Call for Proposal: PhD research grants on climate change mitigation in smallholder agriculture

Deadline: 30 September, 2012. Purpose of this call: The Climate Food and Farming (CLIFF) Research Network is an initiative of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University. The aim of the CLIFF network is to build the capacity of young scientists, generate new and rigorous knowledge for climate change mitigation in small-scale farming and food systems and facilitate the sharing of this knowledge.

For the current call, we invite enrolled PhD students to submit applications for research grants of up to USD 5000. The grants should support PhD research on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon (C) sequestration associated with climate change mitigation in food production systems in developing countries¹. Specifically, these grants must be used to support field measurements, sample analyses and modeling related expenses.

Context and objectives

In developing countries, the agriculture sector is both a significant source of GHG emissions and a sector with significant mitigation potential. However, there is a general lack of knowledge on GHG emissions and C sequestration for smallholder farmers. As a result, neither the impact of smallholder management practices on climate change nor their mitigation potential is well understood.

The CLIFF research network seeks to support PhD students working on climate change mitigation in developing countries through small grants and training workshops; assist members to access analytical infrastructure; facilitate the sharing of generated information; and mobilize resources to promote mutual learning among the network members (PhD students, their advisors and other experts).

Application requirements

• Applicants must submit proposals focused on the quantification of agricultural GHG emissions (focused on either improving methods or data) or assessments of the effects of GHG mitigation options, including effects on methane and nitrous oxide emissions as well as soil C changes in smallholder food production systems in developing countries. Examples of potential research could  include:

1. Examining nitrogen and carbon dynamics for a mitigation practice in a livestock, crop production  or mixed crop-livestock system
2. Testing the sensitivity of GHG emissions to various management practices using field measurements models
3. Comparing the Cool Farm Tool estimates against Tier 3 data

All applications should be in English.

Application guidelines

The application must include the following documents merged into one pdf file:

1. Research proposal as outlined below.
2. Curriculum vitae for the applicant.
3. Letter of support from PhD supervisor

The research proposal must be no more than 2200 words. The proposal must be in the following format:

• Project title
• Justification
• Objective and research questions
• Methodology, including access to data collection and analysis instruments
• Feasibility
• Expected results
• References
• A time plan of planned activities
• A budget (including other funds)
• Contact address of the applicant including an Email address

Proposal evaluation

Only applications fulfilling the stipulated criteria will be evaluated by researchers affiliated with the CLIFF network. Proposals will be evaluated based upon their scientific quality, contribution to the PhD study and feasibility.

Eligibility and conditions

• Applicants must be currently enrolled PhD students, but NOT in their final year.
• The grant money should be used to cover research expenses and NOT tuition or other fees related to the PhD degree.

Submission
Applications must be submitted on or before the 30^th of September 2012. To submit your application and for any questions please contact the coordinator of the CLIFF network, Ngonidzashe Chirinda, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University,.

Notification
Successful applicants will be notified by email on the 31^st of October 2012.

Other activities

Grant recipients automatically become members of the CLIFF network, which provides the students excellent networking and collaborative opportunities with fellow students and leading experts.

Grant recipients will be part of a CCAFS-led global effort to improve GHG measurement methods and data for low emissions agriculture in smallholder farming systems and landscapes in developing countries.

You can read more about the CLIFF network here.

Last year’s CLIFF grants

Last year’s CLIFF grants rendered great success, especially in connecting PhD students to a wider international research network, potential in meeting other students conducting similar projects for potential collaborations in the future as well as the opportunity to gain knowledge from the other participants.

Previous CLIFF grants have been distributed to PhD students conducting studies on for instance community resilience after disasters in Indonesia and effectiveness of technological options for minimizing agricultural production risk under a variable climate in Uganda. The research topics where CLIFF support can be relevant are therefore fairly wide, within the proposed area of research. View last year’s CLIFF sponsored projects here (PDF).