Draft:Natural Resources Institute

The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is a United Kingdom international development, research and education organization focusing on food, agriculture, environment, and sustainable livelihoods in low and middle income nations. It was founded in 1893 and its Head Office is at the University of Greenwich Medway Campus, United Kingdom. It is a public institution, and part of the University of Greenwich.

History
NRI was formed from the development and merger of many earlier organisations dating back to 1893.. and today contributes to the UK Sustainable Development Goals. The earlier institutes were primarily public sector owned non-profit making organisations and since 1996, has been an Institute within the University of Greenwich. Predecessor organisations were working initially to promote agriculture in tropical countries, as part of the British Empire. After the Balfour Declaration of 1926, the institutes operated as part of the British Commonwealth of Nations (which sought to decolonise the empire by giving each nation equal status). The London Declaration in 1949 further modernised the Commonwealth and hence the mission of NRI's predecessors were to support the interests of Britain in the Colonies. By the 1960's, NRI's predecessors formed part of the British Government Ministry of Overseas Development (ODM) but were tied to promoting British interests (such as British products and expertise), and employees were part of the British Scientific Civil Service. In 1996, NRI ownership was transferred from the then British Overseas Development Administration (ODA) to the University of Greenwich. Under University of Greenwich ownership, NRI has received funding mainly through competitively won international and national projects, UK Research Excellence Framework and teaching.

The preceding institutes (listed below) merged over time to form NRI in 1990.

NRI's predecessors

 * 1893 – Imperial Institute, London; now Commonwealth Education Trust.
 * 1894 - Scientific and Technical Department, Imperial Institute, London.
 * 1913 - Imperial Bureau of Entomology, London (1913 to 1930).
 * 1920 - Anti-Locust Research Centre (ALRC).
 * 1949 - Colonial Products Advisory Bureau (Plant and Animal).
 * 1957 - Tropical Products Institute (TPI), London formed from CPL and part of the Ministry of Overseas Development.
 * 1967 – TPI expands by merging with Tropical Stored Products Centre (TSPC), Slough, UK.
 * 1970 - Centre for Overseas Pest Research (COPR) formed from ALRC, and located in Bramley, Hampshire, UK.
 * 1971 - Land Resources Development Centre (LRDC) formed from Directorate of Colonial Surveys.
 * 1983 – Tropical Development and Research Institute (TDRI), London formed from merger of TPI and COPR.
 * 1988 - Overseas Development Natural Resources Institute (ODNRI) formed from merger of TDRI and LRDC and relocation to Chatham, UK.
 * 1990 - Natural Resources Institute (NRI) formed from ODNRI.
 * 1996 – NRI ownership transferred from UK Overseas Development Administration (now the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) to University of Greenwich, UK. NRI remains as an Institute within the University of Greenwich.

Mission
NRI undertakes research, teaching, training and consultancy to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In collaboration with international partners, it seeks to tackle issues including poverty, food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture, climate change, gender and social equality, responsible production and consumption, sustainable management of natural resources and the environment.

Resources (human, material and financial)
NRI has a staff of over 135 comprising natural and social scientists, technicians, and specialists in project management, administration, communication, finance, IT and other fields.

Main activities

 * Research focused on low and middle income countries (LMICS or developing country). Areas of research include agriculture, food and veterinary sciences, aquatic biotechnology and biology, chemical ecology and plant biochemistry, ecosystem services, food systems, pest behaviour, plant health, anthropology and development studies, and development studies.
 * Study opportunities involving undergraduate taught and postgraduate programmes, and postgraduate research.
 * Consultancy and partnerships providing technical and management expertise.
 * Providing scientific and technical information: publishing in journals, books and social media.

Organization
NRI has four departments:
 * Agriculture, Health and Environment Department
 * Food and Markets Department
 * Livelihoods and Institutions Department
 * Directorate

Awards

 * Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Further and Higher Education in 2002, 2007, 2015, and 2019.
 * Times Higher Award for International Collaboration in 2014.
 * Guardian University Award for Research Impact in 2015.
 * Professor John Morton was recognised as contributing to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC.

Notable people

 * Boris Uvarov – Entomologist known for work on the biology and ecology of locusts and first Director of the Anti-Locust Research Centre
 * Nadia Waloff - Entomologist known for work on the biology of locusts at the Anti-Locust Research Centre
 * Wilfred Thesiger – Explorer, writer and funded by the Anti-Locust Research Centre to map desert areas associated with the outbreak of desert locust swarms
 * Professor John Morton - contributed to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
 * Professor John Porter – Awarded the ordre du mérite agricole (2006), for contributions to agriculture.