Collective Action & Property Rights News

CALL FOR PAPERS: Sustainability Science, African Regional Perspectives

2010-02-05T13:13:00.001-05:00

Nowhere is sustainability more important than in Africa. Sustainability Science’s special feature on African Regional Perspectives seeks research contributions with a sharp focus on where particular problems have the greatest effect, and how regional constraints and opportunities will affect possible solutions. Regions can be defined according to the scope of the research – along political, geographic, ecological, economic, cultural or climatic lines. [more information]

Deadline: June 15, 2010

Tags: calls, Africa

TRAINING: International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI) Research Program: Fall 2010

2010-02-05T13:08:00.001-05:00

In Fall 2010, the nine-week IFRI training course will be offered at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, with Arun Agrawal and Lauren Persha. Arun Agrawal is Associate Research Dean and Professor at University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, and Lauren Persha is the IFRI Postdoctoral Fellow. The course explores theoretical and methodological approaches for exploring human-environment interactions. It focuses on community level forest management, and the interaction of institutional, socioeconomic and ecological factors that influence sustainability. It also specifically exposes students to the IFRI research program and provides training in data collection methods, including participatory techniques, individual and group interviews, and forest measurement. Students apply their field research training in a forest community in Southern Michigan. Trainees also gain first hand exposure to the unique IFRI database and learn how to enter data and use queries to create datasets. [more information]

Deadline: April 1, 2010

Tags: training

This Week’s Posts

2010-02-04T17:40:00.001-05:00

EMPLOYMENT: IFPRI Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow, Uganda
- Deadline: open
EMPLOYMENT: FAO Fishery Planning Analyst
- Deadline: February 5, 2010
EMPLOYMENT: Uni Hohenheim: Postdoctoral Position - Land Use, Climate Change and Bioenergy (3 years, full-time)
- Deadline: April 1, 2010
FELLOWSHIP: Community Forestry: Trees and People — John G. Bene Fellowship
- Deadline: March 1, 2010
FELLOWSHIP: African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)
- Deadline: March 22, 2010
FELLOWSHIP: Leopold Leadership Program
- Deadline: April 12, 2010
CALL FOR PAPERS: Transport and Sustainable Development
- Deadline: April 15, 2010
CALL FOR ARTICLES/BRIEFS: Best Practices in Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Development
- Deadline: June 5, 2010

Tags: CAPRi, contents

EMPLOYMENT: IFPRI Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow, Uganda

2010-02-04T17:27:00.001-05:00

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Postdoctoral Fellow or Research Fellow for its Uganda Agricultural Strategy Support Programme (USSP) for a two year, fixed-term, renewable appointment. Under the USSP, IFPRI supports the government of Uganda by undertaking policy research and developing practical and comprehensive conceptual frameworks and decision support systems for agricultural strategy development in a manner which strengthens the capacity of appropriate national institutions to formulate and implement relevant strategies and to monitor and evaluate their progress against targets.

The Fellow will be responsible for (a) conducting research and developing policy advice in response to demand from in-country partners, (b) capacity strengthening in policy research, and (c) supporting policy outreach to a wide range of stakeholders concerned with agriculture and rural development in Uganda. [more information]

Deadline: open

Tags: employment, fellowship, Africa, CGIAR, IFPRI

EMPLOYMENT: Uni Hohenheim: Postdoctoral Position - Land Use, Climate Change and Bioenergy (3 years, full-time)

2010-02-04T10:51:00.001-05:00

The Institute for Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences in the Tropics and Subtropics - Chair for Land Use Economics, Professor Dr. Thomas Berger, searches for a highly qualified candidate at post-doctoral level. The position will focus on research into agricultural land use under climate change with special consideration of long- term adaptation strategies. The candidate will contribute to the joint research efforts of meteorologists, soil scientists, agronomists and agricultural economists at Universität Hohenheim. [more information]

Deadline: April 1, 2010

Tags: employment

CALL FOR ARTICLES/BRIEFS: Best Practices in Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Development

2010-02-04T10:39:00.001-05:00

The Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD) announces its call for briefs and articles related to Best Practices in Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Development to be included in JAFSCD Vol. 1, Issue 2.

Briefs, case studies, and articles should focus on illustrative programs or projects, survey results, literature reviews, and public policy related — but not limited to — land-use planning and regulation, health ordinances or their implementation, training and educational programs, marketing systems or value chains, partnership development, systems approaches, issues of scale, and farm-neighbor relations. We are particularly interested in holistic approaches that combine community and economic development with environmental protection.

More information here.

Deadline: June 5, 2010

Tags: calls

FELLOWSHIP: African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)

2010-02-04T09:47:00.001-05:00

Helping poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa overcome food crises and improve livelihoods is a complex challenge. It requires bold, innovative action. An essential step is strengthening the voice of Africa’s knowledgeable women, both on the farm and in the laboratories. Acting on this conviction, in 2007 the CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program launched African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). AWARD offers two-year fellowships to fast track the careers of African women delivering pro-poor research and development.

African women working in agricultural research and development from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia who have completed a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in selected disciplines are invited to apply for the 2010 Award Fellowship. Applicants must be nationals of the above listed countries and be available in Africa throughout the fellowship period.

More information here.

Deadline: March 22, 2010

Tags: fellowships, Africa

FELLOWSHIP: Community Forestry: Trees and People — John G. Bene Fellowship

2010-02-03T12:36:00.001-05:00

This fellowship provides assistance to Canadian graduate students undertaking research on the relationship between forest resources and the social, economic, cultural, and environmental welfare of people in developing countries. The successful candidate will be the one whose work most benefits the lives of the less privileged people in the developing country. [more information]

Deadline: March 1, 2010

Tags: fellowships

CALL FOR PAPERS: Transport and Sustainable Development

2010-02-03T12:29:00.001-05:00

Natural Resources Forum—A United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, a quarterly journal issued by the Division for Sustainable Development of the United Nations calls for papers for a special issue on transport, to be published in November 2010. Articles submitted for this special section should be relevant to policy-making, and should address transport from a sustainable development perspective, i.e. treating economic, social, and environmental aspects in an integrated way. Download the call for papers (pdf).

Deadline: April 15, 2010

Tags: calls

FELLOWSHIP: Leopold Leadership Program

2010-02-03T12:22:00.001-05:00

The Leopold Leadership Program at Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment invites mid-career academic environmental scientists from North America (Canada, Mexico, and the United States) to apply for the 2011 Leopold Leadership Fellowships. The program seeks candidates with terminal degrees in a broad range of disciplines including the biological, physical, and social sciences and technical, medical, and engineering fields related to the environment. Applicants must be employed by an academic institution in North America, be tenured or tenure-track (preferably associate professor level or equivalent or above), and be active in teaching and research. [more information]

Deadline: April 12, 2010

Tags: fellowships

EMPLOYMENT: FAO Fishery Planning Analyst

2010-02-03T12:12:00.001-05:00

Under the general supervision of the Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics and Policy Division, and in collaboration with other technical officers, the incumbent will provide advice on fisheries governance, management and development. In particular, will:

conduct analytical and/or descriptive studies of social, economic, and institutional aspects of capture fisheries at the various relevant levels of analysis, in an interdisciplinary context;
prepare and participate in missions to assist countries requesting advice on the governance, management and/or development of fisheries;
prepare technical documentation and papers for discussion and publication;
prepare and participate in technical meetings, expert and/or technical consultations on fishery governance, management and development, including contributing to the preparation of background documents and to the reporting and dissemination of results;
participate in capacity-building activities designed to improve national capacities in the methodologies and concepts of social, economic and institutional analysis of fisheries as well as in the elaboration of policies, strategies and plans aiming at strengthening fisheries management and governance;
provide technical backstopping to FAO field projects on social, economic and institutional issues and factors concerning fisheries management, development and governance;
assist in the coordination and exchange of information on social, economic and institutional aspects of fishery management, development and governance;
perform other related duties as required.

More information here.

Deadline: February 5, 2010

Tags: employment

This Week’s Posts

2010-01-28T16:39:00.001-05:00

EMPLOYMENT: UNU-INRA Director (Ghana)
- Deadline: open
FELLOWSHIP: Compton Foundation/PRB International Fellows
- Deadline: February 22, 2010
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Josef G. Knoll European Science Award
- Deadline: April 30, 2010
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: The Prosper.Net-Scopus Young Scientist Award in Sustainable Development
- Deadline: May 3, 2010
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: Women's Worlds 2011
- Deadline: September 15, 2010
FUNDING: DFID’s Development Innovation Fund
PUBLICATIONS: Two New CAPRi Working Papers
PUBLICATION: Foreign land purchases for agriculture: what impact on sustainable development?
PUBLICATIONS: New Analyses by the Rights and Resources Initiative
ONLINE RESOURCE: Mapping Population and Climate Change
ONLINE RESOURCE: Gender, Agriculture, and Land on Facebook

Tags: CAPRi, contents

PUBLICATIONS: Two New CAPRi Working Papers

2010-01-28T11:26:00.001-05:00

CAPRi has recently published two new CAPRi Working Papers, which are now online and available for download. Abstracts are provided below.

CAPRI Working Paper 95: Looking Beyond the Obvious: Uncovering the Features of Natural Resource Conflicts in Uganda, by Ephraim Nkonya and Helen Markelova:

Disputes over land, water, forests, rangelands, and other resources, both privately and commonly-held, are omnipresent across Africa and increasing in number due to the socioeconomic and environmental changes happening on micro- and macro-levels. Communities in Africa have a variety of mechanisms rooted in customary and statutory institutions to deal with disputes. This paper uses community-level survey data from Uganda to investigate the determinants of natural resource conflicts and the type of institutions people turn to for conflict resolution. The findings identify four primary types of conflicts (over private land boundaries, common-pool resources other than water, water resources, and conflicts over other resources) and reveal that several factors such as agroecological potential, poverty level, population density, and proximity to roads and markets affect the likelihood of a resource-related conflict. The results also show that even though most people turn to the local government (a formal institution) for arbitration, customary institutions still play an important role in conflict management, especially for the poorer communities where formal institutions are weak. The type of conflict also matters for the type of institution chosen to resolve it with the conflicts over commons being mediated through customary institutions, while all the others are usually channeled though the local government. The findings point to the importance of both customary and formal institutions for conflict resolution options in Uganda, highlighting the need to examine their potential complementarities. [download]

CAPRI Working Paper 96: Beyond the Bari: Gender, Groups, and Social Relations in Rural Bangladesh, by Agnes R. Quisumbing:

This paper uses a longitudinal data set from rural Bangladesh to analyze the factors that affect men’s and women’s ability to participate in groups and to engage in relationships with powerful and influential people. Unlike studies from other countries that find group membership to be positively correlated with wealth, this study finds that group membership, which is driven mostly by women’s membership in NGOs, is progressive, with higher participation rates among the poor and those with smaller sizes of owned land. This is in large part due to the targeting mechanism and pro-poor orientation of NGOs. In contrast to group membership, however, the strength of relationships with most types of influential persons increases with human and physical wealth. Consistent with a collective model of household decision-making, husband’s and wife’s human and physical assets do not have the same influence on group membership and relationship strength. Indicators of relative bargaining power within marriage also have differential effects on group membership and social relations. Women who bring more assets to marriage, who live closer to their natal villages, and who have sons are more likely to belong to a group. Assets at marriage and distance to village of husbands and wives also have differential effects on relationship strength, indicating that spouses may not share the same preferences nor pool their resources when investing in relationships with powerful and influential people. [download]

Tags: publications, CAPRi, IFPRI, Africa, SouthAsia

ONLINE RESOURCE: Mapping Population and Climate Change

2010-01-27T10:05:00.001-05:00

Population Action International has produced an online interactive world map: “Mapping Population and Climate Change.” Climate change impacts, demographic trends and reproductive health needs are likely to affect countries’ abilities to adapt to climate change. The map highlights the potential impacts of climate change on people and the environment, projected population changes in the short- and long-term, and why responses to climate change should include family planning and reproductive health. View the map here.

Tags: online_resources

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Josef G. Knoll European Science Award

2010-01-27T09:59:00.001-05:00

This science award has been presented every two years since 1986 with the aim of supporting young academics whose work focuses on helping to reduce hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. The award is named after Professor Dr. Josef G. Knoll, the pioneer of agricultural research in Germany with regard to developing countries.

The objective of the award is to encourage young academics whose research concentrates on solutions to mitigate hunger in food deficit countries. The research findings must be user-oriented and suitable to contribute towards:

improving the status of food and nutrition security of a certain local population and
reducing the impact of hunger (undernutrition and malnutrition).

Eligible are individuals under the age of 40 and teams whose members have not reached their 40th birthday by the application deadline, providing they have successfully completed a doctorate at a European university.

More information available here (see the link to download the application on the right-hand side of the page).

Deadline: April 30, 2010

Tags: calls, awards

EMPLOYMENT: UNU-INRA Director (Ghana)

2010-01-26T17:45:00.001-05:00

The United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) was established in 1986 with a mission to support the building of African capacity by strengthening national institutions to promote sustainable use of the continent’s natural resources for development. UNU-INRA’s research and training activities are targeted at ensuring that African scientists, technologists and institutions acquire capabilities to generate, adapt, and apply knowledge and technology to promote more efficient utilization of natural resources for self-reliant development and thus contribute to eradicating rural poverty and improving food security.

The Director is the chief academic and administrative officer of UNU-INRA and has overall responsibility for the direction, organization, administration and programmes of the Institute on behalf of and under the authority of the Rector of the UNU.

Required qualifications:

A Ph.D. in agronomy or a field directly related to natural resource conservation and
management.
Strong background of research and publications, a prominent profile in the relevant academic
community and a proven record of effective leadership and management experience at a senior level in an academic/research institution.
A proven track record of fund-raising for international projects is essential.
Ability to work in a multicultural environment and a deep commitment to the issues of human
development and welfare.
Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other UN official languages,
particularly French, is desirable.

More information here (pdf).

Deadline: open (disregard previously listed closing date)

Tags: employment, Africa

FELLOWSHIP: Compton Foundation/PRB International Fellows

2010-01-26T17:36:00.001-05:00

Since 2001 the Compton Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) have collaborated to increase the capacity of outstanding graduate students from sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America to affect policy and/or improve the effectiveness of population, family planning, and reproductive health programs in the developing world.

In the spirit of this collaboration and to fulfill its objectives, the Compton Foundation is making available Fellowships through the PRB for capstone/internship work and dissertation research on topics that examine the interactions linking family planning and reproductive health with environmental/sustainability and/or human security issues. This Fellowship provides highly motivated individuals with a unique opportunity to explore these very important interactions.

Fellowship recipients must also be committed to returning to their country or region of origin to apply the skills and education they acquired and make substantial contributions to the field.

More information here.

Deadline: February 22, 2010 (note: deadline was extended from January 25th)

Tags: fellowships, Africa, LatinAmerica

FUNDING: DFID’s Development Innovation Fund

2010-01-25T17:48:00.001-05:00

DFID is establishing a new funding stream aimed at community based organisations involved in providing specific small scale, one-off support that directly targets poverty in the developing world and includes a significant development awareness component in the UK. The Fund will be operational for an initial 16 months from 2010. The Fund is intended to offer funding opportunities to not for profit organisations but is not intended to replace or overlap with other DFID funding mechanisms.

Some key elements of the fund:

A total of £7m for an initial period of 16 months, with a mid-term review by August 2010 and an evaluation before the end of March 2011.
An application based Fund.
Small scale proposals up to £60,000 ceiling
Up to 100% funding for an application.
Applications to cover a period not exceeding one year.
Applications will be appraised at 3 decision making rounds.
Applications can cover work in any low or lower-middle income developing country.
Open only to not for profit organisations.
Applications must show that the intended activities will improve the lives of poor people in the developing world.
Applications must demonstrate how the intended work will be used to help raise awareness of development issues in the UK.
A limit of three applications per group/organisation at any one time.
Successful applicants can re-apply for funding but only after they have accounted for any previous grants provided

More information available here.

Tags: funding

PUBLICATION: Foreign land purchases for agriculture: what impact on sustainable development?

2010-01-25T15:33:00.001-05:00

A new policy brief published by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) - Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) examines the impact of foreign land purchases for agriculture on sustainable development.

[T]hese proposed investments often have little connection to a country’s domestic plans to develop the agriculture sector, when such plans exist. These developments are creating risks that local food needs, and land and water users, will be displaced. This Brief examines this new trend and its possible implications for sustainable development in the countries that are hosting such foreign investments.

This brief and others are available for download here.

Tags: publications, briefs

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: Women's Worlds 2011

2010-01-25T15:11:00.001-05:00

A 'Call for Participation' was launched last week for Women's Worlds 2011, a global feminist conference being held in Ottawa-Gatineau in July of 2011. Since its first congress in 1981, Women's Worlds has grown from a modest academic gathering to a distinguished international and interdisciplinary event. The 30th anniversary of Women's Worlds in 2011 will potentially be the largest gathering of its kind in Canadian history.

Acknowledging that important insights come from academia, community, and everywhere in between, organizers have deliberately dubbed this a 'Call for Participation'. Potential presenters are being invited to submit proposals under the main congress theme, "Inclusions, exclusions, and seclusions: Living in a globalized world". [more information]

Deadline: September 15, 2010

Tags: calls, events

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: The Prosper.Net-Scopus Young Scientist Award in Sustainable Development

2010-01-22T17:42:00.001-05:00

The Prosper.Net-Scopus Young Scientist Award in Sustainable Development is given annually to young scientists or researchers, based in the Asia-Pacific region, who have made significant contributions in the area of Sustainable Development. For 2010, awards will be given in each of four areas: Energy, Water, Agriculture & Food Security, and Economics, Business, & Management.

The award is open to those engaged in graduate education and research activities that emphasize sustainable development in any of the above four areas. Candidates are expected to be employed at institutions of higher education in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding USA and Canada), and should be less than 40 years old as of 1 July 2010. Candidates may be put forth by nomination or direct application. Nominations and applications must be supported by two letters of recommendation.

More information here.

Deadline: May 3, 2010

Tags: calls, awards, Asia

PUBLICATIONS: New Analyses by the Rights and Resources Initiative

2010-01-22T17:16:00.001-05:00

The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) has released several new strategic analyses covering a wide range of topics including the intersection of rights and conflict, "rethinking forest regulations," the state of Liberian forestry sector management, and China's recent forest land reforms. And in reaction to the renewed attention on forests in 2009, RRI has produced an "annual report" on the status of rights and resources globally - and the issues that affected them - in 2009. The report is designed to both review the status and issues of 2009 and also preview what to watch for in 2010.

Tags: publications, online_resources

ONLINE RESOURCE: Gender, Agriculture, and Land on Facebook

2010-01-22T16:34:00.001-05:00

There is now a group on Facebook for people interested in issues of gender, agriculture, and land. The GAL group is one way for like-minded activists, practitioners and researchers working on gender, agriculture, food securty and land issues to stay in touch with each other, as well as exchange information on upoming events, initiatives and meetings.

Tags: online_resources

This Week’s Posts

2010-01-21T17:19:00.001-05:00

EMPLOYMENT: Program Officer, Agricultural Policy and Statistics-Research & Analysis (Gates Foundation)
- Deadline: open
EMPLOYMENT: Research Fellow/Senior Research Fellow, Policies and Institutions for Cutting Hunger & Poverty (IFPRI)
- Deadline: open
EMPLOYMENT: Research Fellow/Senior Research Fellow, Impact Assessment (IFPRI)
- Deadline: open
EMPLOYMENT: Regional Facilitators – Climate Change Challenge Program
- Deadline: February 20, 2010
FELLOWSHIPS: PhDs and Postdocs at United Nations University Institutes in Japan
- Deadline: February 28, 2010
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: The RUFORUM Community Action Research Programme
- Deadline: February 15, 2010
PUBLICATIONS: New IFPRI Discussion Papers
PUBLICATION: Protecting Community Rights over Traditional Knowledge

Tags: CAPRi, contents

FELLOWSHIPS: PhDs and Postdocs at United Nations University Institutes in Japan

2010-01-21T17:02:00.001-05:00

Every year the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) and Institute of Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP) offer PhD and Postdoctoral Fellowships to provide young scholars and policy-makers, especially from the developing world, with a multi-disciplinarily context within which to pursue advanced research and training that is of professional interest to the successful applicant and of direct relevance to the research agenda of their selected UNU-IAS or UNU-ISP programme.

The fellowship programme provides the successful applicant with a unique opportunity to:

develop and advance their research under the supervision of a UNU-IAS or UNU-ISP faculty member and contribute to the overall research agenda of the Institute,
widen their research interests and professional networks by working in the international and multi-disciplinary context of the UNU-IAS and UNU-ISP, and with its wider network of Japanese universities and research institutes, as well as international collaborators,
become exposed to the workings of the international and multilateral policy process and the broader UN system, and
link with other UNU-IAS and UNU-ISP PhD and Postdoctoral Fellows.

The Fellows are resident at UNU-IAS in Yokohama, UNU-IAS OUIK in Kanazawa, or UNU-ISP in Tokyo, Japan for the full term of the fellowship. This gives the PhD and Postdoctoral Fellows the opportunity to gain from the broader research programme of lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences arranged by UNU-IAS and UNU-ISP. UNU's close institutional links with Japanese affiliated professors and researchers from key universities and think tanks in Japan and around the world also allows Fellows to link into the broader Japanese academic and research community. Since the start of the fellowship programme at UNU-IAS in 1996, more than 180 young scholars, 70% of which from the developing world, have benefited from collaboration with UNU-IAS/UNU-ISP and Japanese scholars in this way. [more information]

Deadline: February 28, 2010

Tags: fellowships, Asia