National award for UQ natural resource economist

Research on the efficiency of pastoral production systems in developing countries has earned a University of Queensland (UQ) economist a national award.

Dr Rodney Beard, who studied with the University’s School of Natural and Rural Systems Management, was awarded the 2005 prize for his PhD research in natural resource economics from the Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society (AARES).

Dr Beard earned the prestigious award with his PhD thesis which was titled Ito stochastic control theory, stochastic differential games and the economic theory of mobile pastoralism.

Dr Beard’s thesis investigates the property rights systems traditionally used in developing countries and employed mathematical theory to compare the efficiency of different land use regimes. The thesis also used an alternative system, the private land use system common in developed countries, as a comparison.

“Land use patterns, dating back 12,000 years and in some cases pre-dating the domestication of livestock, were common in areas such as Western Europe, parts of the Middle East, South America and parts of South Africa,” Dr Beard said.

“Areas still used under an open access or ‘common property’ or access to land areas based on seasonal fluctuations are increasingly under threat of being privatised as these areas adopt the system used by the developed world.

“The conclusion we can draw from my investigations is that rather than leading to land degradation and over-grazing, these traditional land use patterns may in fact be preferable to the adoption of private pastoral systems in some environments.”

His work concentrated on traditional Mongolian pastoral systems, where prior to completing his doctorate, Dr Beard lived for a year. In Mongolia land is typically used on a seasonal basis in a semi-nomadic system which sees farmers grazing their animals (mostly sheep and goats) up to 80 kilometres from their home base during the warm summer months, returning close to their homes during winter.

“With approximately 50 percent of the world`s land mass used for pastoral exploits, my work illustrates the importance of not simply discounting traditional land use systems which have been in existence for thousands of years in favour of the system revered by the developed world,” he said.

Dr Beard’s outstanding achievement marks the second year in a row that the AARES award has been won by a researcher from the School of Natural and Rural Systems Management within the Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science (NRAVS).

Last year the award went to Ethiopian student, Dr Kefyalew Mekonnen, who studied in the School of Natural and Rural Systems Management and graduated in economics. Dr Mekonnen`s thesis looked at better ways to harness the flow of the Nile River.

Media inquiries: Susanne Schick - UQ Gatton Campus (5460 1229, 0409 265 587).

Further information/comment: Contact Dr Rodney Beard (3365 6569)