Government Spending Cuts Could Force The Closure Of The University Farm Designed To Improve Agriculture In Famine Stricken Africa

Research at University of East Anglia using oxen to study agricultural techniques in developing countries is threatened by government spending cuts.

Views across the 28 acre farm operated by the School of Development Studies at the University of East Anglia. Anglia TV presenter Chris Young explains that the farm is used to train students who will work in third world countries, and research is carried out to find out how agricultural techniques can be improved. A windmill is seen during this report. Two white oxen are guided as they walk in a circle yoked to a central mechanism. Two larger black and white oxen (Hereford x Friesian bullocks) being driven across a planted field are introduced as Gunder and Frank. They have been studied at the farm for the past seven years, but government spending cuts mean that the University must find them an alternative home. Dr David Gibbon says it is a blow to the research just as the animals are at their most useful following their training. They are valued at £2,000 for the pair but it seems unlikely that any working purchaser would be able to afford them. Chris Young says that closure of the entire farm would save £25,000 a year. David Gibbon says it is ironic that these spending cuts are happening when the government has just honoured Bob Geldof’s work towards famine relief and further research is clearly needed into agriculture and food production in developing countries. The report ends with news that Gunder and Frank might be given a new home at the Bygones Collection at Holkham in North Norfolk. This short video was made to be shown in a news story on Anglia Television early evening news / magazine programme About Anglia.

Keywords

International development; Global development; Third World; Oxen; Subsistence farming; Agriculture; Farming; Ploughing; Universities; Development studies; University funding; Research funding

Additional Description

In its 50th anniversary year in 2023, the school changed its name from the School of International Development to the School of Global Development. See https://ueadevfarms.com/