Introduction

Efforts aimed at accelerating a one-health-led uptake of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Ghana is a key priority of AICCRA project. 

With increasing climate-related events and poor access to climate advisories linked to information about effective response measures, there is urgent need for enhanced resilience of farmers and livestock keepers to better anticipate and take preventative actions against climate related effects and impacts. Thus, the Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) seeks to enhance access to climate information services and validated climate - smart agriculture technologies in Ghana. 

With the support of the AICCRA project, farmers and livestock keepers will be able to better anticipate climate-related events and take preventative actions, with better access to climate advisories linked to information about effective response measures. The enablers (investors/policy makers/knowledge institutions) in the agricultural/environmental sector will be better informed to take actions that will facilitate the uptake of impactful CSA technologies. 

This will help communities better safeguard their livelihoods and the environment. 

To this end, the University for Development Studies (UDS) leads the capacity building component of the AICCRA project. Funding is available for Two (2) Masters and Three (3) PhD positions at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in the following specialized areas: 1. Climate Change, 2. Environmental Management & Sustainability, 3. Agricultural Economics 4. Innovation Communication, and 5. Crop Science (Agronomy). Successful candidates will enroll in November 2021. 

AICCRA focuses on maize, cowpea, roots and tuber (yam and sweet potato) as well as vegetables (tomato) value chains. The field research will be carried-out at AICCRA-Ghana intervention areas in Ghana depending on the research topic. Based on this commodity of focus, a number of CSA practices have been identified and prioritized based on regional and commodity value chains and will provide a basis for successful candidates. The successful candidate will join an international and multi-disciplinary team, with vast experience conducting research in Ghana and Benin. 

Candidates must specify their current status as either a continuing student (concept note/proposal/data collection stage) or a fresh applicant to start a proposed programme. Candidates are required to submit a detailed research proposal on ONLY ONE of the following research themes:

• Impact of multi-dimensional approach to climate change adaptation/mitigation with focus on One-Health (Crop health, animal health, soil health and water health); 

• Gender and social-inclusion to enhance uptake of CSA practices; 

• Pathways of CSA upscaling and its effect on crop yield and farm performance 

• Efficiency of CSA dissemination approaches and its effect on farm productivity 

• Knowledge management to enhance the use of CSA technologies/practices 

• Assessment of Climate Information Services and Climate Smart Technologies for promoting policy and investment decisions for their upscaled adoption;

 GENERAL ELIGIBILITY 

1. Applicants should: 

a. Meet the standard University for Development Studies Admission requirement for both local and international students. (https://uds.edu.gh/) 

b. Apply for the Masters/Doctor of Philosophy programme in any of the above programmes at the University for Development Studies. 

c. Submit an official/certified academic transcript from the previous University of study and a certified copy of academic certificates, with official English translation provided where necessary. 

d. For the Masters programme, candidates must have enrolled in the following departments: Agriculture Economics, Environmental Studies/Science, Agronomy, Horticulture, Climate, change or related fields. 

e. For the PhD programme, candidates must have enrolled in the field of Agriculture Economics, Natural Resource Science and Management, Environmental Science, Agronomy, Horticulture, Climate Change, Crop and Soil Science or related fields. 

f. Practical field training/experience and or research publications in any of the above disciplines or related activities is an added advantage. 

g. Willingness to spend time in the field conducting experiments/research in AICCRA intervention areas in Ghana and Benin. 

h. Masters’ applicants MUST submit a three (3)-page and PhD five (5)-page maximum research proposal on ONLY ONE of the research topics above for either Masters or PhD and which shall contain a research topic, background, problem statement and justification, objectives, materials and methods and expected results. 

i. All applicants shall submit a two (2)-page statement of motivation outlining their fitness for the study programme and benefit of the training to Ghana, their home country, Africa and internationally. 

j. Provide a detailed curriculum vitae (CV) – maximum two (2) pages. 

k. All shortlisted applicants shall be interviewed. 

l. Applicants must be less than 35 years for the Masters programme and less than 45 years for the PhD programme. 

m. Be nationals of and resident in Africa. Note: Female candidates in the West-Africa sub-region are particularly encouraged to apply.

2. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT 

The program training language is solely in English. Francophone candidates with proven evidence of competence in English are encouraged to apply. 

3. DETAILS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE 

a. The Scholarship is tenable at the University for Development Studies and shall cover the following: PhD – Tuiti