Professor’s analysis focuses on small-scale farmers within the creating world
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — All through his profession, Jacob Ricker-Gilbert, professor and interim affiliate head of Purdue College’s Department of Agricultural Economics, has demonstrated a ardour for and dedication to international agriculture and meals techniques. For this persistent pursuit, Purdue’s Faculty of Agriculture will award Ricker-Gilbert the 2024 Lowell S. Hardin Award for Excellence in Worldwide Agriculture on Friday (Might 10). The award, named in honor of Professor Lowell Hardin, acknowledges vital contributions of College of Agriculture college members to worldwide actions.
“I’ve at all times been inquisitive about why folks make sure choices and the interconnectedness of the world,” Ricker-Gilbert stated. “Worldwide agriculture has given me the chance to seek for options to actual points and the motivation to make an influence.”
After incomes his bachelor’s diploma in neighborhood growth and utilized economics on the College of Vermont, Ricker-Gilbert accomplished his grasp’s in agricultural and utilized economics at Virginia Tech, the place he additionally began working with USDA financial analysis in Bangladesh. Whereas incomes his doctorate at Michigan State College, Ricker-Gilbert pursued his ardour for worldwide agriculture. Engaged on his dissertation, “Subsidies for Fertilizer for Farmers in Malawi,” set the course for his worldwide work at Purdue.
“Going to the sector and seeing the problems firsthand and making an attempt to know these points is one thing that motivates me,” Ricker-Gilbert stated.
Since becoming a member of the college at Purdue in 2011, Ricker-Gilbert has developed a well-funded and internationally acknowledged analysis program across the economics of sustainable smallholder agricultural intensification, primarily centered on sub-Saharan Africa. His curiosity about why folks make sure choices and his observations concerning the interconnectedness of the world have pushed him to seek for actual options.
“Professor Ricker-Gilbert’s work has made a big contribution to rising consciousness of growth points in Africa on the whole, and elevating consciousness and understanding of the economics of post-harvest (PH) applied sciences and PH losses within the creating world and sub-Saharan Africa particularly,” stated Tahirou Abdoulaye, principal scientist and director of the Worldwide Institute of Tropical Agriculture’s Sahel Africa hub in Mali.
“Past contributing to the tutorial literature, his analysis has had an influence on choices made by policymakers and the non-public sector in Africa, in addition to on worldwide donors,” stated Holly Wang, professor of agricultural economics.
Among the many core subjects Ricker-Gilbert research are the financial and livelihood impacts of subsidies and farmland markets in Africa, the economics of smallholder farm households’ post-harvest choices and farm family diversifications to local weather change.
“Purdue’s Faculty of Agriculture is acknowledged worldwide for our necessary contributions to problem-solving,” stated Gerald Shively, affiliate dean and director of Purdue’s International Programs in Agriculture. “This stellar international fame doesn’t come up accidentally. It outcomes from the tireless efforts of people like Professor Ricker-Gilbert who’re working to enhance agriculture, rural economies and the human situation. This can be very becoming that we honor Jake’s work with this award for his excellent contributions in worldwide analysis, instructing and engagement.”
Ricker-Gilbert additionally works carefully with quite a few graduate college students, and they’re an necessary element of his worldwide analysis program. He has chaired or co-chaired committees for 11 MS college students and eight PhD college students. His graduate college students have gone on to work for such worldwide organizations and universities because the World Financial institution, Catholic Aid Providers, Malawi College of Science and Expertise, and the College of Arizona.
“Along with his straight impactful analysis, Professor Ricker-Gilbert has been dedicated to coaching younger African students,” Abdoulaye stated. “In his 12 years at Purdue, he has suggested graduate college students from Malawi, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. His work has been acknowledged professionally and he now serves as co-editor of Agricultural Economics, the flagship journal of the Worldwide Affiliation of Agricultural Economists, and (as) a member of the editorial board of the African Journal of Agricultural and Useful resource Economics, the flagship journal of African Affiliation of Agricultural Economists.”
“I’ve at all times chased alternatives once they come up, and that is one thing I inform my college students. Be ready to leap at a chance when it’s in entrance of you,” Ricker-Gilbert stated.
The Workplace of Worldwide Applications in Purdue College’s Faculty of Agriculture will host a ceremony and reception in Pfendler Corridor, Room 241, from 1-2:30 p.m. ET Friday (Might 10) to honor Ricker-Gilbert.
About Purdue College
Purdue College is a public analysis establishment demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked amongst prime 10 public universities and with two faculties within the prime 4 in the USA, Purdue discovers and disseminates information with a top quality and at a scale second to none. Greater than 105,000 college students research at Purdue throughout modalities and places, together with practically 50,000 in individual on the West Lafayette campus. Dedicated to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s predominant campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue by no means stops within the persistent pursuit of the subsequent large leap — together with its first complete city campus in Indianapolis, the brand new Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. College of Enterprise, and Purdue Computes — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
Author/Media contact: Nyssa Lilovich, 765-494-7077, nclilovi@purdue.edu
Sources: Gerald Shively, shivelyg@purdue.edu
Jacob Ricker-Gilbert, jrickerg@purdue.edu
Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;
Maureen Manier, Division Head, mmanier@purdue.edu
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