Associate Professor Craig Johns
Associate Professor
School of Economics
College of Business and Law
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Craig’s primary research interest is analysing agribusiness and agroforestry value chains and the resulting value chain improvement activities across the industry. He has global food experience from production to consumption from the perspective of both the private and public sectors. Craig has held roles as a general manager of a successful food production company, a program manager in charge of allocating national value chain funding and a senior business consultant delivering on international value chain projects.Since joining the University in 2011, Craig has been involved in international development projects in various agriculture, marine and forestry sectors across Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, PNG, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. His early training in food technology, quality management and business management, coupled with his appreciation for the roles of industry and government, enable him to understand key constraints and how industry development can lead to wider benefits for all stakeholders.Craig also holds the position of Post Graduate Program Director for the School of Economics and Public Policy and is the CEO of the University Agribusiness Advisory Board. All of these responsibilities have enabled Craig to improve engagement and interaction between the University and leading agribusiness companies for the benefit of research and teaching activities.
0030084798: Changing urban consumer behaviour and the role of different retail outlets in the food industry of Fiji Authored by: Johns C; Lyon P; Stringer R; Umberger W, ASIA PACIFIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL Published by: Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Published: 2017
0030058691: Evaluating the outcomes of VCA-led improvement projects : a case study of an Australian prawn fishery Authored by: Johns CM; Kimber N; Howieson J; Lawley M, BRITISH FOOD JOURNAL Volume: 118 Issue: 12 Pages: 2997-3011 Published by: Emerald Group Publishing Limited Published: 2016
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 - ongoing | CEO Agribusiness Advisory Board | University of Adelaide |
| 2011 - ongoing | Associate Director of Agribusiness Innovation | University of Adelaide |
| 2007 - 2011 | Senior Business Consultant, Food Chain Innovations | Rural Solutions SA |
| 2005 - 2007 | Program Manager for Value Chains, Market Development | National Food Industry Strategy |
| 2001 - 2005 | General Manager | Australian Pure Fruits Pty Ltd |
| 1995 - 2001 | Food Technologist and Quality Manager | Australian Pure Fruits Pty Ltd |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Teaching Award | SEPP Teaching Excellence Award for Team Teaching | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2024 | Research Award | Commendation for Grant Excellence for the Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2024 | Teaching Award | University Commendation for the Enhancement and Innovation of Student Learning | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Award | Executive Dean Award for Vision, Service, Culture, Excellence in External Engagement | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2019 | Award | Executive Dean Award | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Award | Pro Vice Chancellor Internationalisation Excellence Award | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 - 2023 | University of Adelaide | Australia | PhD |
| 1993 - 1993 | Flinders University | Australia | Honours Degree |
| 1990 - 1992 | Flinders University | Australia | Bachelor of Science Degree |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Johns, C. (2023). Exploring consumer-driven food value chain and market opportunities in Pacific SIDS countries. (PhD Thesis, University of Adelaide). |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Nepali, B., Johns, C., & Jackson, T. (2024). Exploring the Potential of Agriculture Diversification as a Pathway to Improved Smallholder Livelihood Dietary System in Nepal. DOI |
0001038052: ACIAR - Grant: Promoting sustainable agriculture and agroforestry to replace unproductive land-use in Fiji and Vanuatu; Years: 2014-2015; Johns, Craig Michael; TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED: $3,000
0001038589: ACIAR - Grant: Improving livelihoods and economic progress through rehabilitation of degraded catchments in Fiji and Vanuatu; Years: 2014; Johns, Craig Michael; TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED: $2,400
0001040437: ACIAR - Grant: Enhancing private sector-led development of the canarium industry in Papua New Guinea; Years: 2015-2017; Johns, Craig Michael; Wallace, Helen; Simos, Theo; TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED: $473,291
0006000040: ACIAR - Grant: Enhancing value added products and environmental benefits from agroforestry systems in the Pacific; Years: 2015-2019; Johns, Craig Michael; Ahmed, Sharmina; TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED: $456,955
0006000129: ACIAR - Grant: Improving Returns from Community Teak Plantings in Solomon Islands ; Years: 2016-2019; Johns, Craig Michael; Blumfield, Tim; TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED: $79,000
0006005888: ACIAR - Grant: Pacific Agribusiness Research for Development Initiative Phase 2 - PARDI 2; Years: 2018-2020; Umberger, Wendy Jeanne; Johns, Craig Michael; Thomson, Lex; TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED: $119,870
Program Director for Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business and the Master of Agribusiness
Manager of the Centre for Global Food and Resources Internship program
Course Coordinator for AGRIBUS 7059 Experiences and Insights in Agrifood Systems
Course Coordinator for AGRIBUS 7041 Topics in Ag Bus
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Digital technology adoption of SMEs in agri-food value chains | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Vu Xuan Hoanh Mai |
| 2025 | Principal Supervisor | “Balancing Environmental, Economic and Social Tensions in Food Production Systems to Ensure Farm Resilience” | Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Lynda McDonald |
| Date | Role | Board name | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 - ongoing | Advisory Board Member | Ag Institute | Ag Institute South Australia | Australia |
| 2015 - ongoing | Director | Agribusiness Advisory Board | University of Adelaide | Australia |