Traidcraft Exchange Traidcraft Exchange is an international development NGO that uses the power of trade to bring about lasting solutions to poverty. We run development programmes in Africa and South Asia, work directly with businesses to improve their supply chains, and campaign in the UK for justice and fairness in international trade. Research Themes: 1. Block chain and development a. In recent years there has been a lot of hype about the potential of block-chain technologies to transform international supply chains – bringing ‘immutable transparency’ to every stage and thereby ensuring that producers (as well as other players along the chain) can get a better deal. How much of this is just hype and how much is to be believed? What actual examples exist of this technology being used to affect positive change for poor producers in developing countries – where, when, who and how? 2. Biodiversity value chains a. We are keen to understand more about ‘biodiversity value chains’. What are they? How are they different from normal ‘value chains’? Where is this way of working (or theorising) being used, by whom and for what purpose? What implications could it have to Traidcraft Exchange’s value chain focused work. 3. Agroecology and commercial value chains. a. Agroecology claims to “improve sustainability of agroecosystems by mimicking and utilizing natural processes and biological interactions among humans, plants, animals and the environment”. It is described as “an integrative study of the ecology of the entire food systems, encompassing ecological, economic and social dimensions”. As an NGO focusing on trade based approaches to poverty reduction, and one that has worked extensively with smallholder farmers in Africa and South Asia, Traidcraft Exchange is keen to understand the role that ‘agroecology’ can play in commercially-traded agricultural value chains from Africa and/or South Asia, based upon real examples of where this has been achieved. (‘Commercially-traded’ is a somewhat vague and/or debatable term; however, what we mean here is where agricultural products are traded (at some stage) by established formal sector businesses (not necessarily grown by them, they may be grown by smallholders), rather than exclusively traded locally to meet consumption needs within agricultural communities.) 4. Climate change and tea in South Asia a. Tea grown by smallholder farmers has been a key focus of the Traidcraft Exchange South Asia programme in recent years (for details see here). However, we know that tea growing communities in India and northern Bangladesh are being affected by climate change. What impacts is climate change expected to have on this key livelihood activity for small producers in coming years? Are there examples of current initiatives to support smallholder tea farmers adapt to and/or mitigate this new reality? 5. Measuring income and inflation a. Increased beneficiary income is a key performance indicator for Traidcraft Exchange’s programme work with small producers, workers and business-people. As such measuring income is a key part of our current monitoring and evaluation systems. However, we are conscious that income increases need to be greater than local inflation rates to be meaningful. Are there ‘light-touch’ approaches which we can deploy to ensure that we are measuring increases in ‘real’ income and not just increases in income rates prior to the effects of inflation? 6. Men/masculinity and women’s empowerment a. Traidcraft Exchange in Bangladesh has developed a household/family based approach to addressing widespread attitudes and practices that disempower women. Key to its success has been its deliberate engagement with both male and female family members – rather than focusing exclusively on women as has been common in women’s empowerment programming historically. However, we know we are not the only organisation attempting this. We would like to understand the current thinking about integrating men in women’s empowerment programming, what has worked and what hasn’t worked and why, and the extent to which our approach fits within this thinking. 7. Non-timber forest products a. Traidcraft Exchange has worked with various non-timber forest products in various different contexts: rubber in Sri Lanka, tropical fruits in Senegal, Honey in Tanzania, medicinal plants in India. We are keen to understand the broader current thinking around ‘non timber forest products’ in the development context in order to better situate our programme work within this. What is the current thinking about non-timber forest products and their potential to reduce poverty amongst marginalised people? What are the opportunities and the challenges? What risks should we be aware of? For all the above research assignments, we would expect the student to use secondary research based upon reports/articles/publications available through the University library. Traidcraft Exchange itself does not have access to sufficient secondary material to support with the provision of required information. .