Opportunities

Call for conference papers: Towards a new knowledge for scale sensitive governance of complex systems

10-12 November 2010, Wageningen, the Netherlands 

Policies have many impacts on environmental and human processes at different spatial and temporal scales. Climate change, biodiversity, energy consumption, water resource management, and food security are a few of the many examples illustrating the complex multi-scale interactions within and between environmental and human processes. This observation fits well within a long history of disappointments in policy and management related to our environment and indicates that scale sensitive governance approaches are required.

The aim of the conference is to discuss different perspectives on scaling and governance issues. The starting point is that scaling and governance deserve more attention as a combination, not just in separate studies. The conference looks at this integration as a major challenge for both the social, economic and the natural sciences. In order to get to transdisciplinarity, that is to say, cooperation between scientists from different disciplines as well as policy makers and citizens, vigorous communication between scientists from the natural science and the humanities is needed.

For more information see here. 

The call for papers is now open – deadline for submission of abstracts is 31 May 2010.

Soil Association consultation on organic standards for protected cropping: inputs wanted

The Soil Association is holding a consultation to develop specific organic standards for protected cropping. Growing crops in a glasshouse or polytunnel is one way to provide more healthy local food by increasing productivity and extending the local growing season. But if these systems are to make a contribution to the resilience of our food supply it is important to ensure that they are managed as sustainably as possible. The key issues are around fertility, soil, pest and disease control, water and energy use. 

The Soil Association is seeking opinion from the industry and the public to ensure that these standards are in line with organic principles, consumer expectation and practical constraints. They are keen to hear from everyone with an interest in organic food, and all details, including the consultation paper and details of how to respond, can be found here.

The closing date of this first round of consultation is 9th July 2010, and responses will inform a draft standards proposal that will be consulted later in 2010.

World climate teach-in day: Call for expressions of interest

The International Climate Change Information Programme (ICCIP) is one of the world's leading programmes with a focus on education, information, communication and awareness-raising on matters related to climate change. Created in 2009, based at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) and led by Prof. Walter Leal, ICCIP works with a network of some of the world's leading universities in the five continents and some key agencies such as UNEP, UNESCO, IPCC, GEF and many others. ICCIP runs a series of on-line climate conferences. 

Expressions of interest are now being sought from qualified scientists and agencies for inputs to two major on-line  events ICCIP is running in 2010:

The World Climate Teach-in Day  on 4th June 2010

The World Sustainable Development Teach-In Day on 3rd December 2010 

The inputs envisaged consist of PowerPoint presentations relevant to these two on-line conferences which, subject to a review, will be made available online during the events. The teach-in days are innovative ways of promoting information and knowledge exchange, characterised by the highest academic standards, and the possibility of reaching a world audience. Expressions of interest to contribute to these events, initially outlining the title of the envisaged input and the authors of the work to be submitted, should be sent to ICCIP.

Food, Society and Public Health conference: last call for abstracts

Academics, practitioners, policy makers and other research users are encouraged to come together to explore themes relating to Food, Society and Public Health at the British Library conference centre in London. The number of delegates will be limited to around 150 in order to focus discussion.

Abstracts for oral papers, posters and themed sessions and workshops are invited on topics relating to food systems, eating practices, food production, sustainability and dietary health.

The deadline for abstracts is Friday, 29th January 2010. Forms for the submission of abstracts can be found on the conference website. You can also visit the conference blog.

Call for papers: Food Security: geographical perspectives and implications for agri-food studies

Royal Geographical Society - Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG) annual conference in London (1-3 September 2010).

This session on food is intended to address this issue of food security and its potential implications for agri-food studies. We seek a range of conceptual and empirical papers that offer critical insights into food security, including how it might influence how geographers and others go about studying and responding to this and related agri-food issues. Papers might address one or more of the following themes:

• What is meant by the term food security?
• How might we conceptualise food security?
• Conceptualising multifunctionality and neo-productivism in the context of food security
• Discourses of food security
• Food security and food sovereignty
• Vulnerability, resilience and adaptation
• The Peak Debates: oil, food, phosphate etc.
• Biotechnology and the GM debate (revisited)
• Biofuels
• Globalisation, neo-liberalism and global trade
• Alternative and local food networks (revisited)
• Equity, food access, diet, consumption and health
• Land grab and neo-colonialism
• Food policy responses
• Impacts on different food sectors and food chains
• Food security impacts and implications at different geographical scales (household, regional, national, global)

The deadline for papers to be submitted to the convenors is 1st February 2010. Please send abstracts (max. 250 words) and proposed titles (stating name, institution, and contact details) to both Dr Damian Maye and Dr James Kirwan.

Agri-environment schemes: What have they achieved and where do we go from here? - Call for papers.

The British Ecological Society invites abstracts for a three-day conference being held from 27th to 29th April 2010 at the University of Leicester. Themes to be explored at this conference will include the development of agri-environment policy, the rationale behind the current schemes, the science underpinning the options, implementation at field, farm and landscape scales, the assessment and evaluation of the outcomes, and the implications for future developments.

A particular emphasis will be placed on the collection and assessment of evidence for success (or otherwise) of agri-environment schemes in achieving their objectives, and how this could be improved. Of specific interest will be the nature and early results from evaluation of new agri-environment schemes established following the 2005 CAP reform, but the scope will also include earlier AES and comparisons between them. Both monitoring of direct benefits and socio-economic evaluations may be included. In addition, papers describing underpinning research will also be welcomed. Keynote speakers will be invited to set the policy context. For more information see here.

Defra call for proposals: Implementation of anaerobic digestion in England and Wales: balancing optimal outputs with minimal environmental impacts

Defra project Number: FFG 1001

Defra wishes to commission a project to assess overall impacts from options to combine the available feedstocks, technologies and use of the digestate and make recommendations on best practice to achieve the best outcomes from use of AD. The research objectives are:

• To assess the economic and environmental performance of different AD co-digestion mixes, according to location, feedstock availability and use of digestate
• To quantify the net GHG impacts of these AD mixes to include products generated, feedstock production and application to land
• To quantify the implications of the range of AD systems identified on water/air quality, biodiversity and impacts through land use change
• To identify the best practice use for the digestates generated by the co-digestions mixes identified above and resulting infrastructure requirements.

  For further information see here. The deadline for submissions is 5 July 2010.

 

Defra Call for proposals: Examination of the global warming potential of refrigeration in the food chain

Defra project Number: FFG 1002

The main objectives are:

1. To review the current evidence on energy use and resource efficiency of refrigeration, including use of refrigerants, leakage, uptake of new technologies, provide an overview of environmental impact in terms of energy, and resource use efficiency of refrigeration across the food chain and highlight evidence gaps.
2. Consider and fill evidence gaps on: refrigerant leakage - the distribution of energy efficiency by size and type of firm; the availability, efficiency and comparative cost, in the short and medium term, of new low global warming potential refrigerants; energy use efficiency, maintenance practices and replacement of old compressors/units.
3. The project should summarise the potential solutions to refrigeration related emissions, along with indications of the cost.
4. The review should also: attempt to quantify the levels of uptake of specific technologies to reduce refrigerant emissions; identify drivers (besides commercial incentives) of uptake of new technologies; e.g. legislation, guidance, or peer pressure; and explore the scope for Government and other bodies to change behaviour in the food chain to deliver improved environmental impacts from refrigeration.
5. In all cases the total impact on the UK’s GHG emissions should be quantified to contextualise potential savings and impacts on energy use.

For more information see here. The deadline for submissions is 9 July 2010.
 

PhD Studentship

In collaboration with Talis Systems, Aston University's Business School is offering an ESRC funded PhD studentship on the topic of "Decision support systems for energy reduction in food supply chains: transparency, provenance and sustainability." The main thrust of this research will be the application of semantic web and linked data technologies to the food supply chain with the objective to reduce energy consumption, increase transparency, provenance and sustainability.

The student will be jointly supervised by Dr. Christopher Brewster at Aston, and Dr. Tom Heath at Talis. For more information see here or email Dr Brewster.

Call for tenders: Wallington Land Carbon Management Plan

The National Trust is inviting tenders to complete a Land Carbon Management Plan for the National Trust’s 5,261 hectare Wallington Estate, and to identify mechanisms for the soils within the estate to be managed to increase their current carbon storage. This project is part of the National Trust’s Wallington Carbon Footprint project and is to be delivered as a special project under Higher Level Stewardship in partnership with Natural England.

For more information email Celia Robbins.

The deadline for the submission of tenders is 12.00 on Friday 11th June.

ESRC Case PhD Studentship on offer

PepsiCo's sustainable supply chains: working with agricultural growers in the UK

This project is a partnership between the Operations Management Group at Warwick Business School and PepsiCo UK. The studentship focuses on how PepsiCo UK can best work with growers and other SMEs to pursue social, economic and environmental sustainability in supply chain management (SCM). The research will help contribute to commercial practice by investigating how to be both efficient and sustainable: how to improve performance and competitiveness in supply chains and triple bottom line performance.

Specific questions might include:

• What does sustainable SCM mean for different stakeholders in supply chains?
• Which factors (collaborative approach, risk management etc.) are helpful in supporting sustainable SCM? 

The closing date for applications is Thursday 3rd June 2010
Interview date: Wednesday 16th June 2010 - Held at the University of Warwick
Start date: 1st October 2010

PhD Student Bursary: Future Farming

Future Farming: An Investigation of the Impact of Higher Energy Costs on SW Agriculture using Farm Business Survey data

Applications are invited from final year undergraduates or masters students for a joint PhD based at the Centre for Rural Policy Research, University of Exeter and Duchy College, Cornwall. The institutions are looking for someone to conduct research that addresses a pressing problem in the era of climate change and peak oil. How dependent is contemporary agriculture on oil? Can the detailed FBS farm accounting data tell us which types of farming are less oil-dependent than others? What would be the implications for profitability of higher oil prices and what management steps could famers take in response? What are the prospects for reducing agriculture’s dependency on oil? These are the questions to be tackled in this PhD.

The institutions wish to appoint a numerate social scientist with a demonstrable interest in Agricultural Economics, Environmental Management and Rural Policy. Applicants should submit a formal online application for a PhD in Politics, including two academic references and CV.

There is no closing date but it is hoped that a decision will be made in early June so please apply as soon as possible. Further Details are available from Professor Michael Winter, telephone 01392 263837.



 

Call for tenders: beef

The National Trust is seeking to commission research that quantifies and assesses the impacts and outcomes of different beef production systems based on a selection of National Trust farms. 

The research methodology proposed is split into two discrete parts and tenders can be submitted for one or both parts.

Part one
Full life cycle analysis of beef produced under the following scenarios:

1. Typical Intensively reared: US/South American feedlot system (perhaps through review of existing literature)
2. A selection of National Trust farms (including intensive, extensive and organic systems)

The analysis should meet PAS 2050 standards, plus include three additional factors:

1. carbon sequestered by farm woodlands and hedges
2. soil carbon losses and gains
3. direct and indirect land use change associated with agricultural inputs and products

Part two
Assessment of different livestock production system’s performance against other significant criteria.

This should take into account the following, describing any trade-offs or synergies with the other impacts.

• Inputs: how grass, supplementary feed and other inputs are produced (energy, nutrients, water), and where they come from, infrastructure requirements
• Other outputs (slurry, FYM, by-products)
• Impacts on biodiversity, landscape, air, soil and water
• Land capability and type of grassland
• Livestock breeds
• Animal welfare issues
• Animal health issues
• Nutritional value of products/human health issues
• Farm assurance schemes

For more information see the pdf. The deadline for submissions is 7 May.

Funded PhD studentship: Identifying and costing climate mitigation options for sheep farmers in England and Wales

The project 

Livestock farming is responsible for a high proportion of UK agriculture’s emissions of greenhouse gases. Most farmers would like to reduce these emissions, but before they can achieve this they need to understand the management options that are available to them, the amount of emissions they will reduce and the cost of implementing these options to the farm business. 

Against this background the objectives of this project are:

• To identify practical activities that sheep farmers can undertake in order to reduce the
• greenhouse gas emissions from their farms.
• To calculate the cost of each intervention to the farm business.
• To estimate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that would derive from each
• intervention on a series of case study farms.
• To assess farmers’ perceptions of the practicality of implementing the interventions.
• To determine the contribution that these interventions could make to meeting Governmental
• and industry targets for greenhouse gas reductions. 

Location

The work will be undertaken at the School of the Environment, Natural Resources & Geography, Bangor University, Thoday Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW. The work will be supervised by Professors Gareth Edwards-Jones & Davey Jones and Dr Paul Cross.

Funding

The project is funded by EBLEX/HCC who are the levy bodies for the red meat sector in England and Wales. 

The applicant

The successful applicant will need to have a good degree in an agricultural or environmentally related topic. They will have a genuine interest in climate change and how agriculture can achieve greenhouse gas reductions. The applicant will feel confident about using numerical techniques, and experience of modelling and/or economics would be an advantage.

For further details on the project and the application process please email Gareth Edwards-Jones. 


 

Call for proposals: Evidence to define the sustainability of a healthy diet

Project number FFG 0925

Defra requires a comprehensive review of the current evidence, guidance, data and metrics available, to quantify sustainability attributes of consumer diets. This review will use established guidance on healthy eating and will not re-examine evidence of what constitutes a healthy diet. The review will assess to what extent the available evidence can be used to describe the sustainability of a healthy diet.

More specifically the review will:

• Examine the current evidence, guidance, data, and metrics which can be used to quantify sustainability attributes of a healthy diet, based on established guidance for healthy eating. The review should assess the quality and robustness of the data/metrics available regarding sustainability where methodology remains underdeveloped.
• Investigate a broad range of attributes underpinning environmental, social and economic sustainability within the food system. Systems used at all stages of the food chain should be considered (e.g. production systems may be field-based or protected crops, using techniques that are conventional, low-input, certified organic/red tractor/LEAF Marque/RSPCA Freedom Foods, etc).
• Look for synergies and trade-offs between different attributes of sustainability and between sustainability and healthy eating.
• Investigate the extent to which the industry would be able to accommodate proposed changes in diet to provide a sustainable healthy diet to consumers at an affordable price.
• Identify data or evidence gaps and make recommendations for future research to support a robust characterisation of the sustainability of a healthy diet.

The deadline for submissions is Friday 7th May 2010. For more information see here.

Defra Call for proposals: Assessment of the impacts of climate change and changes in land use on future water availability and opportunities for adaptation in farming

Project Number: FFG 0927

A project is required to assess current and future water availability for irrigation in agriculture, taking into account current and forecasts in land use, and potential for adaptation to maintain or increase food production. The project should deliver an assessment of future scope for growing irrigated crops in England and Wales, which takes into account water availability and the costs of irrigation.

The project should:

• Map current and future (2030, 2050 and 2080) water availability, drawing on available assessments;
• Map current water abstraction for agriculture, and identify where there is pressure on water resources;
• Use scenarios of land use to assess where water is likely to become a limiting factor in 2030, 2050 and 2080, and where opportunities to grow irrigated crops will arise – scenarios should be cleared by Defra, and take into account the regulatory regime;
• Identify the potential of options for adaptation to water availability (such as improved irrigation techniques and efficiency, drought tolerant varieties, water storage and conservation, range of crops that would be economic to irrigate, and under what circumstances) particularly where there is water stress;
• Assess the costs of adaptation measures, and impacts to farm businesses.
• Assess the wider impacts of water use and adaptation measures.

For more, see here.

Closing date 7 May 2010.

Defra: Calls for proposals

Defra has put out calls for proposals for a number of interesting looking projects – see here for more.

Technology Strategy Board Crop Protection competition

The Technology Strategy Board has launched a collaborative R&D competition with up to £13m investment to help crop growers (arable and horticulture, forage and non-food crops) respond to the dual challenges of increasing the productivity of crops while reducing the environmental impact of crop production. The initiative aims to help meet new and existing EU regulations on the approval and use of pesticides (some widely used insecticides, fungicides and weed control products are likely to lose approval from 2010). This competition is particularly relevant to current and new businesses and practitioners across the agricultural supply chain, including those in the following sectors:

• arable crops including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, potatoes and pulse crops
• horticulture
• grasses and forage crops
• crops for biofuels, and other non-food uses
• in the field or protected cultivation

The Board are holding a briefing event in central London on the 27 January 2010 for those wishing to submit a proposal to the competition. For more information about the event see here and for general information about the competition see here.

Defra call for proposals: Market segmentation and climate change in the agriculture sector

Project Number: FFG 0918.

The aim of this project is to:

• Identify priority sectors for intervention so as to reduce emissions from the farming sector in a cost-effective way
• Identify the main drivers and barriers to uptake of low-carbon opportunities in each sector
• Quantify the size of barriers and if possible provide monetary estimates for each barrier identified
• Identify and recommend high priority segments on which policy should initially focus
• Provide costed, sector-specific recommendations on how to drive the process of cutting emissions

For more information see here.

Defra call for proposals: A systematic review into the resilience of ecosystems and the services they provide to society in the face of changing external pressures

Project CTE 0962

An ecosystems approach lies in integrating and managing a range of demands placed on the natural environment in such a way that it can indefinitely support essential services and provide benefits for all. The approach requires shifting the focus of policy making and delivery away from looking at the natural environment policies in separate silos (e.g. air, water, soil, biodiversity) and towards a more holistic or integrated approach on whole ecosystems. It also seeks to ensure the value of ecosystems is fully reflected in policy and decision-making at all levels.

Generating evidence to assist policy making around an ecosystems approach and adaptation to climate change requires knowledge from a broad range of scientific, economic, and social science disciplines to be integrated to answer policy-relevant questions. Through a thorough review of the existing evidence base, the aim of the research is to examine critically a small set of policy relevant questions based around the theme of the resilience of ecosystems and the (ecosystem) services and benefits that they provide to society and the economy in the face of changing external pressures, including (but not limited to) those from a changing climate.

For more information see here.

The deadline for applications is 20 January 2010.

PhD Studentships available

Applications are open for 4 year fully funded PhD Studentships for autumn 2010 entry at the Sustainable Consumption Institute's Doctoral Training Centre. Around 5 UK/EU and 5 international scholarships are expected to be awarded on a competitive basis to candidates holding 1st Class Bachelors and/or Distinction at Masters, or equivalent.

Applications open Tuesday 1 December 2009 and the closing date is Friday 26 February 2010. For full details of the application process, see here.

New MSC in Climate Change and Policy

The University of Sussex is launching a new MSC in Climate Change and Policy, run jointly by SPRU and the Department of Geography.

Applications are currently being invited for entry in 2010. The programme addresses climate change from a multidisciplinary perspective, covering both the science of climate change and social science dimensions of policy responses.

Up to ten scholarships of £4,500 and three of £3,500 are available. The scholarships will be awarded to students who possess the highest academic ability and potential (not made on the basis of financial need). For more information see here or send an email.

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation: funding available through its food strand

The Esme Fairbairn Foundation has a long standing interest in food, particularly its sustainable production and distribution. It now wants to develop this by supporting work that explores the relationship between people and food.

The aim of the Food strand is to promote an understanding of the role of food in enhancing quality of life. It will prioritise the enjoyment and experience of food rather than its production and will seek to enable as many people in the UK as possible to access, prepare and eat nutritious, sustainable food. The budget is £3million over three years from 2008, subject to annual review.

The Foundation is interested in work that influences policy and practice across a range of food-related areas. It expects to support a mix of practical projects that have wide significance, and some research and policy based work. It is keen to support work which enhances quality of life; this will include the following:

• Improving access to appropriate, diverse and sustainable food in areas where availability is limited
• Exploring or enhancing understanding of the impact of food on wider well-being
• Demonstrating the positive role of food in a social context or how food can contribute to community cohesion
• Developing leadership in food policy and/or enabling greater connection among currently diverse food-related interests
• Scaling up effective local or regional practice that deserves a wider platform
• Strategic or exceptional work that supports the development of sustainable food systems.

For more information see here.

Defra call for proposals: Effective approaches to environmental labelling of food products

Defra project number: FFG 0911

Defra needs to consider the practicalities and effectiveness of environmental labelling for food and build up impartial evidence relating to the feasibility of this approach. Of particular interest is the evidence for and against what is sometimes coined “omnilabelling” (a single easy to understand label integrating various environmental impacts) in comparison with a number of different individual labels. In addition there is a need to review available information on how consumers currently utilise information presented on food labels and to consider different approaches to how environmental labelling could be used most effectively to drive behavioural change. An assessment of the cost burdens to industry for introducing new environmental labels and the potential impact on food exporters is also required.

A research project is therefore required to address the following areas:

• The feasibility of integrating the various environmental impacts of food products into a single, easy to understand label.
• The costs and benefits to industry of introducing new environmental labels for food products and the potential impact on food exporters.
• The effectiveness of environmental labelling in raising awareness and informing consumer food choices to drive behavioural change and support healthy eating and sustainable consumption.

The closing date is 4 December 2009.

Defra call for proposals: Economic and environmental impacts of changes in support measures for the English uplands–an in-depth forward look from the farmer’s perspective

Project number: FFG 0908

Defra needs to gain a greater understanding of how hill farmers are likely to respond to changes in economic support from government. In particular, to what extent would a rise or fall in public support lead farmers to (a) radically change their approach to farming (e.g. through intensification or super-extensification), or (b) exit farming altogether? And how are these approaches likely to vary according to age, region, type of farming, and type of tenure? This research project is intended to improve Defra’s understanding of how upland farming in England is likely to be affected by potential changes in income resulting from policy changes. The study specifically seeks insights from farmers with an objective to view issues from a farm business and practice perspective. The key question this research should address is ‘what will be the likely effect of possible changes in support scenarios on farming practices (with emphasis on the environmental impacts such as grazing intensity) and farming profitability in the English uplands?’

For more information see here. The deadline for applications is 9 October 2009.

Job available: Sustainable Restaurant Association Managing Director

The Sustainable Restaurant Association, a social enterprise based in Soho, London, is seeking a Managing Director. The SRA aims to make UK restaurants global leaders in sustainability. The MD will manage a growing team to implement the operational programme and develop the strategic vision to deliver on this objective. Applicants must be qualified to degree level or equivalent, have at least 5 years management experience, and sound entrepreneurial, organisational, communication and interpersonal skills. Knowledge of the catering sector and sustainability issues important. Salary: £45,000-£50,000 plus performance related bonus.

For job description and application details please email Saskia. For more about the SRA see here.

European Commission's Joint Research Centre: Research job available

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre is looking for an experienced researcher, with a PhD or 5 years equivalent experience in life cycle assessment to work on Linking Land Use, Soil Functions and Biodiversity Impacts in Life Cycle Assessment. The post will be based in Italy.

For more details about the job see here. For information on how to apply see here.

The deadline for applications is 4th August 2010.

Making Local Food Work: call for tenders

Making Local Food Work is looking for a research partner to condense the theory and research that exists on influencing consumer behaviour into practical application relating to local food purchasing. The work will identify the most effective routes to changing consumer behaviour in the current economic and environmental climate, with a particular focus on opportunities for community food enterprises to be used as vehicles for change. 

The contract is for three months; work will commence in August 2010. The deadline for all tender submissions is Friday 9th July 2010; tenders should be submitted electronically to Jennifer Smith. For full details, see here.

Making Local Food Work is funded by National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund. 

Professor of Food and Society, Newcastle University

Reference: G464
Closing date for applications: 5 July 2010

Newcastle University is continuing its investment in the Centre for Rural Economy (CRE) and the School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development to enhance its teaching, research and engagement expertise in the social science of food and society. The new Chair will play a strategic leadership role in developing research and teaching and will provide academic leadership of the Food Systems, Consumption and Marketing subject group, one of three such subject groups within the Centre.

Informal enquiries concerning this position and the Centre can be made to the Director, Guy Garrod by email or telephone: +44 191 222 7552. For more information about the job see here.

Two jobs available at LEAF

LEAF is advertising for:

Integrated Farm Management Development Co-ordinator
Events Manager

For info, “LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) promotes environmentally responsible farming. We support farmers to produce good food, with care and to high environmental standards, identified in-store by the LEAF Marque logo.” 

The organisation is based in Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

The deadline for applications is 28 May.
For more information see here.

Leeds University Job: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader in Environmental Change

Leeds University seeks to appoint an enthusiastic, self-motivated academic to strengthen the international research profile of, and connections between, the environmental change research groups of the Africa College project at the University of Leeds.

They are particularly interested in researchers with interdisciplinary expertise in climate change and food security, agricultural sustainability or dryland environmental change.

Full information about the post is available here.  

The deadline for applications is 4th June 2010. 

Job available at the Organic Research Centre

The Organic Research Centre is looking to appoint a Researcher/Senior Researcher (Data Analyst) to work within its Socio-Economic Team. The post will undertake, develop and assist with managing socio-economic research within the Organic Research Centre. The work will focus on the analysis of farm accounts, market, statistical and policy data within existing projects, including a high profile collaborative project on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. For more information please see here. 

The deadline for applications is Friday 14th May 2010

This is taken from Corey Watts’ Australia based Rural Climate Network Newsletter.
 

Commonwork: Full time gardener/education officer vacancy

Commonwork, the study centre and organic farm, has set up two new projects and is advertising two posts. The first is as follows:

The Grow Cook Eat project will work with schools and community groups to encourage people of all ages to grow and cook healthy and sustainable food. It is seeking a full time gardener/education officer.

For further information see here. The closing date for applications is 6 April 2010.

Commonwork: Gardener/mental health project officer vacancy

Commonwork, the study centre and organic farm, has set up two new projects and is advertising for two posts. The second of the two is as follows:

Grow2Grow is a new social enterprise set up in partnership with Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) which will provide nurturing opportunities through farming and horticultural placements for vulnerable young adults with or recovering from mental health problems. It is seeking a full time or job share gardener / mental health project officer. 

For further information see here. The closing date for applications is 6 April 2010.

Vacancy: Post-doctoral Research Assistant in Climate Impacts Modelling for CCAFS – Climate change, agriculture and food security

Full time, fixed term for 3 years.

The University of Leeds is seeking an individual who would work well in a team of researchers as part of a major international programme aimed at overcoming the threats posed by a changing climate food security. The programme is funded by multiple donors, though the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and in partnership with the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP). The programme is intended to run for a ten-year period and consists of six themes. The focus of this post is the theme “Adapting to progressive climate change.”

For more details see here.

Job available: DFID: Policy research fellow in climate change and agriculture

DFID is recruiting a policy research fellow to help implement a policy research programme on climate change, agriculture and food security which will be asking three overarching questions:

1. What is our current understanding on agriculture’s emissions and their mitigation, and what is needed for agriculture to help achieve low carbon growth?
2. How can developing countries best adapt their agricultural systems to climate change?
3. What are the challenges and benefits to including agriculture in carbon markets and offsets so that developing countries and poor farmers benefit?

For more information see here.

The deadline for applications is 24 April 2010.

SOAS Professorship at Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH)

Closing date: Friday 23 April 2010

The London International Development Centre has been awarded a £3.5m grant by the Leverhulme Trust to develop an innovative programme to link agriculture and health research for international development as part of the new LCIRAH initiative. This brings together research groups from six University of London Colleges, comprising economists, sociologists, anthropologists, nutritionists and epidemiologists to develop a programme of inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary research, supported by new appointments, studentships and courses.

The new Centre will appoint two Professors to provide vision and leadership. Candidates will have an outstanding international reputation in the study of agricultural or health systems, a record of successful research linking the two, and a commitment to inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary approaches. One post, under the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), will focus on health links into agriculture and the other, under the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), on agricultural links into health. The post under SOAS is as follows:

Professor, International Food, Agriculture and Health, Centre for Development, Environment and Policy, School of Oriental and African Studies. Full details may be obtained from www.soas.ac.uk/jobs , Reference 000154

Prospective candidates seeking further information may wish to contact Alan Dangour  or Richard Smith at LSHTM, or Andrew Dorward at SOAS. For more about LCIRAH see here or contact Jeff Waage.

LSHTM Professorships at Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH)

Closing date: Friday 23 April 2010

The London International Development Centre has been awarded a £3.5m grant by the Leverhulme Trust to develop an innovative programme to link agriculture and health research for international development as part of the new LCIRAH initiative. This brings together research groups from six University of London Colleges, comprising economists, sociologists, anthropologists, nutritionists and epidemiologists to develop a programme of inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary research, supported by new appointments, studentships and courses.

The new Centre will appoint two Professors to provide vision and leadership. Candidates will have an outstanding international reputation in the study of agricultural or health systems, a record of successful research linking the two, and a commitment to inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary approaches. One post, under the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), will focus on health links into agriculture and the other, under the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), on agricultural links into health. The post under LSHTM is as follows:

Professor, Food Agriculture and International Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Full details may be obtained here. Ref: AD01.

Prospective candidates seeking further information may wish to contact Alan Dangour or Richard Smith at LSHTM, or Andrew Dorward at SOAS. For more about LCIRAH see here or contact Jeff Waage.

Job at Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) works locally and globally at the intersection of policy and practice to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems. IATP is a U.S.-based organization governed by an international board of directors. Headquartered in Minneapolis, IATP also has offices in Washington, Geneva, and Beijing. See here for more.

IATP seeks a full-time senior program officer to serve as its representative in Geneva, working on climate change, food security and economic policy. Work will be focused on the international institutions operating in Geneva and elsewhere in Europe, in collaboration with like-minded NGOs and social movements. The senior program officer will advocate for rights-based approaches to climate change, food security and trade policy in support of IATP goals. This position reports to IATP’s International Program Director. 

For more information see here.

Application deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning on 8 March 2010.

Three agriculture and food security jobs with the CGIAR

The Consultative Group in International Agricultural Research is advertising for three regional facilitators for their Challenge Program for Climate Change - Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). -  The jobs will be located in Niger, Kenya and India.  CCAFS is a global initiative established to overcome the additional threats posed by a changing climate to achieving food security, enhancing livelihoods and improving environmental management.

Three jobs at the Macaulay Institute

The Macaulay Institute's socio-economics research group is advertising for applicants for the following posts: a. theme leader in agricultural and resource economics; b. environmental economist (climate change) and c. Environmental ecological economist.  The deadline for applications to all posts is the 9 February 2010.  For more information see here.

University of Surrey Psychology Department: Food research fellowship available

The University of Surrey's Psychology Department is seeking to appoint a Research Fellow (RAII) to contribute to the development of the Health & Well-Being related research within the Department, which includes the University of Surrey's Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre.

You will develop innovative research proposals to compliment and extend the department's current portfolio of research, identifying sources of funding, submitting funding bids and gaining positive reviews for these. You will take a significant role in planning, co-ordinating and implementing research programmes independently and in collaboration with existing academic staff.

You will hold a Doctorate degree in Psychology or another relevant discipline. You must have an excellent record in your research area and be keen to take a significant role in the development of research within the Department. You must also have a track record of submitting and gaining research funding bids.

Further information about the University and the Department can be found here.

For an informal discussion please email Professor Annette Sterr or Dr Monique Raats.

Application will be considered for full or part time attendance. Please state a preference on your application. For an application pack and to apply on line, see here. Alternatively email Louise Ellesley quoting reference number 7380. The closing date for applications is the 17 January 2010 and interviews will be held in the week beginning 1 February 2010.

Job opportunities: Farming, climate change, the food industry and consumers

A three month project for a coalition of Canadian agriculture trade associations will look at the global effort in 'mainstream' agriculture. This project will find out what's happening with the measurement of farming's impact on climate change and predict how consumers will be informed.

The contractor is an independent consultant and he has two job opportunities:

• An expert on life cycle assessment (up to 5 days)
• A postgraduate researcher (up to 10 days)

For more information see here . If you are interested in applying, please send a CV to Chris Anstey by January 11th.

Defra Contractor and Secondment Opportunities

Defra has opportunities for specialist short term contractors and secondments to join Defra's Sustainable Behaviours Unit.If you’re interested, send a CV and covering letter to Kirsten Reeves, Head of the Sustainable Behaviours Unit, by 27 November 2009.

Job at the Stockholm Environment Institute, York

The Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York is recruiting a Research Associate to work on the Centre for Low Carbon Futures' research strands on supply chains and bio-renewables.

The successful applicant will work on the development of hybrid methods to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions and wider impacts associated with supply chains. A particular focus of this work will be on understanding the impacts along bio-renewables supply chains related to the production of different fuels, chemicals and other products.

The detailed job advert can be found here.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 18 November 2009. Interviews are scheduled for an anticipated date of Friday 4 December 2009.

Post-doctoral Research Fellowships for EQUIP project

EQUIP (End-to-end quantification of uncertainty for impacts prediction) is a three year consortium project - involving the universities of Leeds, Exeter, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Liverpool, Reading, as well as the London School of Economics and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and will begin in the next few months. The project brings together the UK climate modelling, statistical modelling, and impacts communities to work closely together for the first time on developing risk-based prediction for decision making in the face of climate variability and change. The outputs of the project will feed directly into future IPCC and Met Office assessments of climate change.

Three postdoctoral research fellowships (based at the Universities of Leeds, Edinburgh and the LSE) are currently being offered. The Leeds fellowship focuses on “quantifying future risk to crop production.”

For more information about the project and the fellowships, see here.

IIED job: Group Head of Sustainable Markets.

This is a senior permanent position; we envisage that the postholder will fulfil the Group Head role on a salary range of £54,298–£62,965 (depending on experience, plus benefits) for three years, before becoming a Principal Researcher.

The closing date is noon on Friday 27 November 2009, and interviews will take place on Tuesday 8 December 2009.

For more information see here.

Job opportunity: Animal agriculture and climate change specialist

Humane Society International (HSI), the international division of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), is seeking an Animal Agriculture and Climate Change Specialist for the Farm Animals section.

The last day to apply is 18 December 2009.

Job at Chatham House

Chatham House is recruiting a manager/research fellow for the Procurement for Development Forum on a fixed term appointment. This post offers a great opportunity to work with the UK's leading food businesses to increase the development impact of UK food procurement on developing countries. The Forum - co-convened by the UK Department for International Development and Chatham House - brings together business leaders to discuss ways that purchasing practices can help development in African countries.

The application deadline is 6 October 2009.