CVF research profiles
Between 2014-2017, a total of 100 early career researchers were awarded a one-year CIRCLE Visiting Fellowship. Their proposals covered the following multidisciplinary research areas:
- Agricultural Science
- Aquaculture, Fisheries and Marine Biology
- Energy
- Environment and Forests
- Health
- Rural Livelihoods and Socio-Economic Aspects of Agriculture
- Water
- Other Social Science Topics
Agricultural Science
Ethiopia
Home institution: Ethiopian Institutes of Agricultural Research
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Biometrics, GIS & Agrometeorology Research
Research focus: Evaluation of the impact of climate change on maize (Zea mays L.) production via crop simulation modelling.
The purpose of this research is to formulate adaptation options, which should be practical, affordable and acceptable to farmers through quantifying the impact of observed climate variability and possible future changes on maize crop production using a state-of-the-art dynamical crop simulation models.
Nigeria
Home institution: Ebonyi State University
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Agricultural Biotechnology
Research focus: My study will focus on finding Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers strongly linked to agronomic traits associated with drought tolerance in rice. The aim of the study is to develop a protocol for applying molecular tool (marker-assisted selection) to facilitate breeding for drought resistance in Nigerian rice. The study was informed by the selection challenge our breeders face in developing improved varieties. Till date, they still rely on the use of morphological (physical) markers for selection which is not only time consuming but prone to substantial error owing to effects of environmental factors on gene expression.
Publications: Afuikwa, C.A., Falui, J.O., Atkinson, C. J., Ubi, B. E., Igwe, D.O. & Akinwale, R.O. (2016). Screening of some rice varieties and landraces cultivated in Nigeria for drought tolerance based on phenotypic traits and their association with SR polymorphisms. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 11 (29), 2599-2615.
Mrs Doris Akachukwu - Cohort 2
Home institution: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Environmental pollution, risk assessment, biomarkers of exposure and remediation
Research focus: The research focuses on the assessment of clastogenic effects of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals from gas flares that pollute soil and water. It also seeks to assess the effects of biochar as a remediation agent.
Home institution: Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Host institution: Kwame Nkurumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Area of research: Climate change, ionising radiation, modelling, agricultural productivity and agricultural policy.
Research focus: In Nigeria and most African countries, probably due to low awareness, the capability of radon being used as tools and indicators has not been widely explored, most especially in agricultural planning for yield improvement, in which soil moisture determination plays a key role. Hence, this study seeks to use the relationship between fluctuations in the atmospheric radon concentration, as impacted by changes in climatic parameters, as a tool for modelling variations in soil moisture content in the study area.
Home institution: Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
Host institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology, Ghana
Area of research: Pig production and climate change
Research focus: The study aims to explore nutritional strategies with the use of synthetic amino acids (lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and threonine) and phytase to reduce greenhouse emissions, by reducing nitrous oxide (NO2) and methane (CH4) in the manure of pigs.
Mrs Victoria Olumayomikun Tanimonure - Cohort 2
Home institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Host institution: University of Ghana
Area of research: Underutilised indigenous crops, climate change adaptation strategies, rural livelihood, food security and sustainable development.
Research focus: This research work focuses on the underutilised indigenous vegetables (UIVS) for dietary diversity and revenue generation in response to climate change in Nigeria. A growing body of literature on climate change suggests that indigenous crops are resilient and as such adapt better to the negative effects of climate change. The study seeks to establish relationship between climate change variables and the livelihood, dietary diversity and food security of the producers of UIVs in Nigeria. The output of this research work will be another dimension to the importance of UIVs especially in the area of climate change adaptation.
Dr Abimbola Oluwaranti - Cohort 2
Home institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Host institution: Makerere University, Uganda
Area of research: Climate change, agriculture and food security
Research focus: The purpose of this proposed study is to characterise available tropical elite maize varieties for adaptability to the current resilient climate change Via SSR Molecular Markers before disseminating these varieties to farmers to enhance food security as well use as genetic materials for the development of more drought tolerant maize varieties. Phenotypic selection for drought tolerance is less accurate and takes time; therefore a faster selection method, such as marker assisted selection (MAS), is needed for the improvement of this crop.
Home institution: Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Microbial Biotechnology
Research focus: My research work will focus on isolation and characterization of fungal diversity in soils under food crop cultivation in a tropical region (south-west, Nigeria) and their response to changes in climate. The research will also focus on establishing whether the abundance of the fungal population is affected by changes in climatic conditions, as well as if establishes Koch’s postulates.
Publications: Omomowo, I. O., Salami, A. O., & Olabiyi, T. I. (2017). Preliminary study on climate seasonal and spatial variations on the abundance and diversity of fungi species in natural plantation ecosystems of Ile-Ife, South West, Nigeria. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 11(1), 33-44.
Home institution: Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Agroclimatolgy and agricultural system modeling
Research focus: Templates building for data generation towards model calibration and validation with respect to climatic relationship in production and the prediction of the growth process and yields of groundnut.
Publications: Oni, F. G. O., & Odekunle, T. O. (2016). An assessment of climate change impacts on maize (zea mays) yield in South-Western Nigeria. International Journal of Applied and Natural Sciences, 5, (3). 115-120.
Mrs Tawakalitu Bola Onifade - Cohort 2
Home institution: Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria
Host institution: University of Nairobi, Kenya
Area of research: Renewable energy and technology in the field of climate change
Research focus: This is extraction and pyrolysis of the lignocellulosic materials from palm fruit fibre and physic nut shell under low temperature and pressure to produce energy and chemicals. Burning of agricultural residues and bush burning is commonly practised in most African and indeed developing countries, and these have environmental impact. This research will eliminate that practice since viable competitive alternatives of utilising the waste will be readily available, profitable and convenient. The prevention of bush burning which resulted into ozone depletion will therefore affect policy and practice in climatic change adaptation or mitigation in African countries.
CIRCLE Publications: Onifade, T. B., Wandiga, S. O., Bello, I. A., Jekanyinfa, S. O., & Harvey, P. J. (2017). Conversion of lignocellulose from palm (Elaeis guineensis) fruit fibre and physic (Jatropha curcas) nut shell into bio-oil. African Journal of Biotechnology, 16(46), 2167-2180.
Home institution: Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria
Host institution: University Of Ghana, Ghana
Area of research: Estimating carbon sequestration potentials of some land-use systems.
Research focus: Conversion to restorative land use and adoption of best management practices must be integral to any strategy of mitigating climate change. Against this background, this study will explore how land use impacts on the soil carbon of soils located in the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions of Ghana and what the carbon sequestration potentials of soils are in these areas. It will examine the management requirements needed to replenish the carbon stocks of the soil and the socio-economic framework within which small-scale land users could be encouraged to participate in soil carbon sequestration schemes for climate change mitigation.
Dr Catherine V Nnamani - Cohort 2
Home institution: Ebonyi State University
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Molecular biology and underutilised plant genetic resources for food.
Research focus: The study is focused on using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSRs) as a molecular tool to assess the genetic variability in AYB accessions and correlate data with physiological seed quality test to aid selection of better accessions to enhance rapid and uniform seedling establishment under climate changing scenario. Currently, AYB is faced with selection and productivity constraints, arising from poor seed selection (based on colour/pattern), seed quality, low yield and narrow germplasms threatened by genetic erosion. Findings are expected to rationalise the status of AYB’s competitiveness with other common staples for improved food security and sustainable germplasm conservation in Nigeria.
Dr Eunice Thomas - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: University of Ghana
Area of research: The use of fortified biochar to enhance carbon sequestration in soil
Research focus: Kpong in Ghana produces rice on a large scale. Production of rice generates lots of rice husks and straws after harvest and its final preparations. Rice husks as a waste can be better utilised as feedstock for the production of biochar. Biochar are increasingly used as soil amendment and to sequester carbon in soil. Therefore my research work focuses on using affordable and accessible farm yard manure (Cow dung) and rice husk biochar in a co compost mixture to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and to develop an effective bio fertilisers technology which will be organically based for crop production.
Ghana
Home institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Natural products chemistry
Research focus: This project seeks to take inventory of the different species of drought resistant oilseed bearing plants found in the northern savannah zone of Ghana and Nigeria. These plants consistently grow under high drought conditions within the savannah zone. The plants have adapted to the harsh climatic conditions and may withstand the worse scenarios of rising temperatures due to climatic changes. Hence they can support food security and malnutrition in this era of climate change.
Home institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Soil health and plant nutrition; legume adaptation to climate change.
Research focus: The use of microbial inoculants has gradually gained high popularity in an increasingly eco-conscious world and can be used to promote healthy crops. However, establishing biochar-inoculant integration as a climate smart option for legume production requires that best fit technologies are developed for end-users. Thus, this study seeks to investigate the synergism of enhanced N biochar and rhizobium inoculants on soil nutrient availability and soybean yield.
Home institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Host institution: Kenyatta University, Kenya
Area of research: Breeding for drought tolerance in cocoa; climate change scenarios in cocoa growing areas in Ghana.
Research focus: This research aims to characterise climate change scenarios in cocoa growing regions of Ghana and to evaluate selected local and international clones of cocoa for drought resistance at seedling stage under natural and managed stress conditions. The study will seek to understand the basis of drought resistance in cocoa at seedling stage and select promising cocoa genotypes for drought resistance. At the end of this research it is expected that drought tolerant cocoa varieties would be available for adaptation to climate change, and an efficient and rapid method for mass evaluation of cocoa genotypes for drought tolerance will be developed.
Kenya
Dr Hannah Karuri - Cohort 1
Home institution: Embu University College
Host institution: University of Nairobi, Kenya
Area of research: Nematology/Biotechnology
Research focus: Sweet potato is an important food crop consumed throughout Africa. However, yields are reduced by commonly occurring root knot nematodes (RKN). In addition, the presence of other parasitic nematodes influences RKN population dynamics and increases the damage that they cause. Climate change may cause an increase in abundance of parasitic nematodes including RKN. My research will focus on selecting RKN resistant sweet potato genotypes and determining the effect of climate on distribution and abundance of parasitic nematodes associated with Kenyan sweet potato. The research will provide information that will be important in mitigating the effects of climate change on sweet potato production.
Publications: Karuri, H. W., Olago, D., Neilson, R., Njeri, E., Opere, A., & Ndegwa, P. Plant parasitic nematode assemblages associated with sweet potato in Kenya and their relationship with environmental variables. Tropical Plant Pathology, 1-12.
Karuri, H. W., Olago, D., Neilson, R., Mararo, E., & Villinger, J. (2017). A survey of root knot nematodes and resistance to Meloidogyne incognita in sweet potato varieties from Kenyan fields. Crop Protection, 92, 114-121.
Home institution: Embu University Collge
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Plant physiology
Research focus: Current research is on the role of transpiration-driven mass-flow on growth and nutrient delivery to roots of C3 and C4 crops, and consequences of changing atmospheric CO2 concentration
This research work will evaluate whether the concentration mechanism of C4 (maize) alter nitrate and ammonia uptake relative to C3 (wheat). It will also seek to find out whether nutrient supply can be optimized to account for transpiration differences and hence mass flow differences between C4 and C3 crops. This work will also seek to understand how elevated atmospheric CO2 alters nitrate and ammonia uptake through mass-flow in C4 (maize) relative to C3(wheat).
Aquaculture, Fisheries and Marine Biology
Ghana
Dr Berchie Asiedu - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Energy and Natural Resources
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Small-scale aquaculture and climate change
Research focus: To investigate the economic and social impacts of climate change in small-scale aquaculture of Ghana and develop sustainable adaptation strategies.
Ms Sandra Atindana - Cohort 2
Home institution: University for Development Studies
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Effects of climate variability on biodiversity conservation and ecological health of aquatic systems.
Research focus: The focus of this work is to assess the ecological health of the lagoon through the presence or absence of benthic macro invertebrate species and to assess the effects of varying climate on biotic indices of the species. The implications of varying climate on fish biodiversity as experienced by the local people through their perceptions about the manifestations and consequences of varying climate, while offering some clues into fisheries policy and regulations.
Nigeria
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: University of Nairobi, Kenya
Area of research: Enviromental toxicology, veterinary pathology, ecotoxicity in fish.
Research focus: This study will focus on the level and components of endocrine disrupting chemical pollutants and its associated pathology, as well as its effect on adaptation to global warming using tilapia as a model. One intended outcome of the study is that tilapia can be used as sentinel species to determine the choice of urban water to be used for fishing and other agricultural practices. Such information would be relevant to public health professionals as well as agriculturist/fish farmers.
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: Makerere University, Uganda
Area of research: Aquaculture, inland and marine fisheries management, climate change, fish genetics and breeding, nutri-genomics and fish biotechnology
Research focus: The study is expected to produce information on farmer's knowledge, vulnerability and indigenous resilience to climate change, climate change induced flooding, and fish farm invasion by alien fishes including Clarias gariepinus strains in response to impact of climate change. It will also generate baseline holistic genomic tools for monitoring, control and surveillance of C. gariepinus in cases of climate change induced invasion.
Tanzania
Home institution: University of Dar es Salaam
Host Institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: My research interest is centred in understanding how plants respond to both abiotic and biotic stressors
Research focus: Regardless of their valuable services, seagrass survival is threatened by a multitude of stressors caused by an ever increasing human population and increased anthropogenic activities along the coastal areas, which contribute to the climate change variability seen in present days. Thus in order to understand how multiple stressors affect the seagrass ecosystem, this study will investigate how anthropogenic induced ocean acidification, temperature, and nutrient enrichment affect the performance of seagrass Zostera capensis from the west coast of South Africa.
Zimbabwe
Mr Beaven Utete – Cohort 3
Home institution: Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Fisheries and water resources in peri-urban areas
Research focus: This research will explore the food security, resilience and adaptive capacity of fisheries resources and fishing livelihood-dependent communities in the face of climate change in a peri-urban lake system. The underlying objective is to investigate the impact of climatic factors (rainfall and temperature) on the water resources and determine their translative impacts on fisheries and the vulnerability of fishing livelihood-dependent communities in a peri-urban lake set up. It is hoped hitherto neglected peri-urban small scale inland fisheries will get the necessary mainline governmental support and are recognised as unique viable enterprises.
Energy
Ghana
Home institution: University of Energy and Natural Resources
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Hydrological Modelling, Applied Remote Sensing and GIS for resources management
Research focus: There is the need for continuous research on climate change especially at the national scale. It is already clear from literature that Ghana will be water stress by 2020 irrespective of any adverse effects from climate change. With the nation’s economy heavily dependent on the Akosombo, Kpong and Bui Hydroelectric plants, it is imperative to research into the varying climatic conditions that affect water availability in these reservoirs. The accurate assessment of rainfall, temperature and evapotranspiration within the country are important indicators for showing the related water levels and associated impact on meeting energy demands in the country. My research focus on is the assessment of the impact of rainfall and evapotranspiration on energy generation hydropower generation in Ghana.
Publications: Akinbami, C. A. O., Ifeanyi-Obi, C., Appiah, D. O., & Kabo-Bah, A. T. (2016). Towards sustainable adaptation to climate change: The role of indigenous knowledge in Nigeria and Ghana. African Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(2), 189-214.
Kabo-Bah, A. T., Diji, C. J., Nokoe, K., Mulugetta, Y., Obeng-Ofori, D., & Akpoti, K. (2016). Multiyear Rainfall and Temperature Trends in the Volta River Basin and their Potential Impact on Hydropower Generation in Ghana. Climate, 4(4), 49.
Kenya
Home institution: Kenyatta University
Host institution: University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: Agroforestry-Based Bioenergy Systems, Renewable energy, Climate Change Studies, Natural Resource Management.
Research focus: Despite strong evidence linking the benefits of agroforestry with community livelihoods, there is a lack of studies linking farmers' initiatives in renewable energy within the agroforestry system. This research will provide useful information on domesticating appropriate tree species that have commercial successes in energy generation through community tree-based bioenergy innovations. It will match the best models with community perspectives and investor needs to identify and develop feasible tree-based food-energy systems. It will provide communication channels to a wide range of stakeholders and document the economic potential of these systems as compared to other available energy resources.
Nigeria
Dr Ogheneruona Endurance Diemuodeke - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Port Harcourt
Host institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana
Area of research: Energy
Research focus: Among other things, the proposed research seeks to propose a clean and sustainable energy system for the downtrodden coastline communities as a way of conserving the nature and unveiling the rural dwellers’ socio-economic potentials. This research is significantly important as there has been no clean and affordable sustainable energy technology in the rural community, mainly due to their dispersed remote settlement, rugged terrain, and inaccessible road networks. The research would propose a clean and sustainable energy technology, and enabling policy to implement the technology.
Publications: Diemuodeke, E. O., Hamilton, S., & Addo, A. (2016). Multi-criteria assessment of hybrid renewable energy systems for Nigeria’s coastline communities. Energy, Sustainability and Society, 6(1), 26.
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: University of Nairobi, Kenya
Area of research: My research interests span areas such as: municipal waste management, hazardous waste management, and sewage treatment.
Research focus: The aim of this study is to assess litter generation and management processes in a community and train members on energy and resource recovery for climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability. It is expected that at the end of this study there would be behavioural change among community members towards litter management practices that promote climate change adaptation or mitigation, capacity building in the area of litter prevention and energy recovery from litter, community development, efficient energy use and well-being.
Home institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Host institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Area of research: Energy Use: Electricity and Climate Change
Research focus: Nigeria desires a transformation with adequate provision for needed infrastructure, including electricity, for development. This calls for adequate understanding of the trade-offs needed between economic growth and development on the one hand and climate change issues on the other hand. Conceptualizing and implementing these trade-offs need systemic approach with different planning paradigm from what used to be the norm in the power sector. To achieve the same development objectives with lower future emissions, my study in CIRCLE Visiting Fellowship aims to identify and test a series of mitigation options of low-carbon development options as they relate to the power sector.
Publications: Momodu, A. S., Addo, A., Akinbami, J. F. K., & Mulugetta, Y. (2017). Low-carbon development strategy for the West African electricity system: preliminary assessment using System dynamics approach. Energy, Sustainability and Society, 7(1), 11.
Dr Kenneth Nhundu - Cohort 3
Home institution: University of Fort Hare
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Climate change issues, renewable energy food and nutrition security, agricultural and rural development, new institutional economics, agricultural water resources management, waste management and recycling.
Research focus: A large section of population in South Africa do not have basic access to energy and are dependent on biomass, paraffin, and candles. Therefore, it is envisioned that the deployment of renewable energy technologies can be a way of mitigating social and economic development, energy access, and secure energy supply, and reducing negative impacts on the environment and people's health. The development and transition to solar energy will align with provincial priorities, such as youth employment etc. It is expected that the outcome of my research shall mainly benefit the marginalised rural communities of the Eastern Cape Province.
Environment and Forests
Ethiopia
Mr Habitamu Taddese Berie - Cohort 2
Home institution: Hawassa University
Host institution: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Area of research: My research interest is in the field of environmental sciences, specifically those related to assessing natural resources and impacts imposed upon them.
Research focus: My current research project is entitled 'Estimating carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in Wondo Genet sub-catchment, Ethiopia'. This research tries to estimate the trends of deforestation and forest degradation in the study area and quantify the amount of carbon dioxide emission. There is limited information about deforestation and forest degradation in Ethiopia in general, and in Wondo Genet sub-catchment in particular. In addition, this study tries to test appropriate techniques of estimating deforestation and forest degradation in the horn of Africa in general.
Dr Kidane Giday Gebremedhin - Cohort 2
Home institution: Mekelle University
Host institution: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Area of research: Forest management
Research focus: In Ethiopia, anthropogenic factors have profoundly altered vegetation resources where ecosystem services and climate change mitigation potentials are severely impacted. Thus, exploring possibilities of restoration of these resources is expected to give an important impulse to their conservation and sustainable use and contribute towards the current thinking in forest management, Improved Forest Management (IFM). The focus of my research is investigating effect of silvicultural treatments on regeneration, growth and carbon dynamics in a long term restoration experiment of remnant forest reserve. Best restoration options and carbon dynamics in dry forests will be understood.
Home institution: Mekelle University
Host institution: University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana
Area of research: Farmer-managed natural regeneration across different agro-ecologies, tree species diversity, farmers' perception about climate change and climate smart agricultural practices.
Research focus: Following the success of the Humbo project, Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) spread to the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia where 20,000 hectares have been set aside for regeneration, including 10 hectare FMNR model sites for research and demonstration in each of 34 sub-districts. In addition, the Government of Ethiopia has committed to reforest 15 million hectares of degraded land using FMNR by 2025. However, there is still a lack of research on FMNR and perception of farmers on climate smart agricultural practices in the Tigray area, which this research project will seek to address.
Home institution: Wollo University
Host institution: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Area of research: Evaluate enhanced communities’ adaptive capacity to climate change in the Blue Nile catchment, Eastern Ethiopia
Research focus: The general objective of this research is to evaluate the enhanced adaptive capacity of communities and local institutions in the regions of the Blue Nile Basin, Eastern Ethiopia to climate-induced water stress.
Home institution: Mekelle University
Host institution: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Area of research: Forestry and remote sensing (forest contribution in carbon sequestration and the implication for climate change adaptation in creating climate change resilient ecosystem).
Research focus: The research is focused on assessing carbon sequestration in dry Afromontane forests and the effect of land use land cover changes on the amount of carbon stored in the forest ecosystem. Forest density change over time and the effect of change in climate on the dynamism of the forest. The role of natural exclosures in mitigating climate change compared to the plantation exclosures. Looking in to different methods of assessing carbon for carbon management, alometric equations and remote sensing options for near real time carbon assessment and management.
CIRCLE Publications: Teferi, H., Giday, K., Neka, M., Soromessa, T., Orshoven, J. & Muys, B. (2015). Detection of Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata and Juniperus procera in the dry Afromontane forest of northern Ethiopia using subpixel analysis of Landsat imagery. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing. 9.
Ghana
Home institution: University for Development Studies
Host institution: University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: The Impact of Anthropogenic Bushfires in Savannah/Parklands.
Research focus: The deterioration of vegetation and soils is evidently caused by human activities, including the use of fire, be it as a part of traditional agricultural practice including the reduction of combustible litter on farmlands, to simulating new shoots to enhance grazing, or for hunting (Ashaley, 2012). These methods are very significant in the traditional farming systems in West Africa and have enormous effects on plant communities and soil productivity (Nsia-Gyabaah, 1996: Ashaley, 2012).
The proposed research therefore seeks to investigate the impact of anthropogenic bushfires on species diversity, soil seed bank and soil biota.
Ms Portia Williams - Cohort 2
Home institution: Science and Technology Policy Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Agricultural productivity, innovation, climate impacts and policy
Research focus: Pineapple heavily depends on climate for performance and is an important crop within the horticultural sub-sector of the Ghanaian economy. The research focuses on assessing the effect of variability on pineapple production under climatic and economic perspectives as well as explores coping strategies employed by pineapple farmers in Ghana. The study would provide a holistic study on pineapple production which will play a critical role in assisting pineapple farmers adapt to climate variability and cope with short term impacts.
Publications: Williams, P. A., Crespo, O., Atkinson, C. J., & Essegbey, G. O. (2017). Impact of climate variability on pineapple production in Ghana. Agriculture & Food Security, 6(1), 26.
Williams, P. A., Crespo, O., Essegbey, G. O. (2017). Economic Implications of a Changing Climate on Smallholder Pineapple Production in Ghana. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 8 (18).
Nigeria
Dr Shade Akinsete - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya
Area of research: Ecosystems and Climate Change Research
Research focus: Addressing the effects of climate change on human health and the environment starts with fundamental issues such as actual measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from different sources (land use types) and soil carbon fractions which translates into the probable and sustainable mitigation approach. My research will focus on providing the much needed data on soil carbon stocks, carbon fractions (recalcitrant and labile), potential sequestration capacity, and fluxes of greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O and CH4) of some southwestern Nigerian soils, which has significantly increased the inability to monitoring the effects of climate change in the region.
Dr Oluwasinaayomi Faith Kasim - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA), Ethiopia
Area of research: Land use in the urban environment and climate change
Research focus: Human activities that trigger climate change and the effects of land use and land cover change on climatic condition, liveability, livelihood options and food security. Research on climate change, especially in the developing countries, has been on rural settings with attention on its effects on agricultural activities. There is paucity of research on urban environment as driver of climate change and as the ultimate recipient of its impacts. The central argument of the research is that land use characteristics influence climate change and that climate change impacts the urban environment.
Sudan
Home institution: University of Kordofan
Host institution: Makerere University, Uganda
Area of research: Environmental Management
Research focus: Development of Biomass model based on satellite imageries and ground data, case of Ennuhud area, West Kordodan State, Sudan
The objective of this research is to apply remote sensing data in assessing the biomass of Acacia senegal trees. Specifically, aiming at: 1) Measuring Acacia senegal trees attributes essential for biomass model. 2) Combine the remotely sensed (different remote sensing indicators) data with in situ data set to develop tree biomass models on stand level. As expected results, biomass models for the biomass of Acacia senegal trees in stand level will be developed and verified.
Publications: Elamin, H.M.A., Adam, H.E., Taha, M.E. & Csaplovics, E. (2015). Estimation of Acacia Senegal Tree Biomass Using Allometric Equation and Remote Sensing, North Kordofan State, Sudan. International Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 3,(6): 222-226.
Tanzania
Dr Zahor Zahor - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Dar es Salaam
Host Institution: University of Ghana
Area of research: Participatory Geographical Information System (PGIS) and forest loss
Research focus: To examine the land cover/ land use change, contribution of climate change on this land use land cover change and its implication on the people’s livelihoods. Currently there is a poor understanding of the impact of climate change on the mangrove forests in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Although there are observable changes on the coastal forests it is still unclear whether the changes taking place can be linked to climate change induced impacts or due to other factors. The present study is intending to apply PGIS to address this issue by identifying the right drivers of forest change and their management needs.
Health
Ghana
Ms Sylvia Ankamah - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Energy and Natural Resources
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Climate Change Impact on Health
Research focus: There is growing evidence for the effects of observed climate change on vector-borne and other infectious diseases in literature. Climate change affects health through a range of pathways. The focus of this research therefore is to produce evidence-based risk maps of malaria under five cases, estimating its prevalence rates and describing the distributional patterns over space and time incorporating climatic and non-climatic factors in Ghana. Detailed knowledge of spatial variation of malaria epidemiology and associated factors, especially for children (under five years of age), is important for planning and evaluating malaria control measures.
Home institution: University for Development Studies
Host institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania
Area of research: Health Systems Development, Maternal and Child Health, Community Participation in Health, Partnerships in Health, Climate Change and Community Health.
Research focus: This study seeks to explore the plausibility of using community-based health structures in managing the health risks of climate variability through effective public health and healthcare strategies. If existing community-based health structures were developed and strengthened they could play an effective role in building the adaptive capacity of vulnerable rural communities to the impact of climate variability. It is therefore worthwhile to investigate the strategies and the methods that are used, and can be used, to integrate community health structures so they correspond to the skills required for future surveillance activities and retrospective datasets with respect to climate change.
Nigeria
Home institution: Ebonyi State University
Host institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science , Tanzania
Area of research: Aeropalynology, Climate change, Immunology.
Research focus: My present research focuses on studying the spatial distribution and abundance of airborne pollen and spores across different climatic regions in Nigeria, to elucidate how climatic variables impact on airborne pollen and spores in different seasons (wet and dry seasons). The relationship between these variables and airborne pollen and spores, and also medical data on allergies will be studied. This will enable atopic patients and the general public to take a prophylactic adaptive approach and reduce exposure to them at their risk periods.
Dr Omosivie Maduka - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana
Area of research: Health and well-being: emerging health issues and environmental changes.
Research focus: Using an analytical design to describe the impact of gas flaring and climate change on the health of communities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Majority of existing studies evaluate only a few health effects, lack an analytical design and use small sample sizes. This study seeks to bridge these gaps and quantify the health and environmental effects of gas flaring and climate change in the Niger Delta. During the course of the fellowship, I expect to build capacity to conduct and disseminate quality research that adds value to efforts to mitigate climate change in oil producing countries.
CIRCLE Publications: Maduka, O., Akpan, G. & Maleghemi, S. (2017). Using Android and Open Data Kit Technology in Data Management for Research in Resource-Limited Settings in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: Cross-Sectional Household Survey. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 5, (11).
Home institution: University of Port Harcourt
Host institution: University of Ghana, Ghana
Area of research: Health and livelihoods
Research focus: In this study, short-term exposure-response relationships between indoor air pollutants and markers of CVD will be sought by monitoring the daily average household concentration of PM 2.5 and assessing CVD risk factors, including blood pressure and carotid intima media thickness in the study population. The findings may form a basis for advocating for the use of cleaner fuels or modification of cook stoves and fireplaces, and stimulate inter-sectorial collaboration between CVD and environmental scientists, cook stove design engineers, and policymakers.
South Africa.
Home institution: Federal University of Agriculture
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Environmental Pollution Monitoring, pollution indexing, nano-material synthesis and Health Risk Assessment
Research focus: My research as CIRCLE Visiting fellow will centred on emission of greenhouse gases from charcoal production sites and associated health effects on charcoal workers.
Publications: Olujimi, O. O., Ana, G. R. E. E., Ogunseye, O. O., & Fabunmi, V. T. (2016). Air quality index from charcoal production sites, carboxyheamoglobin and lung function among occupationally exposed charcoal workers in South Western Nigeria. SpringerPlus, 5(1), 1546.
South Africa
Dr Benson C Iweriebor - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Fort Hare
Host institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania
Area of research: Infectious diseases
Research focus: Effects of climate change on the prevalence of arboviruses (Rift Valley fever virus, Zika virus and West Nile virus) among mosquitoes and the associated vulnerabilities in the Karoo region contiguous to the Eastern Cape and Free State Provinces of South African. There is a gap in knowledge as to whether mosquitoes could harbour these arboviruses during the inter-epidemic period and their current prevalence and distribution occasioned by the current changes in climate in the study area.
Publications: Iweriebor, B. C., Mmbaga, E. J., Adegborioye, A., Igwaran, A., Obi, L. C., & Okoh, A. I. (2017). Genetic profiling for Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species in ticks collected in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. BMC Microbiology, 17(1), 45.
Tanzania
Home institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Host Institution: University of Ghana, Ghana
Area of research: Environmental health, climate change resilience, mitigation and adaptation measures, disaster risk reduction
Research focus: Using the household as a unit of measurement, this study is aiming to construct a household climate-resilient composite index for the health sector. The study will use existing data and proxy indicators of climate change computed from Remote Sensing (RS) images. A comparative study among selected regions will be conducted and household resilience index maps will be generated at different spatial and time scales. It is expected that study results and the output methodological approach will enhance national capacities to effectively discover the strengths and limitations of the demographic, and health surveys in the field of climate change resilience evaluation.
Home institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Host institution: University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: Climate change and health, livelihoods and wellbeing
Research focus: The focus of my research is on the impact of seasonal differences in antifungal activity and phytochemical composition of plants used to manage fungal infections in Tanzania with the view of optimizing activity and proposing a potential antifungal formulation.
Dr Pax Masimba - Cohort 2
Home institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Host institution: University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: Investigating natural products for different bioactivities
Research focus: The purpose is to establish whether leaves can be an alternative plant part that can be harvested for medicinal purpose at a specific season and thereby help in conservation of this plant. In addition, will find out which geographical region is optimal for propagation of Carissa spinarum for medicinal purposes. I expect to meet and share issues related to climate change with experts in this field and meet other CVFs with a view of forming research networks and collaborations.
Home institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Host Institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Control of infectious diseases and investigating biological activities of natural products.
Research focus: Bacteriophage infecting V. cholerae (vibriophages) is a biological factor known to impart a natural control and evolution of V. cholerae. There is mounting evidence that vibriophages in water bodies down-regulates the prevalence of V. cholerae and eventually decrease re-emergence of cholera outbreaks. Despite such an important association, the impact of climatic conditions on vibriophages remains unknown. The present study aims to assess the effects of climatic conditions on vibriophages and establish its association with seasonal variation of V. cholerae in water bodies in Dar es salaam, Tanzania.
Home institution: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Host institution: University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: Climate change and nutrition
Research focus: Impact of climate change on eating patterns and anemia level of women of reproductive age in Rufiji District, Tanzania. Natural disasters due to climate changes have different impacts on livelihood of people as well as their health. Previous studies found that floods have serious impacts on crop productivity. Climate change could impact eating patterns due to food insecurity through reductions in potential yields and this can have some effects on nutrition status of individuals in the population. Therefore this study will assess the impact of climate change defined by floods in Rufiji districts on the eating pattern and micronutrient status anemia) of women of reproductive age.
Publications: Saronga, N. J., Mosha, I. H., Kessy, A. T., Ezekiel, M. J., Zizinga, A., Kweka, O., Onyango, P. & Kovats, S. (2016). “I eat two meals per day” impact of climate variability on eating habits among households in Rufiji district, Tanzania: a qualitative study. Agriculture & Food Security, 5(1), 14.
Uganda
Home institution: Makerere University
Host institution: University of Ghana, Ghana
Area of research: land use; agriculture
Research focus: Assessing the impact of landcover/land use change on local climate of Pallisa District, Eastern Uganda.
Rural Livelihoods and Socio-Economic Aspects of Agriculture
Ethiopia
Mrs Etaferahu Ejegu - Cohort 2
Home institution: Ethiopian Institutes of Agricultural Research
Host institution: University of Ghana
Area of research: Optimisation of environmental concern and economic gain in sugarcane production and processing industries.
Research focus: There is a growing investment in Ethiopian sugarcane industries. However environmental concerns are not taken into consideration. The techniques of burning cane prior to harvest contributes much to air pollution. Understanding environmental and economic impacts of this practice will help to develop economically feasible and environmental friendly production systems. Although, several studies have been conducted on this issue, little has been done on Ethiopian sugarcane production and processing industries. This study aims at identifying the trade-offs, benefits and costs of adaptation options and suggests possible options for carbon dioxide emission reduction without affecting economic development.
Home institution: Hawassa University
Host institution: International Livestock Research Institute, Kenya
Area of research: Economic Value of Natural Resources (Contingent valuation approach). Economic impact of climate change on agricultural crop production. Agri-business and value chain adaptation to climate change.
Research focus: This research is focusing on adaptation to climate change by smallholder farmers and determinants to their adaptation decision in Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Adaptation to climate change is a two-step process which involves perceiving that climate is changing and then responding to changes through adaptation strategies. Therefore, the perception of the farmers on climate change will determine the adaptation strategies of the farmers. The potential influential factors that affect farmer’s adaptation strategies are supposed to be environmental, Economical and Institutional factors. Therefore, this study address the following research questions. How do smallholder farmers perceive climate change and its impacts? How do they respond to climate change impacts? What are the main factors that affect the response of smallholder farmers to climate change?
CIRCLE Publications: Belay, A., Recha, J. W., Woldeamanuel, T. & Morton, J. (2017). Smallholder farmers’ adaptation to climate change and determinants of their adaptation decisions in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Agriculture & Food Security, 6 (24).
Dr Wondye Admasu Molla - Cohort 2
Home institution: Wollo University
Host institution: University of South Africa
Area of research: Climate resilient green growth
Research focus: Ethiopia launched the sustainable land management program and consequently farmers in each region have allocated 30 to 60 days/year free labour for soil and water conservation activities to restore the ecology and adapt to climate change. Large area closures are developed with the aim of restoring the land and biodiversity. Thus, the main aim of this research is to investigate how apiculture is integrated with sustainable natural resource management and green growth within the context of job creation and income generation along with climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Home institution: Wollo University
Host institution: University of Nairobi, Kenya
Area of research: Climate change and Small holder Farmers Aspiration
Research focus: Poverty and food insecurity remain major challenges of smallholder farmers in developing nations. Though previous studies focused on the external factors (resource related) for the perpetuation of poverty, internal factors like aspiration failure are also found to play their own role. Thus, solving both the resource (external) factors, as well as the internal constraints, would have paramount significance in tackling these challenges.
However, limited research has been done on how the individual aspiration is formed. Indeed, two processes are pointed out to form individual aspiration level: past experiences and comparison with important others. Here it is hypothesised that past experience of climate shocks, as stimuli, can play a role in the aspiration formation of smallholder farers. Thus, in this research, the impact of previous climate-related shocks on the aspiration formation of farmers and its gender perspective will be assessed. In doing so, it will serve as a point of departure to frame an intervention option that differs from resource-oriented past endeavours to tackle poverty and food insecurity. Beneficiaries of the output would be smallholder farmers and also the research and academic community.
Ghana
Home institution: Science and Technology Policcy Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI)
Host institution: University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: Climate Variability, Green Technologies and Environmental Conservation, Innovation Studies and Small and Medium Enterprises Development.
Research focus: The negative effects of climate variability affect lives and livelihoods of the various social groups differently due to gender inequality caused by social roles and responsibilities, social status, economic power, and access to – and control over – resources. This study assesses the gendered impacts of climate change on livelihoods of people living in protected areas in Ghana. It aims to understand how the various gender groups are differently impacted by climate variability, the adaptation strategies they employ and their capacities from a gender perspective in terms of opportunities and challenges to better adapt to climate variability.
Home institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Area of research: Climate change and variability, food security, rural livelihoods, sustainable development, environmental policy, and environmental management.
Host institution: University of Ghana, Ghana
Research focus: A growing body of literature on climate change adaptation suggests that “climate compatible development (CCD)” can help open up strategies to land-users that will help them maintain productivity in the face of changing rainfall patterns. CCD draws together adaptation and mitigation efforts in a way that does not compromise development, providing opportunities to achieve “triple wins”. But while the idea of CCD is alluring, much remains unknown about how to actually realize such “triple wins” in national and regional level policy making.
The aim of this research is to identify how policies promote CCD and whether these policies support adaptation, mitigation and development on the ground in Ghana.
Publications: Antwi-Agyei, P., Quinn, C. H., Adiku, S. G. K., Codjoe, S. N. A., Dougill, A. J., Lamboll, R., & Dovie, D. B. K. (2016). Perceived stressors of climate vulnerability across scales in the Savannah zone of Ghana: a participatory approach. Regional Environmental Change, 1-15.
Home institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Off-Forest Reserve Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change
Research focus: The focus of my proposed project is to assess existing adaptation strategies and to develop new strategies to climate variability and change among off-reserve subsistent households, in the Offinso South Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The research envisages delivering scientific knowledge on adaptation to climate variability for subsistent farmers. It would do so by delivering scientifically-grounded knowledge from the innovative Strategic Enterprise Intervention (SEI) approach. This would integrate local knowledge and resources to address adaptation to climate variability and change among the study actors. Subsistent farmers’ initiatives in sustainable rural livelihood, under climate change would be strengthened.
Publications: Akinbami, C. A. O., Ifeanyi-Obi, C., Appiah, D. O., & Kabo-Bah, A. T. (2016). Towards sustainable adaptation to climate change: The role of indigenous knowledge in Nigeria and Ghana. African Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(2), 189-214.
Appiah, D. O., & Azeez, I. O. (2016). Sustaining rural livelihoods: On-farm climate-smart adaptation measures among smallholder farmers in rural Ghana. African Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(2), 89-108.
Home institution: University of Energy and Natural Resources
Host institution: University of Ghana, Ghana
Area of research: Linkage of social-natural-governing systems
Research focus: Disaggregating gender issues of how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate variability in agriculture-forest livelihood landscape, the incentives, constraints and opportunities thereof is the focus of the research. The hypothesis is that ‘Men and Women in this landscape due to socially constructed gender roles, access to and control of resources; and geographical locations are differently vulnerable to climate change and have diverse coping strategies to enhance their livelihoods and sustain the landscape’. Theoretical and methodological focus of the study is on three key concepts (i.e. gender, social–ecological system, climate change) and mixed methods respectively. The study hopes to contribute to policy interventions directed to the needs of the different gender categories.
Dr Phyllis Bernice Opare - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Energy and Natural Resources
Host institution: Makerere University, Uganda
Area of research: Gender and adaptive capacity enhancement
Research focus: Building adaptive capacity in small holder farmers, both males and females in the Sunyani municipality. The research will consider best practices to help small holder farmers overcome barriers to adopting adaptation strategies. Data will be collected on adaptive capacity for males and females to better foster sustained adaptive capacity building among rural communities that are highly gendered. Dr Opare hopes to come out with a model that will be a tool for educators, agricultural extension officers, policy makers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector to raise awareness concerning climate change impacts and adaptation practices that can help mitigate those impacts.
Dr Daniella Delali Sedegah - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Energy and Natural Resources
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Coping strategies: climate change and rural farming communities in Nigeria
Research focus: Studies have shown that, poor, natural resource-dependent rural households will bear a disproportionate burden of the adverse impacts of climate change. The magnitude to which these impacts will be felt depend largely part on the extent of local adaptive capacities. Rural communities have valuable knowledge about adapting to climate change, but the magnitude of future hazards may exceed their adaptive capacity, especially given their current conditions of marginalisation. My research focus therefore is to understand the coping strategies associated with climate change impacts in Nigeria to inform planned adaptation.
CIRCLE Publications: Sedegah, D. D., Ajayi, S. A., & Salami, A. T. (2017) Adapting to climate changes: The challenge for rural farmers in the forest and southern Guinea savanna ecologies of Nigeria. Journal of Energy and Natural Resource Management, 4, (1).
Kenya
Home institution: International Livestock Research Institute
Host institution: University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Area of research: Ecology, Agriculture, Natural resource management, climate adaptation.
Research focus: In many areas, freshwater and land limitations are already restricting agricultural production due to climate change conditions and the demand for natural resources will increase as a result of agricultural development. It is particularly important for smallholder farmers to adapt to a changed climatic environment. I expect that my research will influence policy in climate change adaptation by providing the biophysical constraints associated with farmers' adaptations. This will provide tangible evidence of the pros and cons of policies towards farmer adaptation on natural resource demand.
Home institution: The International Livestock Research Institute
Host institution: University of Nairobi, Kenya
Area of research: Climate change, food security, gender, policy
Research focus: The study will seek to understand the agriculture, climate change and trade policy and institutional environment as it relates to smallholders’ capacity to undertake climate smart agriculture in Kenya. There is an apparent need to understand the interrelationships between policies (and its actors) at national, county and community levels in order to recommend potential solutions that can support/create the enabling environment for the implementation of climate smart farming options. Using a gender lens, the study will attempt to identify the missing link and suggest recommendations that can be used to improve the policy environment as well as enable adaptation to climate change at the end‐user level.
Dr Silas Odongo Oriaso - Cohort 1
Home institution: University of Nairobi
Host institution: United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Kenya
Area of research: Community-based climate change adaptation for sustainable agriculture in Kenyan Asals
Research focus: The current research focuses on the application of community based climate change adaptation for sustainable agriculture in Kenyan ASAL areas. Specifically, the research will document all effective CBAs for agricultural production, develop effective CBA mainstreaming frameworks and disseminate the lessons learned to inform future climate change mitigation and adaptation in both Africa and the work.
Nigeria
Dr Oluwole Johnson Akintonde - Cohort 2
Home institution: Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Host institution: Makerere University, Uganda
Area of research: Climate change adaptation strategies among crop farmers
Research focus: The crop farmers are not novice about changes in climatic conditions and how it affects crop production. Several strategies have been introduced, adopted and used to mitigate different effects of climate change on crop production. This study therefore proposes to assess the level of use of climate change adaptation strategies among arable crop farmers.
Dr Ayansina Ayanlade - Cohort 2
Home institution: The International Livestock Research Institute
Host institution: The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya
Area of research: Climate change impacts on agricultural sector and societal implications; applied environmental remote sensing and GIS.
Research focus: Despite the great advancement of climate science in understanding and dealing with the problem of climate change and its impacts on agricultural sector at the international level, awareness and the concern for the problem at local levels, especially among the rural farmers in Africa remains crucial. Therefore, this research attempts to look at the climate change/variability impacts on agricultural sector, with particular reference to local farmer awareness and their adaptive capacities. The research holds the benefits of enhancing sensitivities to climate change and adaptive capacity of rural farmers through climate-smart agriculture.
Publications: Ayanlade, A., Radeny, M., & Morton, J. F. (2016). Comparing smallholder farmers’ perception of climate change with meteorological data: A case study from southwestern Nigeria. Weather and Climate Extremes. 15. 24-33.
Ayanlade, A., Radeny, M. & Akin-Onigbinde, A.I. GeoJournal (2018) Climate variability/change and attitude to adaptation technologies: a pilot study among selected rural farmers’ communities in Nigeria. GeoJournal. 83: 319.
Home institution: Federal University of Agriculture
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Farmers' Perception on Climate Variation; Climate Variation Adaptation Strategies; Arable Crops; Capacity building for Women and Youth; Government Intervention on Climate Variation
Research focus: My research is aimed at examining cassava farmers' perception levels, the causes and effects of climate variability in the rain forest and derived savannah ecosystems of Nigeria, adaptation strategies put in place by small scale farmers and the government, and an examination of the influence of women and youth (successor generations of farmers) in decision making on adaptation to climate variability. The study will also focus on farmers' livelihood changes effected by climate variability among others.
Home institution: University of Port Harcourt
Host institution: University of South Africa, South Africa
Area of research: Impacts of climate change on agriculture and its implication for the insurance market in South Africa.
Research focus: The research will focus on characterizing the level of vulnerability of maize, cotton, orange, pineapple and apples growing regions of South Africa (specifically, Mpumalanga, North West, KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and Free State) to climate change; the quantification of climate change impact on the selected crop growers and the implication for agriculture insurance market in these regions. The research will generate information on existing agricultural insurers in the selected regions, examine the determinants of farmers’ willingness to purchase insurance coverage and also identify the constraints faced by agricultural insurers and farmers in the demand and supply of insurance coverage.
Publications: Elum, Z. A., & Mjimba, V. (2016). Green economy transition and the sustainability of the Nigerian aquaculture industry: Policy perspectives and the way forward. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 8(3), 309-319.
Elum, Z. A., Mopipi, K., & Henri-Ukoha, A. (2016). Oil exploitation and its socioeconomic effects on the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(13), 12880-12889.
Home institution: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture
Host institution: Moi University, Kenya
Area of research: Climate change, pollution control, environmental (soil and plants) Conservation
Research focus: Though women form a large share of the poor in developing countries, women in rural areas are highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihood. It is therefore imperative that a gender analysis be applied to all actions on climate change so that women and men's specific needs and priorities are identified and addressed. This study will explore the different ways men and women respond to and are able to cope with drought in Baringo county, a drought prone area of Kenya, and the differences in how they are able to move from short-term coping strategies to resilience.
Home institution: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture
Host institution: University for Development Studies, Ghana
Area of research: Study of forest food species in the tropics, savannah and mangrove forests.
Research focus: This research will be of great influence to the policy and/or practice of climate change mitigation efforts in Abia State of Nigeria and the forest ecologies of West Africa. The study will identify the key impacts of climate variability on the poverty and food security of rural forest farmers, and in the rural economies of target communities. It will also highlight the significant role non-timber forest food (NTFF) products play in the total forest farmers' economy, poverty, and food security, as well as indicate how the NTFFs are affected by climate change variability.
Home institution: University of Port Harcourt
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Climate Change and Rural & community development
Research focus: My research work will focus on identifying the constrains faced by Cocoyam farmers in adapting to climate change with a view to advocate effective policies and practices that will alleviate the menace of climate change on cocoyam production. It will describe the socio-economic characteristics of the Cocoyam farmers, identify their level of awareness, information source and adaptation measures to climate change.
All these are geared towards resuscitating the production of Cocoyam which is almost going into extinction in Nigeria.
Publications: Akinbami, C. A. O., Ifeanyi-Obi, C., Appiah, D. O., & Kabo-Bah, A. T. (2016). Towards sustainable adaptation to climate change: The role of indigenous knowledge in Nigeria and Ghana. African Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(2), 189-214.
Ifeanyi-Obe, C. C., Togun, A. O., Lamboll, R., Adesope, O. M., Arokoyu, S.B. (2017). Challenges faced by cocoyam farmers in adapting to climate change in Southeast Nigeria. Climate Risk Management. 17, 15-164.
Home institution: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture
Host institution: (OSSREA) Kenyatta University, Kenya
Area of research: Smallholder Production Economics (agriculture)
Research focus: My research will focus on behavioural response of food crops producing households to climate change menace. It will specifically assess the level of awareness of climate change adaptation measures among food crops producing households in the study area; determine the level of adoption of climate change adaptation measures by the households; estimate the determinants of climate change adaptation measures adopted in the study area; analyze factors influencing the choice of adaptation measures by the households.
Publications: Nwachukwu, I. N., Shisanya, C. A., Dasgupta, P., & Mbanasor, J. A. (2015). Socioeconomic response patterns of farmers to climate change in Africa: Lessons from southeast Nigeria. Nigeria Agricultural Journal, 46(1), 147-154.
Note: Dr Nwachukwu sadly passed away. We remember him for his immense contribution to the CIRCLE programme and offer our sincere condolences to his friends and family – the CIRCLE team.
Dr Kehinde Olayinka Popoola - Cohort 3
Home institution: Obafemi Awolowo University
Host institution: Moi University, Kenya
Area of research: Gender studies, rural and social planning
Research focus: The findings of this study will provide benchmark data on the perceived climate variability impact related to livelihood activities of the rural aged and their indigenous coping strategies in the different ecological zones of Nigeria. This will contribute to the improvement of their coping strategies and integration into national developmental plans, enabling better adaptation to climate change impact in Nigeria, which can be used as a template in other West African Rural Communities.
Home institution: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture
Host institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Area of research: Agricultural Production, Climate Impacts, Rural and Welfare Economics, Sustainable Development
Research focus: The study is on impact of climate-induced production risks and mitigation measures on agricultural production in Nigeria. It seeks to provide answers to the following research questions: i. What are the trends, level of variability of weather variables and agricultural production indices in the last four to five decades? ii. What is the impact of climate-induced production risks (flooding incidences) on agricultural production at aggregate and sub-sectoral level? iii. What is the impact of mitigation measures (irrigation infrastructure) on agricultural production at aggregate and sub-sectoral levels? iv. What are the policy implications (short-term, medium-term and long-term) for sustainable agricultural production and food security in Nigeria?
Publications: Olayide, O. E., Tetteh, I. K. (2017). Between Climate Reliance and Climate Resilience: Empirical Analysis of Climate Variability and Impact on Nigerian Agricultural Production. In: Leal Filho W., Belay S., Kalangu J., Menas W., Munishi P., Musiyiwa K. (eds) Climate Change Adaptation in Africa. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham
I.K. Tetteh, N.K.A. Appiah-Badu, F.H.M. Semazzi, and O.E. Olayide (2017). Deriving Useful Information from Bimonthly Global-Scale Climate Analysis for Climate Change Adaptation Over East Africa Climate Change Adaptation in Africa. In: Leal Filho W., Belay S., Kalangu J., Menas W., Munishi P., Musiyiwa K. (eds) Climate Change Adaptation in Africa. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham
Home institution: Obafemi Awolowo University
Host institution: University of Ibadan
Area of research: Women entrepreneurship Development, Climate change and Rural Entrepreneurship Development, Entrepreneurship Education.
Research focus: My research will focus on evaluating the social dimensions of climate change on Nigeria rural women entrepreneurship development; having broad objective of exploring activities of women entrepreneurs in selected rural communities from three geopolitical zones in the country that reflects distinct vegetal covers. The specific objectives are to: codify and evaluate entrepreneurship current practices in rural economies; assess impact of climate change on entrepreneurship practices in rural economies; examine and apply relevant social impact indicators to rural economies as they relate to climate change; and, consider climate change mitigation strategies that could be transformed into entrepreneurship practices in rural economies.
Publications: Akinbami, C. A. O., Ifeanyi-Obi, C., Appiah, D. O., & Kabo-Bah, A. T. (2016). Towards sustainable adaptation to climate change: The role of indigenous knowledge in Nigeria and Ghana. African Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(2), 189-214.
South Africa
Mr Amos Apraku - Cohort 1
Home institution: University of Fort Hare
Host institution: University of Nairobi, Kenya
Area of research: Indigenous knowledge and climate change impact mitigation in relation to small-scale agriculture in Africa: a comparative study of South Africa and Kenya.
Research focus: This study focuses on comparatively examining how indigenous knowledge is put into use in Kenya and South Africa as a way of mitigating the impacts of climate change on small-scale agriculture. Little attention is paid to how local specific knowledge and practices help communities to cope with local adverse environmental and agricultural conditions as a result of climate change. This study seeks to come out with verifiable evidence on the need to integrate indigenous knowledge into modern climate change impact mitigation policies and intervention programmes, particularly in agriculture, in Africa.
Home institution: University of Fort Hare
Host institution: Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe
Area of research: Climate change, gender, vulnerabilities, Indigenous knowledge, rural development
Research focus: Treating gender as the primary cause of vulnerability produces a narrow analysis making other social markers (age, types of households, income, and ethnicity) analytically invisible. Against this background this study aims to explore variable vulnerabilities to climate change adaptation, within and between genders amongst the Kalanga and Shona ethnic groups in Zimbabwe. Through its envisaged findings the study will have recommendations that can influence climate change and policy, and augment climate change consultations in Zimbabwe to realise pro-poor policy interventions which respond to gender needs effectively.
Dr Keletso Mopipi - Cohort 1
Home institution: University of Fort Hare
Host institution: University of South Africa
Area of research: Rangeland Ecology and Management
Research focus: Assessing farmers’ perceptions of climate variability and change, and how these changes affect communal rangelands in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study will also assess selected communal rangelands in the Eastern Cape using both indigenous methods and conventional ecological methods.
Publications: Elum, Z. A., Mopipi, K., & Henri-Ukoha, A. (2016). Oil exploitation and its socioeconomic effects on the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(13), 12880-12889.
Home institution: University of Fort Hare
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Area of research: Climate change and human health.
Research focus: This research will engage rural women stationed at Chingwizi Transit Camp, Zimbabwe, who are victims of extreme events. Such first-hand experiences will provide a strong case for a multi-stakeholder, qualitative, and participatory approach to identifying and assessing vulnerability and risks, while enhancing the capacity of local areas to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. This will give a clear understanding of the magnitude and timing of the impacts of climate change on women's health, how women and their community cope with current and predicted changes, and what public institutions should do to actively support adaptation and mitigation.
Home institution: University of Fort Hare
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Agriculture and Environmental Economics
Research focus: Rural smallholder farmers’ vulnerability and adaptation strategies to climate change for the purpose of understanding the vulnerability status of rural smallholder farmers and factors that condition their vulnerability, and appraising rural smallholder farmer driven, user friendly and tried adaptation strategies to climate change and estimate factors (socio-economic, institutional, climatic) that influence such choices as potential barriers and incentives to adaptation.
The idea is to involve the masses of rural smallholder farmers as active stakeholders in defining their adaptation strategies to climate change based on their vulnerability status rather than prescribing “blue-print” adaptation strategies using an expert driven top-down approach.
Publications: Taruvinga, A., Visser, M., & Zhou, L. (2016). Determinants of Rural Farmers' Adoption of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies: Evidence from the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, 7(9), 687.
Sudan
Home institution: University of Kordofan
Host institution: University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: Climate change adaptation
Research focus: My research focuses on the socioeconomic impacts of climate smart agriculture intervention on small scale farmers in North Kordofan, Sudan. Studying the socioeconomics, adaptation, and opportunities for further use of these new technologies is interesting for all stakeholders involved in climate smart agriculture, including researchers, academicians, policy makers, development practitioners, as well as farmers.
Tanzania
Home institution: University of Dar es Salaam
Host institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Area of research: Environmental analysis; environmental change; Analysis and management of special environments (mountains, drylands); livelihoods; tourism and development
Research focus: Agricultural support services are important in bringing about resilience to the effect of climate variation in agriculture. However, agricultural support services in Tanzania are inadequate for farmers to get timely information on extension, marketing, transport, input supply, credit, storage, processing and weather information services. The research will identify and document areas of agricultural support services needed by smallholder farmers and suggest ways of improving them towards climate variation adaptation. Farmers organisations appropriate for enhancing access to agricultural support services and adaptive capacity to climate variation will be identified and encouraged.
Uganda
Mrs Faridah Nalwanga Sendagire - Cohort 2
Home institution: Makerere University
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Women adaptation to climate change and implication on health in natural resource dependent communities.
Research focus: Due to climate change, the sustainability of natural resource based communities’ livelihoods systems and health outcomes has been threatened. Climate-associated catastrophes including floods, landslides, increased pests and diseases weaken their food security and make them vulnerable with least capacity to adapt. With particular interest on women, this study seeks to know how they cope and adapt, the factors which enable or constrain their livelihood strategies, the role of actors in supporting them adapt to climate change and map where the most vulnerable populations to environmental change are located and how to measure their risk for potential health crisis.
Home institution: Makerere University
Host institution: University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Area of research: Analysis of Climate change impacts on major agricultural land uses, analysis of nutrient fluxes and GHG exchange between soil and atmosphere in wetland ecosystems, Climate change adaptation and Integrated Watershed management for sustainability, Food Security and Soil restoration for improved livelihoods.
Research focus: My research focuses on understanding climate smart technologies for improving crop yield gap, yield variability and vulnerability under changing climate in Uganda (Kiha watershed). It will aim at identifying different types of adaptation practices and smart technologies in different positions of the catchment within the Kiha watershed, and analysing yield gap and vulnerability of major food crops grown under selected agronomic practices and major adaptation and smart technologies practices. Finally, the study will identify climate smart agricultural practices that can be employed and evaluate the constraints, challenges and potentials for enhancing climate change adaptation and smart technologies of the study area.
Publications: Saronga, N. J., Mosha, I. H., Kessy, A. T., Ezekiel, M. J., Zizinga, A., Kweka, O., Onyango, P. & Kovats, S. (2016). “I eat two meals per day” impact of climate variability on eating habits among households in Rufiji district, Tanzania: a qualitative study. Agriculture & Food Security, 5(1), 14.
Zizinga, A., Tenywa, M. M., Majaliwa, J. G. M., Mugarura, M., Ababo, P., Achom, A., ... & Adipala, E. Potential Climate Change Adaptation and Coping Practices for Agricultural Productivity in the Mountain Areas of South Western Uganda. Journal of Scientific Research & Reports, 7, (1). 23-41.
Zimbabwe
Home institution: Chinhoyi University of Technology
Host institution: University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa
Area of research: Climate Change and Green Economy/Growth transition and biodiversity management
Research focus: My research will focus on climate change and wildlife-agriculture interface particularly the vulnerability and resilience of rural communities living adjacent to protected areas. I will also research on theoretical perspectives on climate change adaptation, mitigation and green economy/growth transition discourses within the framework of biodiversity management; green economy/growth legislative and policy reforms ; mining under green economy/growth; wildlife tourism under climate change, ICT and gender in climate change and green economy. My research will also address issues related to trends in climate change related disasters; disaster risk reduction/ disaster management focusing on rural community living within protected area margins.
Publications: Kupika, O. L., & Nhamo, G. (2016). Mainstreaming biodiversity and wildlife management into climate change policy frameworks in selected east and southern African countries: original research. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 8(3), 1-9.
Kupika, O. L., & Gandiwa, E. (2016). Role of formal and informal institutions in the management of threats to wildlife resources in the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve, northern Zimbabwe. Nature & Faune, 30,(2), 48-53.
Home intitution: Chinhoyi University of Technology
Host institution: University of South Africa, South Africa
Area of research: Climate change adaptation, environmental sustainability, policy and livelihoods
Research focus: This research seeks to understand the perceptions of small holder farmers to climate change and the determinants of adaptive capacities in a livelihood approach. The research will generate contextual information to inform adaptation policies, strategies and measures. Interventions would then be designed based on an understanding of how different factors interact in the environment in which farmers struggle to adapt and survive. The ultimate goal is to have an inventory of effective adaptation strategies and related institutional contexts that drive towards perceived sustainable adaptation.
Mr Showman Gwatibaya - Cohort 2
Home institution: Chinhoyi University of Technology
Host institution: The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya
Area of research: Livestock systems and the environment
Research focus: The research focuses on predicting enteric methane emission using animal characteristic and activity data and directly quantifying enteric methane emissions using respiration chambers. The research will address the lack of information regarding correct enteric methane emission factors for cattle breeds of African origin. Work from the research will try to come up with near correct enteric methane emission factors for Sanga breeds and formulate prediction models. At the end of the fellowship I hope to acquire knowledge and skills regarding different techniques that can be used to estimate, measure and predict enteric methane emissions from cattle production systems.
Water
Ethiopia
Home institution: Mekelle University
Host institution: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Area of research: Eco-hydrology; Ecological Restoration; Watershed Management; Surface Hydrology; Water Balance in Dryland Areas; Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation; Land Use Land Cover Assessment; GIS and RS application to Hydrology, Forestry and Land Resources Assessment; Hillside Management; Environmental Entrepreneurship; Green Economy; Carbon Forestry and Landscaping.
Research focus: The study on Climate Change Impact on the Ecohydrology of Geba Catchment, Tekez Basin, Ethiopia will focus on assessing and quantifying the changes (weather/climate) that will be anticipated, and their future potential impacts on the water and biota resources of the basin with respect to the changing climate. Besides, it investigates future expected anthropogenic activities which, consequently, indicate a potential for measurable changes in the conditions that control hydrologic processes and, the biotic composition and structures.
CIRCLE Publications: Tesfaye, S., Birhane, E., Leijnse T., van der Zee, S.E.A.T.M. (2017) Climatic controls of ecohydrological responses in the highlands of northern Ethiopia. Science of The Total Environment. 609 (77-91)
Home institution: Hawassa University
Host institution: University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Area of research: Water and climate
Research focus: Awash is one of the main rivers in Ethiopia and is the only river where the flow remains within the country. Due to climate change, frequent drought, and unexpected high rainfall, floods have become a common phenomenon in the basin. In order to manage and mitigate against the impacts of climate change and variability, detailed studies of the changes and the resulting effects are necessary. This will help policy makers develop appropriate water resource policies that consider future climate change and ensure sustainable use of the resource.
Nigeria
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Area of research: Water
Research focus: The impact of climate and landuse change on water resources (surface water quantity and quality) in Sokoto Drainage basin (semi-arid Northern Nigeria).
Tanzania
Home institution: University of Dar es Salaam
Host Institution: Makerere University, Uganda
Area of Research: Climate Change Adaptation
Research Focus: Climate change adaptation strategies looking on the sustainability of valley bottom farming systems as an adaptation strategy to climate change and variability in Mufindi District, Iringa Region-Tanzania. This will be achieved through examining local communities’ perceptions on the impacts, vulnerability of, and adaptation strategies to climate change and variability, provision of scientific evidence of climate change and variability, setting up the magnitude and historical trends of valley bottoms fields in the study area, and assessment of the environmental impacts of valley bottom farming systems in Mufindi District.
Publications: Kassian, L. M., Tenywa, M., Liwenga, E. T., Dyer, K. W., & Bamutaze, Y. (2017). Implication of climate change and variability on stream flow in Iringa region, Tanzania. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 8(2), 336-347.
Other Social Science topics
Nigeria
Dr Bartholomew Ituma Aleke - Cohort 1
Home institution: Ebonyi State University
Host institution: University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa
Area of research: Policies and Information Management on Climate change adaptation
Research focus: The research will focus on adaptation of social network technologies (SNTs) and diffusion of information and communication technology (ICT) innovation as a panacea to effective strategy for disseminating information about climate change impact on Agribusiness.
Publications: Aleke, B. I., & Nhamo, G. (2016). Information and communication technology and climate change adaptation: evidence from selected mining companies in South Africa: original research. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 8(3), 1-9.
Dr Fana Hagos - Cohort 3
Home institution: Mekelle University
Host institution: Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Area of research: Climate Change Laws and Policy, Gender
Research focus: The objective of this postdoctoral research project is to analyse the extent to which gender differences are taken into account in the development of policies and laws on climate change mitigation and adaptation in Ethiopia, and to investigate the opportunities, challenges and progress being made toward mainstreaming gender into all climate-change protection systems in the country. The research will also investigate the institutional and political context under which laws and policies relating to climate change are developed and implemented in Ethiopia, as well as the gender approaches employed at different administrative levels of the government.
Dr Olushola Samuel Fadairo - Cohort 2
Home institution: University of Ibadan
Host institution: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Area of research: Agricultural development policy and social engineering
Research focus: Corruption in ecological fund management for climate change mitigation in Nigeria under the broad theme of climate change financing and policy.
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