Katie Garvey BSc (Hons), MSc

Farm Business Survey South West Regional Workshop 2011

The FBS represents the most authoritative, detailed, independent information on rural businesses in England. The workshop was aimed at introducing the FBS website and data builder and provided an opportunity to learn about FBS research findings with a focus on the South West. This workshop assisted in developing skills in farm business benchmarking and provided a detailed look at using FBS data. 

F3 - Fossil Fuel Free Farming, Bicton College, Devon

The conference, held at Bicton College's Earth Centre, brought together a number of speakers from different backgrounds within the fuels and farming industries to discuss the problems facing future generations and begin the journey towards an 'Fossil Fuel Free'(F3) future. Working with partners from the Dartington Hall Trust and Laverstoke Park, the F3 farming project will explore ways that farming can decrease its reliance on fossil fuels. With the costs of farm inputs increasing and managing the farm’s environment paramount; sustainable intensification means that farming and food production methods must look at alternatives if we are going to be able to produce food for 9 billion people by 2050. Fossil Fuel Free farming is an exciting project which will demonstrate to farmers and the general public the techniques and mechanics of farming without relying on traditional inputs.

Wilton Park - Global food security: the role of science and technology

This conference focused on the impact of science and technology on global agriculture and farm systems; the fourth in a series on ‘Agriculture, food and land use: the international policy challenges’ in association with the University of Exeter. As the world’s food system becomes increasingly stressed by the growing demand for greater quantities and varieties of food, the role of science and technology is becoming more important. Scientific advancements can hold the key to higher yields, greater resilience and more efficient land use. Such advances will be critical in feeding the world’s population but key questions are raised in relation to how scientific advances can be best implemented were addressed at this conference.

The Big Dilemmas Project

I formed part if the project's 'Think Tank' of students and academics to consider the sustainability problems at the heart of Big Dilemmas. This year's focus ‘The Future of Land Use in the South West: food, water and energy security in the face of environmental change’. This involved an assessment of the pressures that increasing population and resource depletion places on the land. Can land be used to provide, not only space for living, but food, water, energy and wellbeing? 

Involvement in this dilemma is ongoing and students and academic staff from thirteen different academic programmes based at Streatham Campus in Exeter and Tremough Campus in Cornwall are engaged in working towards an answer to this question.

The South West Uplands Seminar: A future for our farmed uplands?

Upland areas of England are now being recognised for the significant public benefits they provide.  This statement is particularly true for Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor in South West England.  With that in mind the CRPR, together with the South West Uplands Federation (SWUF), convened a Seminar at Westpoint on 29 October.
Around 100 delegates contributed to the stimulating and lively seminar providing a range of questions for the speakers and the senior Defra officials attending. The scene was set by the Chairman of the SWUF, Ian Mercer, who introduced the 9 benefits of the SW uplands. Michael Winter, Director of CRPR and Commissioner for the Commission of the Rural Communities, followed with an overview of the recent CRC Inquiry report High Ground, High Potential. Progress on issues facing the region's uplands over the past two years was reviewed by Exmoor National Park Officer, Nigel Stone and the CRPR’s Assistant Director, Matt Lobley exposed some of the myths and realities of farming in the SW uplands based on findings from the recent CRPR Devon County Council funded survey of South West agriculture.  The reality theme continued when three farmers from Bodmin, Dartmoor and Exmoor - Steve Nankivell, Matthew Cole and Robin May gave their perspective to the audience.  Finally, the challenge of looking forward, goal setting and finding solutions for the future was addressed by Mark Robins, Senior Policy Officer of the RSPB in the South West.
The event was supported by Devon County Council, Duchy College, the National Farmers Union, Natural England, the RSPB and other agencies and NGOs.

Finding and Using Archives in Research

This practical course included training on how to trace archive sources relevant to my research by using key online databases and resources and will also detailed which archival resources are held within the University Library (Special Collections, Old Library). This workshop involved a hands-on session for gaining experience of handling and approaching the interpretation original documents.