I am an economic botanist currently researching the development of short agricultural supply chains for food and non-food crops and understanding their relationship with global supply chains.

My Fellowship title was Community Engagement and Participatory Selection and Breeding in Tree and Field Crops. Its purpose was to establish selection and breeding programmes based on diversity of crops, including tree crops populations established for research, training and learning involving a range of community stakeholders – growers, food producers, consumers and students.

My background was in plant breeding which can be a vehicle for understanding a variety of plant sciences and developing communication and collaboration skills, as well as understanding what consumers need. So far, apple populations have been established in conjunction with landowners linked to environmental learning – these are beginning to flower and fruit. Projects are being developed to harness these for participatory research. The main impact so far is to recognise the uptake in knowledge and understanding among stakeholders.

My Fellowship provided an opportunity to observe techniques that have shaped the current initiative.