缅北禁地

Skip to main content

Staff Profile

Dr Barbara Tocco

Principal Research Associate

  • Email: barbara.tocco@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE)
    The Catalyst
    3 Science Square, 缅北禁地 Helix
    缅北禁地 upon Tyne
    NE4 5TG, United Kingdom
Background

I am Principal Research Associate at the Centre for Rural Economy, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, at 缅北禁地. I am an applied social scientist with 15 years' experience of collaboration through various international research and innovation networks. My research interests widely relate to food sustainability, rural development and innovation. Current work focuses on the topics of short food supply chains and alternative food networks, geographical indications and sustainable development, small rural businesses and economic rural diversification, impacts of agricultural/ food policy. My research is strongly oriented towards multi-actor and co-production activities, bringing together businesses, policy makers and local communities, ensuring that outcomes and impacts are achieved.

I am part of the (Research England), Deputy Coordinator at (Horizon-Europe), Principal Investigator at (Horizon-Europe), and Co-Investigator at (Horizon-Europe), (Horizon-Europe), respectively.

I have been involved in various multi-disciplinary projects and strategic initiatives at both national and European level, with funding bodies including Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Department for Transport (DfT) via Connected Places Catapult, HM Treasury, the Economic and Social Research Council's Accelerating Business Collaboration (ESRC ABC), Durham County Council, and the European Commission. In the past, I served as Centre Manager on NICRE (2020-2024) and Project Manager on (H2020) (2016-2021).


Qualifications

PhD in Economics, University of Kent, 2016. Thesis on “Agricultural Employment and Inter-Sectoral Labour Mobility in Selected EU Member States ”. 

MSc in International Finance and Economic Development, University of Kent, 2010.

BA Economics and Politics, University of Kent, 2009.


Research Profiles

  


Research

FUNDED RESEARCH & INNOVATION PROJECTS


Current projects

  • CROP-MATCHING (2025 - 2029). A thematic network to boost small-scale sustainable farming through sustainable cropping practices. Funded by EU Horizon-Europe & Innovate UK. Co-Investigator.
  • Review and trial of menu design options to inform school food pilot (2025 - 2026). Funded by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Expert Advisor.
  • HORT2THEFUTURE (2024 - 2028). Horticultural innovations in soil-friendly practices to ensure a sustainable future. Funded by EU Horizon-Europe & Innovate UK. Deputy Coordinator & Co-Investigator.
  • GI SMART (2024 - 2027). Geographical Indications’ contribution to smart territorial development and sustainability. Insights for GIs producers, policy makers, consumers and local communities. Funded by EU Horizon-Europe & Innovate UK. Co-Investigator.
  • EU4ADVICE (2022 - 2027). Multi-actor collaboration dynamics and capacity building network inside and between AKIS to foster the upscaling of SFSCs across Europe. Funded by EU Horizon-Europe & Innovate UK. Principal Investigator for 缅北禁地.



Completed projects

  • AI-Augmented Intelligent Road-Rail Logistics for Multimodal Supply Chain in UK (2025 - 2026). Funded by Department for Transport (DfT) via Connected Places Catapult’s Transport Research Innovation Grants 2025. Principal Investigator for 缅北禁地.
  • NICRE (2020 - 2025). National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise. Funded by Research England UKRI. Centre Manager and Senior Research Associate.
  • Policy co-design to strengthen resilience capacity for local food economies: foundational infrastructure for short food supply chains (2023 – 2024). QR- Policy Support Fund (PSF) by 缅北禁地. Principal Investigator.
  • RESA (2023 - 2024). Rural Enterprise Support Analytics: Entrepreneurial Affordances in English Rural Local Authority Districts. Funded by HM Treasury. Co-Investigator.
  • Understanding Rural Durham (2023). Commissioned by Durham County Council. Principal Investigator.
  • Innovative Food Business Models for Sustainable and Resilient Economies (2020 - 2021). Funded by ESRC ABC. Co-Investigator.
  • STRENGTH2FOOD (2016 - 2021). Strengthening European Food Chain Sustainability by Quality and Procurement Policy. Funded by EU Horizon 2020. Project Manager and Research Associate.
  • VALUMICS (2017 - 2021). Understanding food value chains and network dynamics. Funded by EU Horizon 2020. Research Associate.
  • COMPETE (2013 - 2015) International comparisons of product supply chains in the agro-food sectors: determinants of their competitiveness and performance on EU and international markets. Funded by EU FP7. Research Assistant.
  • FACTOR MARKETS (2010 - 2013). Comparative analysis of factor markets for agriculture across the Member States. Funded by EU FP7. Research Assistant.




Teaching

Teaching

Survey design and analysis (Agri-food Business Management and Marketing Dissertation - ACE3099 & NES3109), 2022-24 & 2025-26 (undergraduate)


Supervision

  • Agri-food Business Management and Marketing Dissertation (ACE3099), School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, 2021-23 & 2025-26 (undergraduate).
  • Dissertation in Marketing (NBS8512), 缅北禁地 Business School, 2019-20 (postgraduate).
  • Contemporary Marketing Dissertation (MKT3096), 缅北禁地 Business School, 2015-17 (undergraduate).


Teaching in other Higher Education Institutions

The European Economy in the Twentieth Century (EC311), School of Economics, University of Kent, 2011-2014 (undergraduate - teaching assistant).



Current PhD Students

Xinyi Wang (ongoing) Knowledge-behaviour gap: home gardeners' green purchasing behaviour and eco-information preferences, with Dr Cezara Nicoara, Prof M. Gorton and Dr Luca Panzone


Completed PhD Students

Richard Freeman (2024) Achieving sustainable territorial development through the creation of short supply chains in the fisheries sector, ESRC NINE DTP, with Prof J. Phillipson and Prof M. Gorton


Publications

  • Articles

    • Török Á, Maró G, Jámbor Z, Maró Z M, Tocco B, Balogh P, Czine P. . Agribusiness: An International Journal 2025, Epub ahead of print.
    • Discetti R, Tocco B, Gorton M. . Journal of Business Ethics 2025, epub ahead of print.
    • De A, Tocco B, Gorton M. . Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 2025, 146, 104855.
    • Maye D, Gorton M, Morse A, Tocco B, Steytler M. . Agricultural and Food Economics 2025, 13, 88.
    • Hartmann M, Yeh CH, Gorton M, Tocco B, Török Á. . Agribusiness 2025, epub ahead of print.
    • Del Prete M, Golossenko A, Gorton M, Tocco B, Samoggia A. . Journal of Business Ethics 2025, 197, 391-421.
    • Kłoczko-Gajewska A, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Wilkinson A, Gorton M, Tocco B, Wąs A, Saïdi M, Török Á, Veneziani M. . European Urban and Regional Studies 2024, 31(3), 281-301.
    • Freeman R, Phillipson J, Gorton M, Tocco B. . Sociologia Ruralis 2024, 64(3), 510-528.
    • Panzone L, Tocco B, Brečić R, Gorton M. . Journal of Retailing 2024, 100(1), 85-103.
    • Gorton M, Yeh CH, Chatzopoulou E, White J, Tocco B, Hubbard C, Hallam F. . Ecological Economics 2023, 209, 107852.
    • Mattas K, Tsakiridou E, Karelakis C, Lazaridou D, Gorton M, Filipovic J, Hubbard C, Saidi M, Stojkovic D, Tocco B, Tregear A, Veneziani M. . Trends in Food Science & Technology 2022, 120, 248-253.
    • Amilien V, Discetti R, Lecoeur J-L, Roos G, Tocco B, Gorton M, Biasini B, Menozzi D, Duboys de Labarre M, Filipović J, Meyer K, Török Á, Veljković S, Wavresky P, Haugrønning V, Csillag P, Simons J, Ognjanov G. . Journal of Rural Studies 2022, 95, 336-349.
    • Gorton M, Tocco B, Yeh C-H, Hartmann M. . Ecological Economics 2021, 189, 107173.
    • Bellassen V, Arfini F, Antonioli F, Bodini A, Boehm M, Brečić R, Chiussi S, Csillag P, Donati M, Dries L, Drut M, de Labarre MD, Ferrer H, Filipović J, Gauvrit L, Gil GM, Gorton M, Hoàng V, Hilal M, Steinnes KK, Lilavanichakul A, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Monier-Dilhan S, Muller P, Napasintuwong O, Nikolaou K, Nguyen M, Quỳnh AN, Papadopoulos I, Peerlings J, Török A, Poméon T, Ristic B, Schaer B, Stojanovic Z, Tocco B, Maksan MT, Veneziani M, Vitterso G. . Research Data Journal for the Humanities and Social Sciences 2021, 6(1), 1-22.
    • Yeh C-H, Hartmann M, Gorton M, Tocco B, Amilien V, Steinnes KK. . Appetite 2021, 167, 105591.
    • Majewski E, Komerska A, Kwiatkowski J, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Wąs A, Sulewski P, Gołaś M, Pogodzińska K, Lecoeur J-L, Tocco B, Török Á, Donati M, Vittersø G. . Energies 2020, 13(18), 4853.
    • Vittersø G, Torjusen H, Laitala K, Tocco B, Biasini B, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Lecoeur J-L, Maj A, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Menozzi D, Török Á, Wavresky P. . Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4800.
    • Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Wąs A, Borgen SO, Csillag P, Donati M, Freeman R, Hoàng V, Lecoeur J-L, Mancini MC, Nguyen A, Saidi A, Tocco B, Török Á, Veneziani M, Vittersø G, Wavresky P. . Sustainability 2019, 11(15), 4004.
    • Amilien V, Tocco B, Strandbakken P. . British Food Journal 2019, 121(12), 3151-3167.
    • Harvey D, Hubbard C, Gorton M, Tocco B. . Journal of Agricultural Economics 2017, 68(1), 199-205.
    • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. . Studies in Agricultural Economics 2014, 116(2), 67-73.

  • Book Chapters

    • Gorton M, Tocco B. . In: Virginie Amilien, Monia Saïdi, Matthieu Duboys-De-Labarre, ed. Sustainable Consumption and Everyday Food Practices in Europe. London: Routledge, 2026, pp.242-248.
    • Tocco B, Cunningham JA, Magistrali A, Phillipson J, Gorton M. . In: Bosworth G; Chapman P; Newbery R; Steiner A; Webber DJ, ed. Rural Entrepreneurship: Harvesting Ideas and Sowing New Seeds. Leeds: Emerald Publishing Limited, 2025, pp.23-38.
    • Gorton M, Tocco B, Csillag P, Filipović J, White J. . In: M. Garcia Martinez, ed. Consumers and food: Understanding and shaping consumer behaviour. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, 2023.
    • Amilien V, Tocco B, Strandbakken P. . In: P. Strandbakken, G. Scholl and E. Stø, ed. Consumers and Nanotechnology: Deliberative Processes and Methodologies. Jenny Stanford Publishing, 2021.
    • Arfini F, Antonioli F, Donati M, Gorton M, Mancini MC, Tocco B, Veneziani M. . In: Arfini, F. and Bellassen, V, ed. Sustainability of European Food Quality Schemes: Multi-Performance, Structure, and Governance of PDO, PGI, and Organic Agri-Food Systems. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2019, pp.3-21.
    • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Determinants to Leave Agriculture in the EU. In: Swinnen, J. and L. Knops, ed. Diversity Under A Common Policy: Land, Labour and Capital Markets in European Agriculture. Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, 2013, pp.154-170.

  • Exhibition

    • Roos G, Tocco B, Abundancia C. . 2020. Online.

  • Reports

    • Tocco B, Nguyen T, Phillipson J, Gorton M, Dwyer J, Hotopp U, Bradley P. . 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, 2024. State of Rural Enterprise Report 7.
    • Tocco B, Noble J, Maye D, Morse A, Gorton M, Steytler M. . 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, 2024.
    • Tocco B, Thompson-Glen M, Nguyen T, Magistrali A, Martin J, Phillipson J, Anderson H, Henderson J, Gorton M, Curry J. . 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, 2023. NICRE Research Report 15.
    • De A, Tocco B, Gorton M. . 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, 2023. NICRE Research Report 17.
    • Phillipson J, Gorton M, Nguyen T, Wishart M, Roper S, Ozusaglam S, Khafagy A, Dwyer J, Hotopp U, Turner R, Tocco B, Maioli S, Hill I, Merrell I. . 缅北禁地-upon-Tyne, 2022. National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise State of Rural Enterprise Report 1.
    • Turner R, Phillipson J, Gorton M, Cowie P, Dwyer J, Goodwin-Hawkins B, Hill I, Mole K, Nguyen T, Roper S, Thompson-Glen M, Rowe F, Tocco B, Wishart M. . 缅北禁地-upon-Tyne, UK: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, 2021. National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise Briefing Paper 1.
    • Furey S, Tocco B, Freeman R, Jewitt C, Reeder N, Melville K, Mould E, Connolly A. . Belfast: Economic and Social Research Council, 2021. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Accellerating Business Collaboration (ABC) 2020.

  • Working Papers

    • Vittersø G, Borgen SO, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Tocco B. . Strength2Food 2021.
    • Tocco B, Lacey J, Whittle K, Freeman R, Gorton M, Hubbard C, Phillipson J, Vittersø G. . Strength2Food 2021, Deliverable 9.4.
    • Amilien V, Roos G, Bojović R, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Gorton M, Hubbard C, Jaska E, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Menozzi D, Mora C, Phillipson J, Quarrie S, Tocco B, Török Á, Torjusen H, Vittersø G. . Strength2Food 2021, Deliverable 2.11.
    • Tocco B, Abundancia C, Gorton M, Arfini F, Bellassen V, Brennan M, Hartmann M, Quarrie S, Tregear A, Yeh CH, Wilkinson A. . Strength2Food 2020, Deliverable 2.9.
    • Mattas K, Tsakiridou E, Karelakis C, Lazaridou D, Chousou C, Filipović J, Gorton M, Hubbard C, Saidi M, Stojkovic D, Tocco B, Tregear A, Veneziani M. . Strength2Food 2020, Deliverable 10.2.
    • Wilkinson A, Abundancia C, Arfini F, Bellassen V, Gorton M, Hallam F, Quarrie S, Tocco B, Tregear A. . Strength2Food 2020, Deliverable 10.6.
    • Hartmann M, Meyer K, Yeh C-H, Filipović J, Gorton M, Kuč V, Tocco B, White J. . Strength2Food 2019, Deliverable 8.3.
    • Malak-Rawlikowska A, Majewski E, Wąs A, Gołaś M, Kłoczko-Gajewska A, Borgen SO, Coppola E, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Freeman R, Gentili R, Gorton M, Hoàng V, Kuraj S, Lecoeur J-L, Mai N, Menozzi D, Nguyễn Quỳnh A, Saidi M, Tocco B, Torjusen H, Török Á, Veneziani M, Vittersø G, Wavresky P. . Strength2Food 2019, Deliverable 7.2.
    • Hartmann M, Yeh C-H, Amilien V, Čeliković Z, Csillag P, Filipović J, Giraud G, Gorton M, Menozzi D, Quarrie S, Roos G, Saidi M, Tocco B, Török Á, Veneziani M. . Strength2Food 2018, Deliverable 8.1.
    • Vittersø G, Torjusen H, Laitala KM, Arfini F, Biasini B, Coppola E, Csillag P, Donati M, Duboys de Labarre M, Gentili R, Gorton M, Lecoeur JL, Lucini A, Maj A, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Mancini MC, Menozzi D, Tocco B, Török Á, Veneziani M. . Strength2Food 2018, Deliverable 7.1.
    • Amilien V, Roos G, Arfini F, Biasini B, Csillag P, Duboys de Labarre M, Filipović J, Haugrønning V, Kuč V, La Spina M, Menozzi D, Meyer K, Ognjanov G, Simons J, Tocco B, Török Á, Veljković S, Wavresky P. . Strength2Food 2018, Deliverable 8.2.
    • Bellassen V, Arfini F, Antonioli F, Bodini A, Brennan M, Courbou R, Delesse L, Donati M, Drut M, Duboys de Labarre M, Dupont O, Filipović J, Gauvrit L, Giraud G, Gorton M, Hilal M, Husson E, Laitala KM, Majewski E, Malak-Rawlikowska A, Monier-Dilhan S, Muller P, Poméon T, Ristic B, Sayed M, Schaer B, Stojanovic Z, Paget A, Tocco B, Toque E, Tregear A, Veneziani M, Vergote M-H, Vittersø G, Wilkinson A. . Strength2Food 2017, Deliverable 3.4.
    • Arfini F, Antonioli F, Bellassen V, Brennan M, Fumel M, Gorton M, Hartmann M, Hawes DR, Mancini MC, Roos G, Schüssler J, Tocco B, Torjusen H, Tregear A, Veneziani M, Virginie A, Vittersø G, Yeh C. . Strength2Food 2016, 87.
    • Barczak A, Bellassen V, Arfini F, Brečić R, Giraud G, Majewski E, Tocco B, Tregear A, Vittersø G. . Strength2Food 2016, 19.
    • Bellassen V, Giraud G, Hilal M, Arfini F, Barczak A, Bodini A, Brennan M, Drut M, Duboys de Labarre M, Gorton M, Hartmann M, Majewski E, Monier-Dilhan S, Muller P, Poméon T, Tocco B, Tregear A, Veneziani M, Vergote M-H, Vitterso G, Wavresky P, Wilkinson A. . Strength2Food 2016, 92.
    • Tocco B, Hubbard C, Gorton M. . Compete Working Papers 2015, 16.
    • Tocco B, Bailey A, Davidova S. . Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 44.
    • Tocco B, Bailey A, Davidova S. The Reallocation of Agricultural Labour across Sectors: An Empirical Strategy for Micro Data. Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 45.
    • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. The Impact of CAP Payments on the Exodus of Labour from Agriculture in Selected EU Member States. Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 66.
    • Tocco B, Bailey A, Davidova S. Determinants to Leave Agriculture and Change Occupational Sector: Evidence from an Enlarged EU. Factor Markets Working Papers 2013, 46.
    • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Supply and Demand Side Limitations Affecting the Structure of Agriculture and the Rural Economy. Factor Markets Working Papers 2012, 21.
    • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Key Issues in Agricultural Labour Markets: A Review of Major Studies and Project Reports on Agriculture and Rural Labour Markets. Factor Markets Working Papers 2012, 20.
    • Tocco B, Davidova S, Bailey A. Commonalities and Differences in Labour Market Developments and Constraints in Different EU Regions. Factor Markets Working Papers 2012, 22.