Dr. Andrew Ormerod, Environmental and Economic Botany Researcher
Andrew Ormerod PhD.
Expertise – Economic Botany, Agroforestry, Plant Breeding, Biodiversity, Community Engagement and Renewable Energy
I hold an Honours Degree in Agricultural Botany and a Doctorate in plant breeding and has variously occupied positions at the Eden Project, Reading University, Unilever Research, and the plant breeding company Nickerson RPB (now part of Limagrain). I am very experienced in leading research and networking and the collation and analysis of information at national and international level.
I have undertaken research in the development of short agricultural supply chains for food and non-food crops and I have worked extensively with companies linked to industrial collaboration for branded products. My interests include re-localising manufacturing to produce innovative bio-based products and the development of novel food crop supply chains both in the UK and linked to community development overseas. I have also introduced new ideas for local orchard producer adoption and has originated and organised Fruit Focus events and subsequently run small-scale trials to put ideas into practice.
I am interested in diversity in farming systems and has extensively supervised projects in this area and also organised talks and interactive events to raise public awareness about developments in agriculture and food security as well as running workshops on diversity, food and health.
I have undertaken a Churchill Research Fellowship researching participatory breeding and selection in tree and field crops involving a range of stakeholders in the supply chain from farmers to end consumers.
I am secretary of the Farm Woodland Forum, the UK’s umbrella organisation for trees on farms and agroforestry. I am involved in the Orchard Network (network for traditional orchards) steering group promoting Orchard Blossom Day events celebrating the Bounty, Beauty, Biodiversity, Community and Customs of orchards to a wide audience across the UK and Ireland. I am also involved in the steering committee for Sustainable Food Cornwall, Cornwall’s food partnership working to make good food in the county available to ‘One and All’.
My interests include:
*Re-localising manufacturing to produce innovative bio-based products.
*The development of novel food crop supply chains both in the UK and linked to community development overseas.
* Introducing new ideas for local orchard producer through Cornwall and Southwest Fruit Focus events, a forum I set up in 2007. I have subsequently run small-scale trials to put some ideas into practice.
*Diversity in farming systems. I have supervised projects in this area and also organised talks and interactive events to raise public awareness about developments in agriculture and food security as well as running workshops on diversity, food and health.
I look forward to your enquiries
Andrew Ormerod
Links
Word press blogs
Podcast
Heligan podcast. ‘Beyond the Fertile Crescent’. The story of Emmer Wheat and civilisation. here
Publications
I am the author of the popular science book ‘How the Rose got its Thorns: And Other Botanical Stories’ published March 2024.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=how+the+rose+got+its+thorns&crid=3US7YS2AGXE9B&sprefix=how+the+rose+%2Caps%2C391&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_13
