Chiwuike Daniel Akparanta is a PhD student at the University of Western Australia, working with Healing Country to investigate Indigenous-led native seed supply chains, diverse Indigenous values and improving socio-economic capacity as a mechanism to close the gap.
He holds a BSc in Agricultural Economics and Extension from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria, where he investigated the roles of research institutes in Nigeria for agricultural development, and a Master of Agricultural Science specialising in Agricultural Economics from the University of Western Australia, where he examined contract farming and production efficiency in ginger production in Nepal.
Before beginning his PhD, he worked as a Principal Research Officer at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research, researching technology impact assessment, efficiency and productivity analysis, sustainable food practices, and value chains. He has skills in econometric modelling and analysis, economic theory, empirical application and agricultural development. Chiwuike has a strong interest in exploring and evaluating the productive capacity, values, and benefits of the Indigenous-led seed supply chain for restoration economies with Healing Country.