LIDA Seminar Series 5th December 2019

This seminar will be held in the Room 8.43X, Worsley Building, at 12.30 on Thursday 5^th December.

Seminars are free and open for all to attend. No prior booking is required.

Each presentation will be followed by a short Q&A session.

#LIDAseminar

Presentation 1: Exploring trade-offs between transport and health for cross-sectoral policy making: Application of emerging data and system dynamics modelling

By: Dr Gillian Harrison (Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds)

Abstract: New and emerging forms of data (eg arising from mobile phones) bring the opportunity for new insights into mobility behaviours and the development of models dealing with cross sectoral issues. In this presentation we will explore these opportunities then focus on the potential for the development of system dynamics models of cross-sectoral policy targets.

Presentation 2: Exploring food security and food choice using agent-based modelling

By: Dr Jiaqi Ge (School of Geography, University of Leeds)

Abstract: We develop an empirically-grounded agent-based model to study the impact of global food trade on the food and nutritional security of countries around the world. It fills three important gaps in the existing literature on food security and trade.

First, it broadens the current discussion of food security that largely focuses on production and agricultural technologies, and sheds light on the importance of global trade in affecting countries’ food and nutritional security.

Second, the study goes beyond the trade of major crops and calorie intake, and looks at a comprehensive list of foods including fruits, vegetables, starchy roots, meat, dairy and fish, as well as more than ten macro- and micro-nutrients. It thereby provides a more detailed and comprehensive picture of the nutritional security of countries under global trade.

Third, it complements the state-of-the-art trade models by introducing non-economic factors, including historic and emergent trade relationships, which are shown to be just as important in determining trade patterns as economic factors such as price. Preliminary results show that global trade has a significant impact on food and nutritional security across countries. Increasing trade saturation so more trade opportunities are realised can significantly improve the nutritional security of countries, especially countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America that are currently most susceptible to food insecurity.