UNH Academic Sustainable Agriculture in Costa Rica
Presented by: Andrew Ogden
Course is designed as a three week immersion into tropical agriculture and Costa Rican ecology and culture.
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in Costa Rica’s history and in shaping current events. Production of horticultural and agronomic crops occurs on a variety of scales ranging from large export based systems, to mid-sized operations for domestic sales, and sustenance based home gardens.
Examples of all systems are visited and discussions focus on their overall sustainability. Sustainability is a broad concept and requires consideration of socio-cultural, environmental, and economic factors. Agriculture and agricultural products infuse the culture as seen by large participation in farmers markets and appreciation for a wide variety of fruits and vegetables prepared in myriads of ways. An appreciation for nature also infuses the culture and is embodied by the country’s extensive system of national parks and protected reserves along with the national philosophy of ‘Pura Vida’.
TEACHERS
Andrew Ogden
As a Senior Lecturer, my focus at UNH is primarily on teaching. I teach a variety of courses for the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Program. I teach the Food Production Field Experience, a 2 semester experiential course in which we grow a wide variety of vegetables for UNH Dining outlets. My interests lie in the sustainable production of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Micro-climate enhancement for season extension is of great interest to me and much of my research has focused on high tunnel environments. I am passionate about tropical agriculture and agroforestry. I teach about these subjects in my course a Taste of the Tropics and while teaching abroad in places like Costa Rica and Peru. I am also conducting my doctoral research in Dr. Brent Loy’s lab focusing on the physiology of flowering, grafting, and powdery mildew resistance in the family Cucurbitaceae.
