Introducing the Rural Economy and Land Use Programme

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Introducing the Rural Economy and Land Use
Programme Professor Philip Lowe and Jeremy
Phillipson
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Introducing RELU A collaborative venture between
ESRC, BBSRC and NERC with a budget of 20 million
to fund basic and strategic research. Aims to
conduct integrative, interdisciplinary research
to advance understanding of the social, economic,
environmental and technological challenges faced
by rural areas.
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RELU Key Public Challenges

• Rural areas have encountered change and upheaval
  in recent years. Key public challenges include
• Restoring trust in food chains
• Tackling animal disease in a socially acceptable
  manner
• Sustaining agriculture in a liberalised economy
• Promoting robust rural economies
• Mitigating threats from climate change and
  invasive species
• Reducing stress on water catchments

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RELU Key Public Challenges

• RELU is responding to two fundamental demands
• For joined-up science
• For socially accountable science
• Basic premises of RELU are
• Major challenges cut across disciplinary
  boundaries
• Inclusive stakeholder engagement is crucial

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Socially Accountable Science in RELU
The RELU programme is committed to enhancing
the impact of research on rural policy and
practice by engaging stakeholders in all stages
of RELU. Through continuous engagement with a
wide range of public, private and voluntary
organisations and representative figures
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Socially Accountable Science in RELU

• Programme setting
• Consultations
• Discussions with stakeholders
• Programme Management
• Strategic Advisory Committee
• Food Chain Forum / People and the Rural
  Environment Forum
• Stakeholder Engagement Plans
• Project level
• Range of groups / styles of engagement

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The Shape of RELU

• Four themes
• Sustainable Food Chains
• Integration of Land and Water Use
• Environmental Basis of Rural Development
• Economic and Social Interactions with the Rural
  Environment
• Three Calls
• 1st Call Completed (35 projects 200 scientists
  30 disciplines)
• 2nd Call In progress
• 3rd Call June/July

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Sustainable Food Chains
Promoting natural and wholesome
foods Investigation of the Links between Quality
Food Production and Biodiversity
Protection Implications of a Nutrition Driven
Food Policy for Land Use and the Rural
Environment Comparative Assessment of
Environmental, Community Nutritional Impacts of
Consuming Fruit Vegetables Produced Locally and
Overseas Private Sector Environment Standards
Impact on Ecological Performance and
International Competitiveness of UK Agriculture
(Scoping Study)
Managing hazard, risk and contaminants Integratio
n of Social, Natural Sciences to Develop Improved
Tools Assessing and Managing Food Chain
Risks Sustainable and Holistic Food Chains for
Recycling Livestock Waste to Land Biological
Alternatives to Chemical Pesticide Inputs in the
Food Chain Assessment of Sustainability
Adoption of Alternative Pest Management
Strategies in Field Crop Systems
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People and the Rural Environment
Catchments Rural Development Sustainable
Agriculture Landscape Data integration
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Joined-up Science in RELU
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The Shape of RELU

• 3rd Call June/July
• A number of gaps evident to date
• Animal and plant disease management
• Sustainable technologies and rural economies
• Impacts and implications of CAP reform
• Sustainable rural planning
• The relationship between a healthy environment
  and public health