Fully funded PhD studentship
The Environment Department at the University of York invites applications for a PhD
studentship funded by the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Centre to start in October
2016.
Title: Socio-ecological system services for rural livelihoods and adaptation. Principal
Supervisor Dr Rob Marchant, Co-Supervisors Dr Chasca Twyman and Dr Jon Ensor
https://www.york.ac.uk/environment/research/kite/
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/geography/staff/twyman_chasca
https://www.york.ac.uk/sei/staff/jon-ensor/
Background: This PhD position is part of a White Rose Network entitled Social Science of
Agri-Food System Sustainability. In addressing the urgent need to build resilient food
supply chains that are socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable, a systems
approach calls on us to think, for example, about the globally interlinked nature of local
production, consumption, and waste (e.g. through markets and trade); the dependency and
impacts of food provision on changing ecological and climatic systems and services; and the
role and movement of knowledge, information and values across nodes of decision making
at a variety of scales. Three research projects have been designed to study the interlinked
nature of supply chains, rural livelihoods, and socio-ecological interactions and will work
through partnership with the CGIAR Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)
that targets the building of climate resilient and smart systems. This partnership further
offers the opportunity for impactful research and the prospect that these studies might
become the basis for future activity within the CCAFS programme.
Climate variability and change, population increase, and agricultural intensification
represent significant pressures on productive and ecologically valuable land in East Africa.
Montane forests support high densities of populations and agricultural production, e.g.
1000 people per km2 in the Chagga home-gardens of Kilimanjaro. Such Multifunctional
Agricultural Landscape Mosaics (MALM) support high levels of biodiversity while also
underpinning local livelihoods and regional food security. In addition to provisioning
services, there is an important role for montane forest in the regulation for water, carbon,
soil productivity, pollination and pest control. Hence, MALM can provide an agricultural land
use matrix in which all critical aspects of sustainability (ecological, social, economic, political
and cultural) are incorporated. In a context of unprecedented climatic change and social
pressure on ecosystems, how the ecosystem services of these MALM systems are best
distributed and managed for the multifaceted purposes of climate change adaptation and
socio-economic sustainability is a complex and challenging question. Improved
understanding of MALM system dynamics and responses to environmental change could
underpin informed community-based management, policy, and interventions that enhance
integrated water and land management processes, and improve agro-ecosystems function
and productivity. But, it is increasingly recognised that successful management of natural
resources and adaptation to change within such complex systems depends too on processes
for knowledge sharing and coproduction, the potential for which is shaped by social, cultural
and political relations between diverse stakeholders. The PhD will combine the local and
experiential knowledge of residents and land managers with the techniques and tools of
socio-ecological system mapping to inform management. Critical reflection on social
dynamics and incomplete knowledge politics will be essential for achieving just outcomes
within such a management tool. Additional logistical support for fieldwork conducted in
Taita will be provided through affiliation to the Terra research station located at Wyundani
in the Taita Hills run by research collaborators at the University of Helsinki.
Key project objectives
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To assess the interrelated functions and services of MALM in the Taita Hills of
southern Kenya by mapping, through participatory GIS, the agricultural land use
matrix.
To evaluate nature-based adaptation practices (afforestation, conservation
agriculture, irrigation and water management, and integrated pest management)
against projected future change and locally prioritized needs (e.g. for achieving food
security, providing livelihood opportunities, maintaining biodiversity, and fulfilling
cultural, aesthetic, conservation and recreational needs).
To critically reflect on the way that politics and social dynamics play out within this
process of knowledge generation and management
Selection criteria: The project is open to applicants with at least a 2i degree (and ideally a Masters) in
Development Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Geography, or the Environmental sciences. Interests
in rural development and/or international development would be an advantage although full
support and training to conduct this ambitious project will be provided. Existing expertise is
obviously a plus, especially relevant field and analytical skills. For further information on the project
or an informal discussion please contact the main supervisor (robert.marchant@york.ac.uk).
Further information including eligibility and application details, is available here:
https://www.york.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/fees-funding/research/esrc/
Deadline for applications: 12 noon, 5th March 2016
Interviews are scheduled for the 16th March 2016 (1-3PM) in the Environment Department,
University of York.