2008 Press Releases
New Research Agreement launched on Food Policy Research in the Developing World
23.10.2008
A new five-year research agreement on conducting food policy research, teaching and training activities in relation to developing countries was launched in UCC recently.
23.10.2008
A new five-year research agreement on conducting food policy research, teaching and training activities in relation to developing countries was launched in UCC recently.
The agreement involves UCC's Department of Food Business & Development, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a leading international policy research institute addressing food security and food policy issues in the developing world. IFPRI is based in Washington DC but has offices in Beijing, New Delhi and Addis Ababa.
IFPRI, and in particular its Director General, Professor Joachim von Braun, who was in UCC for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UCC and IFPRI, have had a major influence in recent months in analysing the causes and impacts of the global food price crisis, and in advising Governments and world leaders on effective policies to address the crisis and reduce poverty. The food price crisis is estimated to have pushed a further 100 million people in the developing world into poverty in the last year.
The agreement between UCC and IFPRI proposes joint research between UCC and IFPRI staff, support to post-graduate research, seminar exchanges between staff of both institutions, and development of joint training courses on food and natural resources policy to enhance the capacity of developing country policy researchers, analysts and policy makers.
The first research project to be included within this agreement has already started, focussing on biofuels and food production in Southern Africa. In a seminar to students during his visit, Professor von Braun emphasised the negative impact of developed-country biofuel policies on the developing world: it is estimated that about 30% of the increase in food prices has resulted from the diversion of food crops to biofuel production.
Professor Joachim von Braun, Director General of IFPRI attended the launch with his wife Barbara, and signed the MoU with UCC Deputy President Paul Giller and Head of the Department of Food Business & Development Professor Michael Ward. Others attending the MoU signing were Dr Nick Chisholm, Dr Michael Keane and Mr Stephen Thornhill (all Department of Food Business & Development), Professor Denis Lucey (recently retired as Head of the College of Business & Law), and Mr Pat McMullen, representing Irish Aid.
Picture shows, back row: Mr Stephen Thornhill, Food Business and Development, UCC, Professor Michael Ward, Head, Food Business and Development, UCC, Barbara von Braun, Mr Pat Mullen, Irish Aid and Dr Michael Keane, Food Business and Development, UCC. Seated: Professor Denis Lucey, College of Business and Law, Professor Joachim von Braun, Professor Paul Giller and Dr Nick Chisholm, Food Business and Development, UCC.
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IFPRI, and in particular its Director General, Professor Joachim von Braun, who was in UCC for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UCC and IFPRI, have had a major influence in recent months in analysing the causes and impacts of the global food price crisis, and in advising Governments and world leaders on effective policies to address the crisis and reduce poverty. The food price crisis is estimated to have pushed a further 100 million people in the developing world into poverty in the last year.
The agreement between UCC and IFPRI proposes joint research between UCC and IFPRI staff, support to post-graduate research, seminar exchanges between staff of both institutions, and development of joint training courses on food and natural resources policy to enhance the capacity of developing country policy researchers, analysts and policy makers.
The first research project to be included within this agreement has already started, focussing on biofuels and food production in Southern Africa. In a seminar to students during his visit, Professor von Braun emphasised the negative impact of developed-country biofuel policies on the developing world: it is estimated that about 30% of the increase in food prices has resulted from the diversion of food crops to biofuel production.
Professor Joachim von Braun, Director General of IFPRI attended the launch with his wife Barbara, and signed the MoU with UCC Deputy President Paul Giller and Head of the Department of Food Business & Development Professor Michael Ward. Others attending the MoU signing were Dr Nick Chisholm, Dr Michael Keane and Mr Stephen Thornhill (all Department of Food Business & Development), Professor Denis Lucey (recently retired as Head of the College of Business & Law), and Mr Pat McMullen, representing Irish Aid.
Picture shows, back row: Mr Stephen Thornhill, Food Business and Development, UCC, Professor Michael Ward, Head, Food Business and Development, UCC, Barbara von Braun, Mr Pat Mullen, Irish Aid and Dr Michael Keane, Food Business and Development, UCC. Seated: Professor Denis Lucey, College of Business and Law, Professor Joachim von Braun, Professor Paul Giller and Dr Nick Chisholm, Food Business and Development, UCC.
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