The PhD will build on modelling frameworks developed by the SRUC Land Economy Group (‘ScotFarm’) and the University of Nottingham Farm Systems Group to achieve five core objectives.
1. To identify and categorise innovations relevant to the beef sector.
2. To measure, through field work, farmer behavioural responses to innovations and to identify networks that will influence innovation uptake.
3. To develop an existing farm level model to assess, ex-ante, the extent of innovation uptake under different policy scenarios and to quantify impacts on output and productivity.
4. To link a Social Network Model to the farm model to accommodate economic and social agents, such as abattoirs, vets and other local community members to assess whether these agents act as constraints or ‘enablers’ on farm productivity.
5. To aggregate estimates from the above, using the spatial simulation model, ‘SMILE’, to assess national level uptake of innovative behaviours in Scotland.
Download more information here: nottingham.ac.uk/~sazintra/public/studentship/doc-2016-01-1513.pdf
Award Start Date: ASAP
Duration of Award: 36 months
Terms and Conditions: This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK or EU citizens. It includes a stipend of £13,700 per annum and full payment of Tuition Fees. The successful student will be registered for the degree of PhD in the first instance. Across the course of the programme, the student will be based in both Nottingham and Edinburgh.
Applicant Qualification Requirements: An undergraduate degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Economics or related subject with a substantial quantitative and/or statistical component.
How to Apply: Applications, comprising a covering letter of application together with a detailed CV (including the names and addresses of two referees), should be sent to Stephen Ramsden, Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD; or emailed to Stephen.Ramsden@nottingham.ac.uk
Scholarships expiring soon › Forums › PhD Studentship: Developing integrated approaches to model the adoption of innovations on beef farms