A barrister from near Builth Wells has been announced as the winner of the prestigious 2024 Nuffield Scholarship.
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) has revealed that the winner of the award is Sioned Davies.
Ms Davies hails from Wernhelog, Llanfaredd - just a few miles outside of Builth.
She will be formally awarded the scholarship at this year's Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Llanelwedd on Monday, November 25.
The RWAS explained that Ms Davies' expertise in planning and environmental law, alongside her deep-rooted passion for agriculture, made her an ideal candidate for this year’s Nuffield Scholarship.
As a barrister, Ms Davies has represented a range of stakeholders within the planning and environmental sectors, including agribusinesses, commercial developers, and public bodies. Her professional background has allowed her to address complex regulatory challenges facing agricultural developments, including intensive livestock installations, renewable energy projects, and enforcement issues.
Growing up on her family farm and working within the agricultural law sector, Ms Davies has a unique perspective on the challenges facing today’s farmers. This background inspired her Nuffield research project, which will focus on "Scaling Insect Protein Production Using On-Farm Chicken Litter". Her innovative approach aims to tackle the pressing pollution issues in the River Wye catchment area by transforming waste from intensive poultry farming into high-quality, sustainable insect protein for animal feed.
This project will see Ms Davies travel internationally to learn from industry leaders and explore scalable solutions. Her journey includes visits to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. During her travels across the world, she will study advanced insect protein production methods and strategies for circular agriculture. Her research promises to offer valuable insights into sustainable farming practices for Welsh agriculture and beyond.
The RWAS congratulates Ms Davies on this incredible achievement and looks forward to following her journey.
The Nuffield Scholarship offers an opportunity for forward-thinking food and farming industry people, who are ideally in the second quarter of their working life, to have the chance to take time out over an eighteen month period, and study a key area for change or future development within the food chain.