Study grant for top consultant

He's just been awarded a prestigious Nuffield Scholarship which means for the next 12 months he'll be able to research his chosen topic as well as undertaking a series of overseas visits aimed at widening his knowledge of agriculture.

Allen is one of four New Zealanders selected as Nuffield Scholars this year. They include Kylie Leonard who is a member of the Fonterra Co-operative Council.

Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust is a charity organisation whose aim is to bring positive change to agriculture through the development of its future leaders, sending them overseas to learn from others and helping them share their brilliant ideas when they return home.

Allen, 48, also chair of National Fieldays, says the reason for choosing his topic 'the future role of ag consultants' is that there is a huge amount of information available to farmers on the internet and from the data they collect on their own farms.

"But the role of the farm consultant has never been greater and nor has the need, because there is some sort of disconnect going on there about information verses the application of that information. I want to look at exemplars - companies who are the best in the world at undertaking agricultural consultancy around the world. As part of that would I will be spending time in Europe, the US and UK," he says.

Allen says as well as studying the topic of his choice he'll also be participating in a number of tours for all the Nuffield Scholars who come from all around the world. The first of these is in March when the New Zealanders attend the global scholars conference in Vancouver in March and will provide an opportunity to learn and share ideas. He says he will then go on a four week study tour to four countries to see a range of agriculture issues. At this stage Allen says the final arrangements still have to be worked out but they will probably visit Kenya, England, Spain and Italy.

Allen says he feels very privileged to obtain a Nuffield scholarship and hopes to have his personal research paper completed in about a year.