ESRC CASE AWARD FOR PHD STUDY: A CPLAN Collaboration with the Agricultural and Advisory Service Wales

ESRC CASE AWARD FOR PHD STUDY

A CPLAN Collaboration with the Agricultural and Advisory Service Wales (ADAS Cymru Wales).

Grant: approx £1,000 above the normal ESRC studentship level per annum for 3 years - 2008-2011

Research Project:

Bridging the Gaps: New Agri-Food Chains and Rural Development.

Supervisors: Professor Terry Marsden and Dr Gareth Enticott, School of City and Regional Planning

In collaboration with Mr David Roderick & Mr David Frost (ADAS Cymru Wales).


The scholarship and the research project

This doctoral studentship is a collaboration between the ESRC, the principal funder, CPLAN, as the academic school and ADAS Cymru Wales, a leading supplier of expertise and policy advice on rural businesses, agri-food and related environmental issues. The project will provide a real and much needed opportunity for the scholar to gain first-hand and direct experience of working in a cutting edge policy and practice context associated with the scientific and policy need to re-build effective agri-food supply chains for the farm to new procurement markets. The research will directly assist both ADAS and a range of associated bodies to improve their systems of support for agri-food development and rural development policy. With the new Rural Development Plan (2007-13), and its different axes, the research will provide timely evidence which will be used in the implementation of the plan. The supervisory team are directly involved in these developments and will support knowledge transfer in actions relevant to both private and public sector bodies.

Building on and linked to a series of research projects conducted by Marsden and Morgan (see Morgan et al 2006) in CPLAN, and by ADAS Cymru Wales on local food chains and food procurement, the CASE studentship will:

1. provide a state of the art theoretical contribution to the understanding of the development of local food chains, looking at obstacles and barriers experienced in their evolution;
2. examine the progress so far made through the multi-level food governance system at European, UK and Wales levels;
3. examine how successful local producer and consumer networks could be scaled up;
4. Assess, through in depth empirical research in counties such as Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire the impacts of such agri-food initiatives on broader aspects of rural development;
5. Examine the role and gaps in the provision of policy and dissemination of information in helping to improve the rural economy benefits of local food chain developments.




Collaborative Arrangements

The researcher will spend a total of two months with ADAS in the first year of the project, and ADAS will provide a bespoken induction programme introducing the researcher to existing ongoing projects and their related work programmes. This will be followed by 1 month per annum during years 2 and 3. Working with ADAS Cymru's senior research consultant, the researcher will also benefit from front line access and training with partners and a wide range of respondents involved in primary production and food processing. ADAS and CPLAN are looking for a researcher with high levels of motivation who can (i) work from an academic perspective and significantly develop findings of existing projects; (ii) to undertake cutting- edge, original research which can help to inform the future direction of policy in agri-food and rural development; (iii) to draft reports and chapters at each phase of the project, and to be able to present the interim results of such work both to policy for a and international workshops and conferences.

Career Progression and Opportunities

The researcher will join a vibrant group of researchers who are all members of CPLAN's Centre for the Rural Environment and Society (CRES), and as such will have 5* (RAE) rated research opportunities, facilities and support. The collaboration with ADAS will provide professional as well as purely academic opportunities to develop policy and practice relevant experience. For instance the researcher will develop key research relationships with key policy actors in the field. The researcher will be given encouragement and support to disseminate widely the results of the research.

Qualifications

Candidates should have a good first degree in planning, geography, agricultural economics or related subjects and would preferably have an ESRC recognised master's level qualification in one of these fields or equivalent postgraduate experience and research training.

Applications

A CV and supporting letter of interest plus the names of two referees, should be sent no later than Friday 22 February 2008 to:

Ruth Leo, Cardiff School of City and Regional Planning, Cardiff University

Glamorgan Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3WA.

Initial enquiries to Professor Terry Marsden MarsdenTK@cf.ac.uk

Funding & eligibility enquiries to Ruth Leo tel 029 2087 4462 Leor@cf.ac.uk

For information on the Collaborating body: ADAS Cymru Wales visit www.adas.co.uk