BOLSAS DE ESTUDO

Postgraduate Fellowship

The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Changing Energy Prices
on the Food Supply Chain
We are seeking an enthusiastic research student with a strong economics background to
work on a project to analyse the economic and environmental impacts of changing
energy prices on the food supply chain in Northern Ireland. The project is supported by
the Walsh Fellowship Programme and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI),
Northern Ireland.
The successful applicant will be registered as a research student in Queen’s University
Belfast (QUB) and will undertake supervised research leading to either an M.Phil or
PhD degree. Queen’s University Belfast is one of the key universities in the UK and a
member of the Russell Group. The work will be carried out mainly in the Agri-Food and
Biosciences Institute (AFBI) at Newforge Lane.
The minimum requirement is a II.i Honours, or equivalent, primary degree in the areas
of agricultural economics, economics, or related subjects with a solid foundation in
economics, good statistical skills and an ability to conduct applied research. A Masters
degree in a relevant subject is desirable.
The current Walsh Fellowship rate, to cover postgraduate stipend and all fees, is
€21,000 per annum. The Fellowship is available for a maximum of three years.
It is expected that student will start in September 2008, or earlier if possible.
If you wish to apply for this award please send a detailed Curriculum Vitae, along with
a cover letter stating how you feel your skills and experience equip you for the research
programme as outlined below, to:
Professor John Davis
Head of Agricultural and Food Economics
AFBI-QUB, Newforge Lane
Belfast BT9 5PX, UK
Tel: + 44 (0) 28 9025 5204
Email:john.davis@qub.ac.uk
Deadline for this application is: 30th May 2008
The Research Programme
Background
Energy security is now a big concern in many countries as a result of instability in
complex international energy markets and the strong upward trend in energy prices
driven partly by growing demand from the emerging economies. High energy prices
increase production and marketing costs throughout the economy and squeeze profit
margins particularly in industries heavily reliant on energy. In the agri-food sector costs
are increased throughout the food supply chain, ultimately increasing food costs and
causing a number of significant knock-on effects, for example the growing of energy
crops and biofuel production. All of this can have far reaching consequences for longrun
resource reallocation in the food supply chain and the rest of economy. It is vital for
policy analysis purposes that economic research has the capacity to capture the full
impacts of these complex interactions, in the short, medium and longer term, throughout
the food supply chain and in the wider economy.
Objectives
Due to its superiority in capturing technical, environmental and economic linkages and
constraints between different sectors in the economic system, this project will develop and
use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling approach to analyse economic
and environmental impacts of changing energy prices in the food supply chain and
wider economy. Economic impact here refers for example to redistribution of resources
(land, labour and capital) changes in producer and consumer surplus, quantification of
multiplier effects and supply/demand elasticities. Environmental impact will be more
focused on quantification of CO2 emissions and nitrate balances.
Methodology
A CGE model will be developed initially based on the current version of Northern
Ireland input/output table. For the purpose of this analysis an expansion of the energy
sector block in the table will be necessary via primary research. Quantification of
emissions will involve close collaboration with environmental scientists.
Deliverables
The precise nature of the PhD research will be subject to discussion between the student
and the supervisors. It is expected that students will develop their own ideas, informed
by the academic literature and via discussions with supervisors.
For further information, please contact:
Dr Ziping Wu
Agricultural and Food Economics
Agri-Food and BioScience Institute (AFBI)
Newforge Lane, Belfast , BT9 5PX
Email: z.wu@qub.ac.uk
Tel: 44-28-90255445