Niels Fold

Short presentation

My research addresses the relationship between economic-geographic globalization processes and local responses, primarily examined through the analytical lens of global value chains (GVCs). I have specialized in agro-industrial value chains that connect producers in the Global South and consumers in the Global North. I consider the economic linkages between agriculture and industry as crucial in a development perspective and strive to understand rural development and agrarian transformation by combining structural (GVC) analysis with livelihood studies. This approach is applied to the study of settlement development and rural-urban relations in rural areas dominated by one particular crop. Furthermore, my research encompasses broader patterns of regional development in the Global South such as the dynamics in rural hinterlands of rapidly growing metropolitan areas. My research also addresses mineral-based GVCs, particularly focusing on small-scale mining in Africa but increasingly also large-scale mining and value chain segments in Europe.

Presently I am engaged in research in South Africa (Socio-economic benefits of ecological infrastructure), Colombia (Aquaponics and livelihoods), and Tanzania (Contract farming). I have also started research in Greenland (The nexus between tourism and exploitation of natural ressources). I am the coordinator of a Danish university consortium who is involved in capacity development of Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania): Finally, I am Task leader in an European-African partnership for coordination of research and innovation in Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA).

I teach courses on globalisation processes, socio-economic dynamics and regional development at both undergraduate and graduate level. I aim to incorporate empirical material from all over the Global South but in particular related to my own specialization, namely agro-industrial value chains in Africa and South East Asia.

CV

CURRICULUM VITAE

Niels Christian

Introduction

Professor Niels Fold holds a PhD in Economic Geography from the University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on agro-industrial linkages and regional development in the Global South analysed within a global value chain (GVC) approach. He is particularly interested in the impacts of regional growth centres and rural-urban dynamics on spatial restructuring processes. He has worked and published on several agro-industrial value chains in Ghana, Tanzania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Malaysia and Vietnam. He has extensive experience in management of externally funded research projects, coordination of multi-country programs, and handling of cross-disciplinary projects. Niels Fold is former director of a PhD Program at the University of Copenhagen and presently heading a consortium of Danish Universities that upgrades research capacity at Sokoine Agricultural University (Tanzania).

Place of work

Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
University of Copenhagen
Oster Voldgade 10
DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Phone: + 45 35 32 25 61 (direct); +45 35 32 25 00 (switchboard)
Fax: + 45 35 32 25 01
Email: [email protected]

Competence

Scientific focus

• Globalization and industrial development

• regional growth centres and spatial restructuring

• rural-urban dynamics

• agro-industrial linkages

• socio-economic impacts of small-scale mining

• commodity production and dependence

• organization of global value chains (GVCs), in particular GVCs based on agricultural crops

Research management

• Extensive experience in management of externally funded research projects, coordination of multi-country programs, and handling of cross-disciplinary projects

• demonstrated administrative capacities

• excellent skills in partner communication

• proficiency in practical organization of field work in developing countries, including hiring of research assistants and other staff

Regional specialization

• Africa (Ghana, Tanzania)
• Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Vietnam).

Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Geography, University of Copenhagen, 1993
Master of Science (Geography), University of Copenhagen, 1984
Bachelor of Art (Economics), University of Copenhagen, 1982
Bachelor of Science (Geography), University of Copenhagen, 1979

Positions

Professor, Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, 2015-

Visiting scholar, Department of Geography, University of California (Berkeley), 2012 (5 months)

Professor (MSO), Department of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, 2006-2015

Visiting scholar, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, 2006-2007 (11 months)

Associate professor, Institute of Geography, University of Copenhagen, 1997-2006

Visiting scholar, Department of Geography, University of California (Berkeley), 1996 (11 months)

Assistant professor, Institute of Geography, University of Copenhagen, 1993-1997

Research fellow (PhD candidate), Institute of Geography, University of Copenhagen, 1989-92

Lecturer, International Development Studies, Roskilde University Centre, 1988-89

Lecturer, Institute of Industrial Research and Social Development, Copenhagen Business School, 1988-89

Consultant, Danida/CASA (Evaluation of Danish non-governmental organizations), 1988-89

Lecturer, Institute for Organization and Industrial Sociology, Copenhagen Business School, 1987-88

Research assistant, Institute of Geography, University of Copenhagen, 1985-87

Lecturer, Institute of Geography, University of Copenhagen, 1984-89

Funding of Research, Capacity Building Projects and Conferences

(Total amount; projects with a position as programme PI, co-PI, WP-leader or Coordinator marked in italics)

- European Commission, ‘Long-term EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (LEAP4FNSSA – Task 1.3), 2018-2022 (5,136,250 Euro)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Socio-economic Benefits of Ecological Infrastructure’ (research programme), 2018-2020 (4,982,174dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Sustainable Value-Chains: Aquaponics in Colombia’ (research programme), 2018-2020 (4,997,859dkk)

- Geocenter Denmark, ‘Exploitation of Natural Resources in South Greenland’ (research project), 2018-2019 (1,012,532dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Building Stronger Universities III’ (capacity building programme), 2017-2021 (13,000,000dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Transiting to green growth (Nepal) (TGG-N)’ (research programme), 2014-2018 (8,949,000dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Building Stronger Universities II’ (capacity building programme), 2014-2017 (11,996,000dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Enhancing Productivity, Market Access and Incomes for Small Farming Businesses: Potentials and Limitations in Contract Farming (POLICOFA 2)’ (research programme), 2014-2019 (4,953,000dkk)

- European Commission, ‘African Rural-City Connections’ – WP1: Agricultural transformations (RURBAN)’ (research programme), 2012-2016 (2,700,000 Euro)

- Geocenter Denmark, ‘The mineral resources of the Greenlandic alkaline intrusions and their potential impact on the European high-tech industry’ (research programme), 2012-2015 (3,100,000dkk)

- Danish Social Science Research Council, ‘Value chain dynamics and regional development in the Global South’ (research project – visiting scholar, Berkeley), 2012 (86,400dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Agricultural Growth and Poverty Pockets (AGROPOP)‘ (research programme), 2011-2015 (7,429,000dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Enhancing Productivity, Market Access and Incomes for Small Farming Businesses: Potentials and Limitations in Contract Farming (POLICOFA 1)’ (research programme), 2011-2014 (5,482,000dkk)

- Council for Development Research, ‘Rural-Urban Complementarities for the Reduction of Poverty (Tanzania)’ (research programme), 2010-2014 (4,449,000dkk)

- Carlsberg Foundation, ‘Small-scale farmers in contract farming: cultivation, purchase and processing of palm oil in Ghana’ (research project), 2010-2013 (75,000dkk)

- Geocenter Denmark, ‘Certification of sustainable small-scale production of gem stones (Tanzania)’ (research project), 2010-2011 (850,000dkk)

- Geocenter Denmark, ‘Centre for Sustainable Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining’ (research programme), 2009-2014 (1,550,000dkk)

- Danish Development Research Network, ‘Small-scale mining and development aid in Africa’ (seminar), 2009 (30,000dkk)

- Danish Development Research Network, ‘Spatial Disparities in Development: The Geography of Development and the World Bank Report 2009’ (seminar), 2008 (25,000dkk)

- Cross-Faculty Committee (University of Copenhagen), ‘Production, consumption and trade in biofuels: impacts in developing countries‘ (research programme preparation), 2008 (95,000dkk)

- Danish Social Science Research Council, ‘Restructuring of agro-commodity flows in Pacific Asia:

New patterns and impacts’ (research project – visiting scholar, Sydney), 2006-2007 (195,000dkk)

- Geocenter Denmark, ‘Socio-economic and environmental impacts of small-scale mining in gold, Tanzania’ (research project), 2005-2008 (1,440,000dkk)

- Danish Council for Development Research, ‘Rural-Urban Dynamics in a Globalizing World: Changing Livelihoods and Settlement Patterns in Frontier Regions of Africa and Asia’ (research programme), 2005-2008 (5,994,745dkk)

- Danish Council for Development Research, ‘Rural-urban Linkages in a Globalising World’ (research programme preparation), 2004 (136,500dkk)

- Danish Social Science Research Council, ‘Northern consumption - Southern production: Analysing cross-continental food commodity chains’ (conference), 2003 (76,500dkk)

- North-South Coordination Committee (University of Copenhagen), ‘Medical Patents: Ethical and Economic perspectives for Developing Countries’ (conference), 2002 (120,000dkk)

- North-South Coordination Committee (University of Copenhagen), ‘Rural-urban linkages in a globalising world’ (conference), 2001 (30,000dkk)

- Danish Social Science Research Council, ‘Globalisation and Economic Restructuring in Africa’ (research programme), 1999-2002 (3,009,592dkk). Part of programme based at CDR, Copenhagen.

- Danish Council for Development Research, ‘Globalisation and Economic Restructuring in Africa’ (research programme), 1999-2002 (493,591dkk). Part of programme based at the CDR, Copenhagen.

- Danish Social Science Research Council, 'Regulation of Agro-Industrial Activities in the Developing Countries', (research project - visiting scholar, Berkeley) 1996-97 (388,830dkk)

- Danish Research Academy, 'The Spatial Dimensions of Development - Interaction between the Local, National and Global' (Ph.D.-course), 1995 (99,500dkk)

- Danish Council for Development Research, 'State Regulation, Social Institutions and Entrepreneurial Initiative - Key Factors in Development Dynamics of Industrializing Countries' (research project), 1994-96 (104,131dkk)

- Danish Social Science Research Council, ‘Emerging Classes and Growing Inequalities in Southeast Asia’ (conference), 1994 (50,000dkk)

- Danish Council for Development Research, ‘Emerging Classes and Growing Inequalities in Southeast Asia’ (conference), 1994 (25,000dkk)

- Danish Council for Development Research, 'Linking Agriculture and Industry in Developing Countries’ (research project), 1989-92 (806,940dkk)

Professional activities

Head of Research Group (Environment and Society in Developing Countries), 2016-

Coordinator, Danish University Consortium, BSU2 programme with Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2014-

Member of Board, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (UoC), 2012-2015

Member, Academic Council, Faculty of Science (UoC), 2011-2012

Director, Centre for Sustainable Artisanal Small-Scale Mining, Geocenter Denmark, 2009-

Chair, ‘Faggruppe’ on Geography and Development Studies, Ministry of Research and Innovation, 2007-

Member, Library Committee,Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, 2006-2012

Director, Ph.D. Standing Committee, Department of Geography and Geology (UoC), 2003-2012

Member, North-South Coordination Committee, University of Copenhagen, 2000-2002 

Member of Board, Department of Geography, University of Copenhagen, 1997-2006

Member, International Committee, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, 1997-2001

Member of Board, Danish Development Research Network, 2009-11

Member of Editorial Board, Journal of Agrarian Change, 2012-

Member of Editorial Board, Danish Journal of Geography, 2004-

Member of Editorial Board, Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies, 2000-2008

Member of Board, Nordic Association for Southeast Asian Studies, 1993-1995

Consultant, The Danish National Encyclopaedia (entries on South East Asia – Geography), 1992-2001; 2006

Field work experience

Africa: Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia

Asia: Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal

Latin America: Colombia

Teaching and supervision (current)

Undergraduate

• Basic Field Methods (1. Year)
• Globalization and Spatial Change (2.year)
• Globalization and Local Development (3. Year) 

Graduate courses

• Globalization and Dynamics in Global Value Chains (4. Year)
• Environment, Society and Development 1 (4. Year)
• Advanced Field and Methods Course (4. Year)

Supervision

• About 40 Bachelor Theses
• About 70 Masters Theses

External examiner

Roskilde University and Aalborg University (Geography; Development Studies; Global Studies)

PhD supervision

Marianne Nylandsted Larsen: ‘The Commodity Chain for Cotton in Zimbabwe and Tanzania: Restructuring of Production and the National Export Marketing Systems’(completed 2004)

Lotte Thomsen: ‘Private Sector Development in Vietnam: The Role of Ethnicity and Business-State Relations in a Southeast Asian Economy in Transition’ (completed 2006)

Lotte Isager: ‘New Urban-rural and State-civil Society Relations and their Implications for Farmers in North Thailand’ (completed 2007)

Stine Jessen: ‘Intellectual Property Rights and the Global Pharmaceutical Industry - Consequences for Developing Countries’ (completed 2008)

Michael Helt Knudsen: ‘Settling in the Cocoa Frontier of Ghana’s Western Region: Livelihood and Mobility within the Rural-urban Continuum’ (completed 2008)

Ingeborg Vind: ‘Labour Upgrading in Global Production Networks – The Electronics and Garments Industries in Vietnam’s Southeast Region’ (completed 2009)

Jesper Bosse Jønsson: ‘Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts of Small-Scale Mining in Tanzania’ (completed 2009)

Ulrich Elmer Hansen: ‘International Technology Transfer and Industrial Organization in Developing Countries – The case of Biomass Energy Technology in Malaysia’ (completed 2013)
(external supervisor)

Thobias E. Nsindagi: ‘Contract farming, productivity and household welfare: evidence from Kilombero sugarcane out-growers’ (completed 2015)
(external supervisor)

Mads Martinus Hauge: ‘Industrialization and regional development in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam’ (completed 2016)

Erika Machacek: ‘The Dynamics of the Global Value Chain for Rare Earth Minerals and the Impacts on European High-tech Industry’(completed 2016)

Winnie Nguni: ‘The Governance of horticultural-tourism value chain: A case study of the linkages between MSEs and tourist hotels in Tanzania’ (completed 2017)

Frederik Brønd: ‘Agro-industrial development and rural transformation in Ghana and Tanzania’ (2014- )

Anne R. Mwakibete: ‘Contract Farming, Wage Employment and Social Differentiation. Evidence from the Sugar Sector at Kilombero, Tanzania’ (2015- )

Planning and implementation of PhD-courses

- ‘The spatial dimensions of development: Interaction between the local, national and global’ (1995)

- ‘Globalization, Regionalization and Social Change: Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives’ (1999)

- ‘Rural-urban linkages in a globalizing world’ (2001)

- ‘Relating primary data to structures, concepts and theories’ (2006)

- ‘Agribusiness value chains in a methodological perspective’ (2013)

- 'Global value chains and regional development’ (2015)

Ph.D. Evaluation and Staff Assessment Committees

Copenhagen Business School, Griffith University, Lund University, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim), Roskilde University, School of Oriental and African Studies (London), University of Bergen, University of Copenhagen,University of Helsinki, University of Oslo, University of Queensland, University of Sydney, York University

Research Council Reviewer

Economic and Social Research Council (UK), Swiss National Science Foundation (Switzerland), Research Council of Norway, Research Foundation (Belgium)

Expert panels

UNCTAD: Ad-hoc expert meeting on World Investment Report (Geneva, 16-17 October, 2008)

OECD/WB: New Metrics for Global Value Chains (Paris, 21-22 September, 2010)

ILO/WB: Decent Work and Competitiveness in Global Value Chains (Geneva, 30-31 March, 2011)

Journal Reviewer

World Development, Environment and Planning A, Global Networks, Journal of Agrarian Change, Journal of Applied Geography, Antipode, Regional Studies, Review of International Political Economy, Land Use Policy, Journal of Rural Studies, Economic Botany, Ecology and Society, Environmental Management, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, Geographical Journal, Geoforum, Economic Geography, Competition and Change, Geografiska Annaler (Series B), Geography, Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, European Journal of Development Research, Geography Compass, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Agrekon, Austrian Journal of Development Studies, Danish Journal of Geography