This module explores the dynamics of cultural change as a theoretical framework for planned technological change. Students will understand the importance of identifying issues related to context or the environment that will impact change. This module prepares students to think critically about and describe how recommended programming in human health and horticulture will lead to change.

As donors at the local, national and international level along with community beneficiaries and practitioners increasingly demand improved evidence-based interventions and quantifiable assessment of program results, the need for interdisciplinary higher education graduates with impact evaluation skills grows. This module prepares students with the basic methodology and practical knowledge to assess, on a basic level, the effectiveness of programs working to build community resilience and global food security.

Famine has been a part of human existence since the beginning of time. These cyclic events have been especially prevalent in regions of subsistence agriculture. Famine develops due to environmental factors causing crop failure such as prolonged drought. Frequently famine is the harbinger of starvation and epidemics leading to the migration of people from their native lands. This module examines the history and causes of famine and the efforts to prevent famine. Students will focus on global food security efforts and the impact these devastating events have on society.

Food security is an important factor influencing dietary behavior. The community environment impacts the coping strategies used by individuals who are food insecure. In this online module, students focus on an ecological approach using native vegetables to enhance nutrition and prevent disease.

Child and maternal nutrition are critical issues in communities where food insecurity is prevalent. The culture of the community highly impacts the feeding practices of mothers and their children. The introduction of complementary foods for childhood nutrition is an important focal area covered in this module. Ideas on how to encourage mothers to introduce fresh produce from a home garden into their children’s diet are explored. Other components of this module will include behavior modification techniques to improve health through a more balanced diet.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, a large group of non-essential compounds thought to confer protection against a number of chronic diseases. In this module, students will learn the roles of phytochemicals in plants, classes of the major phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables, mechanisms and purported health benefits associated with consumption of phytochemicals, and ways to incorporate phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables in the human diet.

This module focuses on specialty crop production systems and constraints, specifically the sustainability, adaptability, and limitations of various production systems. Students will develop an understanding of the issues that affect and guide limited resource farmers when producing high value crops.

This module focuses on Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) and food safety related to the production of specialty crops. The module addresses the various aspects of the Produce Safety Rule as described in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) through curriculum that aligns with the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) including GAP basics.

Fruits and vegetables are susceptible to postharvest loss, which is commonly defined as the degradation in both quality and quantity of food production from harvest to consumption. Postharvest losses are a problem worldwide with estimates of 30 to 40% of the food produced going to waste prior to consumption. In this module, students will learn the scope of postharvest losses, internal factors influencing postharvest losses, external factors influencing postharvest losses, and commercial practices to mitigate postharvest losses to reduce postharvest losses.

Due to limited shelf life and seasonal availability, fresh fruits and vegetables are commonly processed into various shelf-stable products. Processed fruits and vegetables add convenience to consumers, reduce or eliminate food safety issues, and prevent further loss of nutrients. In this module, students will learn the major causes of fruit and vegetable deterioration, types of preservation methods, and new non-thermal processing technologies.

An essential part of horticultural production is to select from marketable products to develop a sustainable and profitable marketing approach. This module covers the key choices needed for selecting from potential products including such critical issues as prices available, market access and meeting government regulations.