CCRI 2012 Rural Policy Conference
Adapting Rural Policy for a Sustainable Future
Date: NEW DATE NOW SET : 27th September 2012
Venue:
Kingsholm Rugby Stadium, Gloucester.
Overview of the Conference
The 2012 CCRI Policy Conference builds on the innovative conference format developed in previous years to focus attention on understanding the tools and the evidence required to develop more adaptable forms of rural policy. The aim is to encourage participation and integration between academics, practitioners and policy makers in a conference setting. The emphasis is on discussion, both in formal settings of presentations and expert panels, and through informal interaction during coffee and lunch breaks. Academics will put forward ideas based on recent research on rural issues, policy makers will explore the impact of current policy processes, and practitioners will help identify opportunities and barriers to change; all in the context of current legislative change.
Recent policy developments such as the White Paper on the natural environment, The Lawton Report on wildlife and biodiversity, and the Foresight report on the Future of Food and Farming all emphasise the need for integration of policy action across different sectors, and the need to incorporate government, the private sector and civil society in solving current problems. The EU ‘Europe 2020’ growth strategy sets targets for both ‘smart’ and ‘sustainable’ growth, and for tackling social exclusion, climate change, energy, poverty and education through more integrated approaches. In the rural arena the call is essentially for an adaptive policy approach that seeks innovative ways to tackle the conflicts inherent between intensive food production and the quality of the natural environment, and between economic development and societal well-being over the long-term.
The Conference will consist of five sessions. Professor Nigel Curry will start by exploring the past 25 years of rural policy to create the context in which to understand current policy developments. This is followed by two, more focused, presentations: one will address the management of rural space and rural resources, and the second will explore resilience in food systems. In the fourth session Professor Janet Dwyer, Co-Director of the CCRI, takes a leap into the unknown, looking forward to where the next 25 years of rural policy might take us, highlighting the pressures, the uncertainties, and the drivers of change at the European level.
The final session will consist of a panel discussion on influencing rural policy change, and will address issues raised in earlier Web-based discussion forums. The aim is to enhance understanding of the current situation and the rationale behind policy change through blending evidence from research with European and UK policy development. The conference will present recent research in a manner that demonstrates its contribution to the rural evidence base and policy relevance, while at the same time relating it to broader societal questions and theoretical issues.
A prime objective of the Conference is to enable practitioners, policy makers and academics to engage in a series of broad discussions on the nature of policy change, the adaptability of the rural resource base, and the creation of sustainable food production systems. Participants will be encouraged to question recent and proposed changes in EU and UK policy in order to develop a shared understanding of the issues, and contribute ideas that will encourage adaptation in rural policymaking for a sustainable future.
| Conference Outline |
|
| The ‘far horizons’ policy view Where have we come from? A scenic tour of the last 25 yrs of rural policy and how we have arrived at where we are today. Where are we going? Gazing into the crystal ball at the next 25 yrs of rural policy development |
Professor Nigel Curry Professor Janet Dwyer |
| Managing rural spaces Adapting policy to enable effective sustainable rural development |
Dr Matt Reed Chris Short |
| Developing secure food systems Adapting policy to facilitate innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture |
Dr Damian Maye Dr James Kirwan |
| Expert Panel Influencing policy change: the tools and the evidence needed |
A panel of practitioners, academics and policy makers |
To Register
If you have any queries regarding the CCRI's 2012 Rural Policy Conference, please contact Jill Harper (or tel. 01242 714122) or email ccri@glos.ac.uk
