About CAZS Natural Resources

CARIAD (formerly CAZS Natural Resources) is a semi-autonomous self-funding centre within the College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University. The centre has over 20 years' experience of rural development work in some of the world's poorest countries. A central focus of CARIAD is the promotion of agricultural and forestry development and the provision of technological and scientific innovation to improve natural resource development and management. Work has concentrated on arid and semi-arid lands but, in recent years, the work of the Centre has evolved to encompass virtually all agro-ecological zones and spans many countries across Africa, Asia and Europe.

CARIAD expertise includes research, consultancy and management services services, and offers formal postgraduate and post-experience training courses which have gained an international reputation with 40-50% of the participants on the formal courses coming from overseas. Tailor-made short courses are undertaken both in the UK and overseas, on a broad variety of subjects and for a wide range of clients.

CARIAD has around 10 academic and support staff, and can also call on a much larger cadre of specialists within the University from the School of Business and Regional Development (comprising Divisions of Regional and Community Studies, of Banking, Financial and Economic Studies and of Business, Enterprise and Management), the School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography, the School of Social Sciences, the School of Biological Sciences, and the School of Ocean Sciences.

The Centre for Advanced Research in Internationa Agricultural Development (CARIAD) owes its existence to a combination of historic events. In 1955, scholarships were established by Sir William Roberts from Anglesey who in 1916 became the first Principal of the Punjab Agricultural College (now Faisalabad Agricultural University). These has enabled many Pakistani postgraduate students in the Agricultural Sciences to study in Bangor, thereby establishing a strong and durable association between Bangor and Faisalabad

Later, in the 1970s a highly successful experimental farm was established by University staff members at Hofuf, Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Agriculture and Water and the UK Government's Overseas Development Administration (now the UK Department for International Development) of London. Arising from these and related activities, individual members of the natural resources departments at Bangor developed interests and expertise in the agricultural and forest problems of arid and semi-arid lands.

Later in 1983 a small group led by Prof Gareth Wyn Jones and Dr Tony Chamberlain established the interdisciplinary, self-funding Centre for Arid Zone Studies (CAZS) to draw on this broad skills base in Bangor and to seek to contribute, through applied research, consultancy and teaching, to overseas development. The nascent Centre received crucial financial backing from, amongst others, His Excellency Sheikh Yamani and Robertson's Research which allowed new appointments and fellowships to be offered to overseas experts.

From modest beginnings the Centre grew to around 30 full - and part-time staff and established itself as a leading agency in the field of international development. Through the work of its third Director Dr Ian Robinson, the Centre developed a special expertise in resource appraisal following conflicts and other emergencies. From 1990 until 2006 the Centre managed very successfully the DFID Strategic Plant Science Research programme under the guidance of Prof John Witcombe. The Centre has been involved in institution building as well as conventional and short course teaching and skills transfer as well as consultancies to commercial companies and NGOs.

Overtime the remit of the Centre broadened to encompass virtually all agro-ecological zones across Africa, Asia and Europe and to emphasise not only agricultural production systems but sustainable natural resource use and management and their role in human development. This prompted the name change to CAZS-Natural Resources.
In 2010, to reflect changes in staffing and focus, the Cetre again changed its name.