QAAFI Initiatives - Summer Research Programs

Primary Supervisors: 

Prof Damian Hine | d.hine@uq.edu.au
Dr Pradeepa Korale-Gedara | p.koralegedara@uq.edu.au
Dr Yuba Subedi  | yuba.subedi@csiro.au

For any clarification, please contact Pradeepa Korale-Gedara (p.koralegedara@uq.edu.au) and Yuba Subedi (yuba.subedi@csiro.au)

Duration: 6 weeks (20 - 30 hours per week); hybrid (St Lucia)

Many Australians have raised concerns about the escalating costs of their weekly grocery shopping, including for fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. Consumers feel they are paying increasingly high prices, while farmers contend that they are not receiving a fair price for their products. In response to these issues, the Food System Horizons initiative—a collaboration between The University of Queensland (UQ) and CSIRO—plans to investigate price transmission between retail and farm-gate. This study will examine whether prices are efficiently transmitted from retail to wholesale and from farm-gate to market. If inefficiencies are identified, the research aims to understand the underlying causes of these inefficiencies.

Expected outcomes: Scholars will gain an understanding of the Australian food system and its price dynamics. The student will acquire hands-on experience with data analysis techniques and work closely with Professor Damian Hine and postdoctoral researchers from the Food Systems Horizons team. This opportunity will enable the student to establish valuable connections across both organisations. Additionally, the student will get an opportunity to participate in group activities, such as reading group discussions, alongside other team members.

Suitability: We invite applications from both undergraduate and postgraduate students with backgrounds in agriculture, social sciences, economics, or data analysis. Students interested in pursuing honors or master's research may continue working on this topic for their advanced studies with Food System Horizons.