The Arkleton Trust was founded in the late 1970s by Sir John Higgs, with the support of his brother David and close friend David Moore, to advance rural development policy and practice, particularly in poorer and developing countries. The idea for the trust emerged while Higgs, Moore, and Keith Abercrombie were all working at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). They shared a common ambition: to create a platform that would bring grassroots experiences and perspectives into national and international policymaking.
Since its inception, the Trust has promoted the exchange of rural knowledge and innovation through fellowships, seminars, and publications. Arkleton’s most effective tool for sharing expertise and knowledge across borders has been its support and facilitation of study tours and exchanges. These activities have all involved a wide network, including governments, NGOs, universities, and grassroots rural organisations.
Sir John Higgs, a Cambridge-trained agriculturalist and academic brought deep experience from his work in agricultural education and international development. After roles at Reading and Oxford universities, and five years with FAO in Rome, he returned to the UK and established the Trust. He was later appointed Secretary and Keeper of the Records of the Duchy of Cornwall and was knighted in 1986.
David Moore, the Trust’s first Programme Director (1977-1980) and Secretary to the Trustees until his death in 1983, played a pivotal role in shaping its direction. A dedicated development professional, Moore had also worked for Oxfam and the Un Association before joining FAO’s Freedom from Hunger Campaign.
Keith Abercrombie, who became a trustee in 1980 and later honorary president, had a distinguished FAO career, including senior role in Latin America and Rome. He was actively involved in Arkleton’s programme work until his death in 1995.
Following Moore’s death, Dr. John Bryan became Programme Director, expanding the Trust’s impact. He founded two non-profit subsidiaries – Arkleton Trust (Research) Ltd, and (Rurtel) Ltd – to support research and communication in rural development. In 1995, he helped establish the Arkleton Institute for Rural Development Research at the University of Aberdeen.
Under their collective vision and leadership, the Arkleton Trust has built a long-standing reputation for supporting rural innovation and policy, guided by the principle of elevating community voices and local experience into the policy arena.
History of the AwardsÂ
The Arkleton Trust Awards evolved over time through the establishment of three individual funds. The John Higgs Fund was the original award, created to support grassroots rural development initiatives. It was followed by the David Moore award, honouring the Trust’s first Programme Director and aimed at supporting young people in rural development research. Later, the Bernard Conyers Award was established to enable the dissemination of rural development work from lower and lower-middle income countries. In more recent years, the John Higgs Fund and the Bernard Conyers Award have been merged into the broader Arkleton Trust Awards, which continue to support the exchange of rural development knowledge globally. The David Moore Award remains a distinct and separately administered fund.