International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
Job Description
Job title:
Senior Researcher, sustainable food and agricultural systems
Responsible to:
Principal Researcher (Team Leader, Agroecology Team)
Main contacts:
Internal: Natural Resources Group colleagues, researchers in other
Groups, other IIED staff members across the Institute
External: Multidisciplinary collaborative research teams in a range of
countries, partners, governments, donors, international and civil
society organisations, consultants and public and private actors
working on food and agriculture, members of the general public
Main purpose:
To develop, manage and implement a programme of research on
sustainable food and agriculture systems
Contract:
Full time, permanent
Location:
Central London, UK
Salary:
£38,767 - £43,753 per annum, depending on experience, plus benefits
(up to £48,207 for exceptional candidates)
Overview
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) has worked with partners
around the world for forty years to develop the evidence base, capacity and influence for
more sustainable food and agricultural systems. The Agroecology Team in IIED, which is
part of the Natural Resources Group (NRG), aims to build greater local control and resilience
in food and agriculture systems such that they improve livelihoods and withstand shocks and
stresses from climate change, peak oil, water shortages and other crises. At the same time,
other teams in IIED are working on other dimensions of food and agriculture systems, such
as water management, climate change adaptation, land rights, markets and value chains,
and agricultural investments.
The postholder will build IIED capacity in agroecology issues by developing and managing a
research programme, with colleagues and partners, on local control and resilience in food
and agriculture systems, and will wield its results at local, national and international levels.
Background on IIED and its work in food and agriculture
IIED is a policy research organisation that provides expertise and leadership in researching
and achieving sustainable development at local, national, regional and global levels. With
some 100 staff based in London and Edinburgh, UK, and partners around the world, IIED
has been at the forefront of policy analysis for development for 40 years. IIED’s strategy for
2009-2014 focuses on four globally important challenges in sustainable development:
tackling the ‘resource squeeze’; demonstrating climate change policies that work for
development; helping build cities that work for people and planet; and shaping responsible
markets.
Goal 1: Tackling the ‘resource squeeze’
 Land Rights
 Agroecology and Food Sovereignty



Forests
Biodiversity
Water
Goal 2: Fair and equitable solutions to climate change
 Climate resilience, productivity and equity in Drylands
 Global Climate Change Governance
 Public policy responses for climate-resilient development
Goal 3: Help build cities that work for people and planet
 Urbanization
 Urban poverty
 Cities and climate change
 Rural-urban linkages
Goal 4: Shaping responsible markets
 Small-scale producers in markets
 Energy
 Tackling market failure
 Investment
 Fair and inclusive green economies
 Economics of climate change
Over the last 30 years, IIED has coordinated a range of activities related to food and
agriculture in both arid and humid parts of the developing world and has implemented them
in conjunction with southern based partners. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, IIED
programmes explored a range of topics emphasising agroecology, natural resource
management and participation: from the risks from pesticide and fertiliser use by small-scale
farmers, to indigenous soil and water conservation in Africa, and the role of participation in
agricultural and rural development.
In the late 1990s and 2000s, IIED increased its capacities for political economy analysis in
the sector, and started to investigate the role of local organisations and institutions in
sustaining food systems, agricultural biodiversity and livelihoods. Rural - urban linkages and
urban food markets were also explored along with issues of gender and inclusion in supply
chains. Impacts of different property rights regimes on investment, natural resource
management, agricultural biodiversity and local knowledge have been analysed in different
settings. Innovative participatory methodologies for citizen deliberation and inclusion allowed
IIED staff to find new ways of linking the voices of the excluded into national and
international policy making, institutional choices and risk assessments. Work with partners
also focused on the policies and practices that can make local adaptive management and
decentralisation work as well as confer resilience in the face of change - including climate
change.
An external review of IIED’s work on food and agriculture carried out in 2010 found that,
while IIED’s current Strategy is clear on food and agriculture, and while its diversity of
research programmes and approaches is a strength, there are unrealised potentials in the
current scattering of food and agriculture issues. It also identified the need to communicate
diverse research programmes and perspectives better and speak to ‘mainstream’ audiences
more effectively (as well as ‘alternative’ audiences), and to improve IIED capacity to respond
to demands for engagement in new arenas.
In response to the review, IIED created an internal Forum on Food and Agriculture and in
2012 appointed a Principal Researcher with a specific role in tracking and assessing the
main arenas in food and agriculture, in building connections internally and in representing
our work externally.
Background to this job
The work of the Agroecology Team aims to empower communities to move towards more
equitable and sustainable agri-food systems and natural resource use. By linking local
voices, experience and research evidence to public and private sector policy processes, the
Team informs debates and helps shape better policies and institutions. The Team aims to
combine local knowledge and cutting-edge science to develop alternative models and
reframe dominant narratives, policies and practices for food and agriculture.
The Team is currently composed of the following members of staff:






Barbara Adolph – Principal Researcher and Team Leader
Holly Ashley – Co-editor, Participatory Learning and Action – PLA
Nicole Kenton – Co-editor, Participatory Learning and Action – PLA
Angela Milligan – Co-Editor, Participatory Learning and Action - PLA
Fiona Roberts – Team Senior Coordinator
Krystyna Swiderska – Senior Researcher, agro-biodiversity and local knowledge
systems
To date, the work of the team included research and advocacy on concepts and practices
around food sovereignty, democratising agricultural research, resilient food systems and
circular, integrated models of agricultural production and consumption. IIED is interested in
linking these themes to debates around sustainable intensification, climate smart agriculture,
and the suitability of different agricultural and food systems to contribute to food security and
sustainable livelihoods for different contexts. The postholder would have the opportunity to
shape his / her research programme around these or related topics, while working closely
with colleagues in the Team to develop a strong and coherent work programme on
sustainable agriculture and food systems.
In doing so, the postholder would be expected to link, where appropriate, with other
researchers and teams in IIED working on topics related to food and agriculture, such as:




Pressures on natural resources (land, water, biodiversity) from different angles, and
ways to mitigate these;
Small-scale producers in markets, including the resilience of the informal sector in
linking small-scale farmers with low-income consumers;
Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, and how they impact upon, and
provide opportunities to improve, the agricultural sector;
Food security in urban areas and rural-urban linkages.
The postholder will take an interdisciplinary outlook on agri-food systems to engage with
different schools of thought and ideologies and to communicate with colleagues, partners
and stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds and organisations. Initially, the
postholder will take up commitments and utilise funds already secured, but overtime he or
she will be able to develop, and fund raise for, their own areas of research in support of
IIED’s overall strategy.
Main IIED contacts
The postholder will report to the Principal Researcher who leads the Agroecology Team. A
key contact will be the other senior researcher in the team (agro-biodiversity specialist).
Key responsibilities
The primary function of the post is to develop, manage, implement and promote a
programme of research on sustainable food and agricultural systems.
This involves:
a) Coordinate and conduct a coherent programme of research and policy outreach, with
IIED colleagues and partners internationally and in key countries, in an area central to the
food and agriculture agenda that contributes to and complements work to achieve IIED’s
Strategy objectives on food and agriculture. Potential research areas include, but are not
limited to:







Agroecological approaches and their performance – economically, socially and
environmentally (e.g. comparative analysis with agro-industrial approaches)
Gender and socioeconomic differentiation in agricultural development (e.g. how
different social/economic groups are affected by or benefit from trends or
interventions)
Access to food, and food and nutrition security (e.g. rights, governance and
organisational systems)
Agricultural knowledge systems (e.g. looking at both local/ indigenous knowledge
and scientific knowledge, and ways of brokering between them)
Agricultural investments (e.g. finance and contracts, and ‘soft’ investments in
knowledge, advisory services, local institution building and policy change)
Climate smart agriculture, climate change adaptation and/or mitigation and
agriculture (e.g. roles and powers in agroforestry, water use conservation and
management and change resistant crop varieties)
Intensification of agriculture (e.g. sustainability and governance of land sparing,
local approaches, technology)
b) In carrying out the above policy research and outreach: coordinate inputs from
colleagues in IIED and from short-term consultants; develop and support in-country
multidisciplinary teams; work with these teams to develop their research, capacitybuilding and policy influence work; provide technical and organisational support and peer
review; and ensure quality work is delivered on schedule.
c) As part of programme design, ensure that research responds to the needs of diverse
groups of research users and that a process of engagement with users is initiated from
the start. This includes, but is not limited to, the preparation, promotion and
dissemination of research papers, reports and general publications for decision-makers
and wider audiences. The postholder will be responsible for capturing and reporting on
the results of his / her work, through a variety of methods and outputs.
d) Create opportunities and respond to demands on IIED to engage with and influence key
local, national and international processes in pursuit of sustainable food and agriculture
(e.g. at international level these may include processes of the World Bank, FAO, CGIAR
organisations, multilateral food security initiatives, WTO, etc.).
e) Prepare proposals and fund raise for the postholder’s own work and that of others in
research, capacity building, information and advocacy across food and agriculture
arenas. Help the Team Leader prepare proposals and fund raise for wider Team’s
projects.
f) In close collaboration with the above main contacts, prepare and manage annual work
plans and budgets and report to donors in connection with all of the above.
The job description defines the level of responsibility and area(s) of involvement of the post;
the details of the duties may change over time and do not form part of the contract between
IIED and the post holder.
Person specification
Essential Requirements
Abilities to conduct research, nurture relationships, integrate ideas, and represent to multiple
external stakeholders, are all key to this role. Other requirements are:













Postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline, e.g. agronomy, soil science, environmental
sciences, biology, rural development, agricultural economics
Good general understanding of the biophysical basis underpinning the different
agricultural development modes
Extensive experience of working on agricultural production or other food and agriculture
related issues in Africa, Asia and/or Latin America
Experience with international policy frameworks, agreements and initiatives affecting
food and agriculture and climate change
Experience in facilitating participatory policy processes that enable the voices of those
typically excluded to be heard
Evidence of impact and influence on the policy agenda, especially with respect to food
and agriculture issues
Substantial experience at a professional level, that demonstrates proven skills and high
reputation in:
o Interdisciplinary research, and active promotion of research findings
o Knowledge of and, preferably, direct experience of engaging with multilateral
institutions, the private sector and civil society organisations (NGOs, farmer
organisations, social movements) active in food and agriculture
o Fundraising – a sustained track record in securing funding for different projects
from a variety of donors
o Advocacy and external relations
o Project, people and budget management
Fluency in speaking, reading and writing in English with working knowledge of another
widely spoken international language
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to inspire engagement
among diverse partners, e.g. proven ability to deal with staff, collaborators and partners
from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures and ability to communicate with and
inspire both specialist and non-specialist audiences
Ability to articulate and synthesise a broad range of issues and areas relating to
sustainable development to external audiences, including business
Ability to work in innovative, self-motivated and organized ways and able to collaborate
with people from diverse background and cultures
Advanced knowledge of business software (word processing, spreadsheets,
presentation software, databases and communications)
Willingness and ability to travel as appropriate to project commitments
Desirable




PhD in a relevant subject
A substantial track record of written work including a spectrum of peer reviewed articles,
books or booklets, reports, policy briefs, tools or toolkits, products in other media
formats such as film or radio
Fluency in at least another widely spoken language e.g. French, Spanish, Portuguese,
Arabic, Hindi or Chinese
Experience with building and sustaining international teams, including from a distance.