socio-economic assessment of rural policies. The sessions include lectures addressing the evaluation of results and impacts of sectoral policy (counterfactual methods and / or econometric), the design of a questionnaire survey, the sampling and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, etc.. The pedagogical approach emphasizes interdisciplinary and problem-based learning. The content is therefore adjusted in accordance with problems.
For example, the following problem could be an application. Under the Rural Development Plan, the EU and the Walloon Region co-finance a support scheme for the establishment of young farmers. At the end of the programming period (5 years), the Commission expects Member States to assess the results and impacts of the program in relation to the objectives of this policy. Different evaluation questions are asked and attempt to quantify the contribution of this support to sustainable settlement of young farmers, structural adjustment operations, improvement of human potential in the agricultural sector and improve of agricultural sector competitiveness. Based on monitoring data and available statistics, how to answer these evaluation questions?

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The course enables students to acquire the following knowledge:
· methods of collecting socio-economic data, · survey methods, · methods of quantitative analysis applied to the socio-economic analysis.
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
· design and implement various research methodologies in economics, · collect and analyze data using appropriate instruments, · evaluate and analyze economic problems in an independent, objective and critical approach
The course helps develop students' skills in the following stages of development:   * Identify relevant qualitative and quantitative information related to an agronomic process * Interpret information related to an agronomic process in order to identify its main elements * Analyze the socio-economic aspects of a project and their impact on society * Arguing and discussing results and recommendations effectively and adapting to the target audience   * Develop an experimental plan or a sampling plan on the basis of a hypothesis formulated and interpret the results * Participate in the implementation of collaborative work 

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Fundamental statistics (STAT2002 & STAT2003), Applied statistics (STAT2004 & STAT2005), multivariate statistical analysis (STAT1213), Political and Social Economy (ECON2244), Accounting and Business Management (GEST3028), Rural economics and farm business management (ECON0942), Food Policy and Strategy (GEST3019)

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lectures (10 hours) Practical works (43 h) Seminars (4 h)

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

The pedagogical approach emphasizes problem-based learning. Problem formulated by teachers is submitted to groups of three students. During the 10 hours of lectures, tools and analysis methods that can be mobilized to solve the problem are exposed. Students develop the general methodology, deepen useful concepts and implement the resolution of the problem with the supervision of teachers. A mid-term session is organized to present a progress report of their work.

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

Written work / report


Additional information:

The evaluation is based on the final report presentation. It takes into account the quality of the report, its oral presentation and the responses to questions addressed by teachers. During the presentation, each student is likely to be asked about the content of the report. In addition, a test is performed to assess the knowledge of students on analytical methods.
The two components of the evaluation are weighted as follows: final report presentation (70%) and test on analytical methods (30%).

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Contacts

Dogot Thomas (Coordinateur)
thomas.dogot@uliege.be
+32 81 622364

Economie et Développement rural
Bât 18 GE Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech
Passage des Déportés 2
5030 Gembloux

Brostaux Yves
y.brostaux@uliege.be
+32 81 622469

Association of one or more MOOCs