Category Archives: Education

Education

Master thesis possiblity on Insect Food Acceptance

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As the world population is growing and increasingly urbanising – the UN (2009) predicts 69% of the population to be living in cities by 2050 – the question of how to feed the world is becoming critical. Meat consumption is more and more the focal point in debates about worldwide environmental degradation, food security in developing countries and health costs in developed countries. Momentum is building around the topic of insects as alternative protein source in the Western world and in the Netherlands more in particular (see the recent article in the NY Times).

Lots of research in bio- and food technology is currently taking place on insect protein, yet, it is unclear if and how consumers will accept the various possible foods from insects. At the moment, insects are not regarded food and responses of disgust are common in the Netherlands. Disgust responses may indicate a food taboo and a deeper culturally bound rejection which may form a barrier for the acceptance of radical innovations.

The Research

This Master thesis opportunity will focus on the cultural level that informs or interferes with the acceptance of insects as food. The thesis research possibility is part of a larger interdisciplinary collaboration between the chairgroups of Rural Sociology, Management Studies and the Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy group on food culture, institutional adaptation and consumer acceptance of insect food.

The student will work within the interdisciplinary team and take part in the development of a theoretical framework. From the hypothesis formulated the student will develop a survey in order to gather empirical data on people’s willingness or rejection regarding insect food. Fieldwork will be done in various cities in the Netherlands depending time and resources.

There is space for more than one student, and for each student to do its own independent research. More information; petra.derkzen@wur.nl

Thesis possibility in Zambia

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International Development Enterprises (IDE), in collaboration with Wageningen University and Research Centre and the University of Zambia, will assess the gender differentiated impact of low cost drip irrigation technologies on small scale farmers in Zambia. More than 50% of these farmers are women.

As in many countries, Zambia is a male-dominated society and women can be marginalized in accessing information, technologies and natural resources. Men and women living in the same household have different roles, responsibilities, and access to resources, as well as separate incomes and expenditures. The literacy and knowledge levels also vary and lead to a differentiation in the capacity of men and women to adopt new technologies and agronomic practices.

The Research

Household case studies will be developed and employed on basis of MSc research on the impact of the introduction of small-scale irrigation technology on gender relations that was conducted in 2010. Two in depth household cases will be investigated using an exploratory questionnaire, followed by in-depth interviews. Focus group discussions (with men and women apart) on the benefits and burdens after technology adoption will be held. Through intensive contact with these farmers, the most relevant issues for the target group (female farmers) will be identified; i.e. the obstacles and problems that they face on a day to day basis.

Financial support

The project can to some extent contribute to the students’ research and travel costs.

Contact Els Hegger for more information.

Rural regional learning in the Comarca de Verín, Galicia, Spain

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Within the European research project DERREG, we are investigating how public policy can best be arranged to stimulate capacity building within development initiatives operating at grassroots level in rural areas across the European Union.

To find out how public policy interventions can best be arranged, we and our research partners have spoken to various stakeholders in different rural regions across the European Union to find out how they intend to support and facilitate learning and innovation and- most importantly- how the support and facilitation agreed upon is actually provided to the grassroots development initiatives. To find out what is working well and what isn’t working well yet, we have spoken to a number of grassroots development initiators in the participating DERREG case study areas and ask them to evaluate the current support and facilitation received.

To be able to compare the results obtained in the different case study areas, I have travelled to Alytus County, Lithuania in October and Oberlausitz, Germany in December of 2010. In January of this year, I was able to visit our colleague Lola Dominguez Garcia of  Universidade de Vigo in the Comarca de Verín in the South-West of Galicia, Spain. In this blog, we intend to share our experiences. Continue reading →

Altijd al eens willen modderworstelen, of toch liever een boeren barbecue?

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De Taskforce Multifunctionele Landbouw heeft een studieprijs uitgeschreven voor leerlingen en studenten van het MBO, HBO en Universiteit:

Gaat jouw studieonderwerp over Multifunctionele landbouw? Doe mee met de Studieprijs Multifunctionele Landbouw en win, met vrienden en vriendinnen, een geheel verzorgde VIP-dag bij De Boerinn. Je mag zelf een dag samenstellen, met bijvoorbeeld polderchallenge, klompengolf of kaasmaken en barbecue.

Je moet het studieproject hebben afgerond tussen 1 januari 2010 en 15 april 2011, of ervoor kiezen volgend jaar mee te doen. Kies dan een opdracht-, project-, stage- of scriptie-onderwerp uit de multifunctionele landbouw. Wil je meer weten over de spelregels of je aanmelden? Kijk op http://www.multifunctionelelandbouw.nl/studieprijs

Wat is multifunctionele landbouw? Dit omvat agarische bedrijven die naast hun veehouderij-, akkerbouw- of tuinbouwbedrijf andere activiteiten uitoefenen, gekoppeld aan het primaire landbouwbedrijf. Deze activiteiten zijn zorglandbouw, recreatie, agrarische kinderopvang, boerderijeducatie, agrarisch natuur- en landschapsbeheer en/of de productie en verkoop van streekproducten. Een onderwerp zou dus kunnen zijn: het maken van een ontwerp voor een minicamping of de gevolgen van de bezuinigingen in het zorgstelsel voor zorgboerderijen. Maar (juist) ook andere ideeën zijn welkom!

Wanted: Students for an international experience!

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Every year, the Rural Sociology Group participates in a two week intensive programme on rural development in the EU. A diverse group of students from various European countries (a.o. Portugal, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Slovenia) work together on a case study. Through lectures and field trips scientific and practical knowledge will be aquired and then implemented in the case study analysis. See past experiences of Marlies, Petra and Wiebke. 
 
This year the IP is organised by the university of Padova and takes place in San Vito Di Cadore in the Italian Dolomites. The general topic is: “the role of agriculture in territorial identity and competitiveness of rural areas”. More specificly, the general question is related to how these (territorial identity and competitiveness) contribute to rural development in the Dolomites (Alps region). For more information on the content see below. 
 
Are you a student of Wageningen University and looking for an international learning experience? Then sign up for two intensive weeks from 3 to 16 April 2011! For subsciption or more information contact Els Hegger (els.hegger@wur.nl).