Mr John Geraghty
Lecturer in Land Sciences
Biography
John Geraghty has a degree in Agricultural Science and a Masters degree in Rural Development. He has over thirty years of experience in agricultural research and development across five continents. Working with farmer and commercial clients he has been employed as technical research and development consultant to the World Food Programme, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the German Technical Co-operation Agency, the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, state and semi-state agencies(e.g. DAA), commercial companies, and non-governmental organisations(e.g. Self Help Africa) He has been a consistent advocate and promoter of Conservation Agriculture(CA) adoption throughout Europe and Africa the main focus of which is the sustainable management of the soil resource base. He received a Nuffield Farming Scholars Award in 2003 for his work in this area and studied advances in CA adoption and development throughout South America.
John is a lecturer and research supervisor with SETU Waterford for their programmes in the B.Sc.(Hons) Degree in Land Management(Agriculture) and the B.Sc.(Hons) Degree in Agricultural Science. Module delivery includes Agricultural Policy & Economics, Integrated Pest Management, Sustainable Crop Management Systems and Sustainable Water Management Systems.
Students receive in depth tuition in soil science, crop and animal nutrition, and other agri-business related modules. Graduates have successfully taken up positions in the Agriculture, Environment and Agri-business Sectors while others have progressed to undertake further research to Masters degree and Doctorate level.
John is Programme Leader for the Postgraduate Diploma and Masters of Science in Organic and Biological Agriculture. This is a two-year part-time programme. Component courses are also certified programmes and may be undertaken on an individual basis including:- Soil Health & Water Management; Crop Management in Organic and Biological Agriculture; Livestock Management in Organic and Biological Agriculture; Food, Health & Nutrition; Agroforestry and Landscape Biodiversity; Project Planning & Marketing; and, Research Methods in Biological Agriculture.
Research undertaken to date has included the following:
- farming and integrated systems approaches in agriculture and food production
- agronomic, climatic and economic comparison of different crop establishment systems
- analysis and evaluation plant protection product efficacy in field crop situations
- biological, cultural, and nutritional practices for disease, pest, and weed management
Desk studies have been conducted for clients in a wide variety of areas including the amendment of waste products to agriculture, biological and cultural control of pests and diseases, climate change and crop production, feasibility of growing new and diverse crops, and invasive weed management.