1001 - Smallholder farmers’ risk management and innovation strategies and their impacts on food security and resilience

Discipline:

Main discipline:
Agricultural Economics, Development Economics

Other relevant disciplines:
Rural Sociology

Description of the research topic and research methodology:
based on a survey to be conducted from March to June 2014 by the University of Hohenheim. The research project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The project seeks to identify the determinants of small farmers’ adoption of risk-reducing technological and institutional innovations in agriculture with a focus on climate variability output price risks. Specific topics included in the impact pathway from agricultural innovations to household food security include the diffusion of information in the research area within SNNP, Ethiopia, and the role of intra-household decision-making regarding the adoption of agricultural innovations, such as new crop varieties. The postdoctoral students is expected to contribute to the statistical and econometric analysis (see below research questions), and contribute as author/coauthor to at least two papers. The postdoctoral researcher will be offered office space, computer with STATA, and access to excellent online library services. The postdoctoral researcher will work with in a small team.

The 3 main research questions:
(1) What are socio-economic and agro-ecological determinants of the adoption of selected agricultural innovations?

(2) How do farmers access information about new technological and institutional innovations?

(3) Does the adoption of available technologies improve the households' food security status?

Target region or country (if applicable):         
Ethiopia

and / or Lab work: no

and / or Desk work: √

Required qualifications of the applicant:
Education:
Doctoral degree in agricultural economics, development economics or economics

Methodological competence:
Competence in statistical/econometric analysis is required

Be able to design and implement farm household surveys

Language competence:
English