Saturday, April 27, 2013

Web 2.0 and Social Media Learning Opportunity, c/o Kinu Co-Creation and Innovation Space, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 24-28 June 2013

 Venue: KINU Co-Creation and Innovation Space, 1st Floor Conservation House, Plot No.245, A. H. Mwinyi Road, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
 
Dates: 24-28 June, 2013
 
Technological innovation is taking place at a breath-taking pace. Simple, open source internet-based applications and services designed to enhance on-line collaboration are now available to the wider public at little or no cost at all. These new online technologies known as Web 2.0 and Social Media applications enable people to collaborate to create, share and publish information.
 
The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation EU-ACP (CTA) has a mandate to facilitate access to and dissemination of information in the fields of agriculture and rural development in 78 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). Supporting the adoption of Web 2.0 applications and Social Media represents a great opportunity for meeting it.
 
Kinu Co-Creation and Innovation Space in collaboration with CTA will host a 5-day Web 2.0 and Social Media Learning Opportunity on 24-28 June, 2013. Participants will be introduced to selected web 2.0 applications including social media and will learn how to use them hands-on. The Learning Opportunity will cover advanced online searching, getting information served via alerts and RSS, collaborating remotely using wikis and Google Docs, using VoIP, online mapping and social networking. Participants will get a chance to see what others have done, get hands-on experience on how to use innovative applications, and assess how they could adopt these innovations within the context of their work and organisation.
 
This Learning Opportunity forms part of CTA initiatives that support development partners in networking, accessing and disseminating information more effectively.
 
Programme of the Learning Opportunity
·         Introduction to the participatory World Wide Web (Web 2.0) and social media;
·         Search Magic: How to conduct advanced multilingual online searches;
·         Information Self Service: How to get selected information served to you via alerts and RSS feeds;
·         Remote collaboration: How to develop content remotely using wikis and Google Docs;
·         Online mapping: How to locate your organisation and your projects on an online map;
·         How to communicate voice over the internet at no cost;
·         Online publishing (micro-blogging and blogging);
·         Professional / corporate social networking (LinkedIn and Facebook);
·         Web 2.0 self-instruction (introduction to iMARK).

 
Participants - Eligibility and responsibilities
Participation in the Learning Opportunity is free of charge, but subject to acceptance by the organisers. 25 participants will be accepted for the event.
 
Eligibility criteria
·         be computer literate and conversant with browsing the Internet;
·         have regular access to a computer (ownership of a computer is an advantage);
·         be in a position to take along a WIFI-enabled laptop to the training;
·         be competent in the use of the English language;
·         have an active e-mail account;
·         be actively engaged in agriculture and rural development / natural resource management / biodiversity conservation in the domains of ICT for development (ICT4D), policies, markets; publishing, communication and media; and
·         be resident in Tanzania.
 
Responsibilities
Accepted participants will be responsible for all costs related to their travel to and from the venue at Kinu Co-creation and Innovation Center, Dar es Salaam, their accommodation, breakfast and supper, daily subsistence allowances, and for bringing their own WIFI-enabled laptop to the event.
 
Entitlements
During each event, the organisers will provide lunch and refreshments and distribute copies of CTA publications and instructional material.
 
How to apply
If you are interested in applying, please follow this link and complete the online form.
 
Deadline for applications: 27 May, 2013
 
Feedback
The organisers will inform successful applicants about the status of their application two week before the commencement of the course. Successful applicants will receive confirmation letters. Others will be duly informed about the results of their application.
 
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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Soil Microbial Ecology and Ecosystem Services - MICROTROP 2014

(Version française plus loin dans le corps du message)
Merci de diffuser aux éventuels candidats

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Call for applications - Deadline: 15 June 2013
 
Advanced training for early-career scientists

MICROTROP 2014 - Soil Microbial Ecology and Ecosystem Services
 
Senegal, 19 May-13 June 2014

Microtrop is an intensive one month advanced course in Tropical Soil Microbial Ecology designed for PhD students (in their last year), post-doc or early career scientists within 5 years of PhD completion.
The course combines lecturers by leading soil and microbiology scientists with hands-on training. Experimental design and methods that are cost-effective and appropriate for scientists working in developing countries and tropical soils are presented. The course keystone is a tropical microbial ecology research project designed by each participant that includes data analysis and write up. The courses will be held in English.
The training will gather ca. 20 participants from Southern countries, France or Western Europe, and the USA.
Consult the web site www.ecoltrop.ird.fr and the flyer for more details.
Download the application form.
Contact : ecoltrop.senegal@ird.fr

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Appel à candidatures – Date limite : 15 juin 2013
Ecole chercheur

MICROTROP 2014 - Ecologie microbienne des sols et services écosystémiques
 
S̩n̩gal, 19 mai Р13 juin 2014

Microtrop est une formation intensive d’un mois en Ecologie Microbienne des sols tropicaux dédiée aux jeunes scientifiques (fin de thèse, post-doc, chercheurs ou enseignant-chercheurs nouvellement recrutés).
La formation comprend des cours, des démonstrations de laboratoire et des travaux. Les méthodes ciblées sont adéquates au développement de recherches en microbiologie des sols dans les pays du Sud. La formation est dispensée en anglais et comprend également la conduite d’un mini-projet de recherche par chacun des participants.
La formation sera suivie par 20 participants en provenance des pays du Sud, de France, d’Europe de l’Ouest et des Etats-Unis sélectionnés par le comité scientifique.

Pour plus d’information consultez le site web  www.ecoltrop.ird.fr ou téléchargez la plaquette et le formulaire de candidature.
Contact : ecoltrop.senegal@ird.fr

Friday, April 19, 2013

PhD position: the impact of mineral governance on miners' property rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)


Tenable at the University of Zurich
Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
Supervisor: Timothy Raeymaekers (Department of Geography)

Task:
The candidate will work on a three-year project on transnational mineral governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The project zooms in on the transformation of miners rights through current reform programmes targeted at so-called conflict minerals in Eastern DRC. The PhD candidate will assess the ways current reform processes impact on the performance of mineral markets as well as the institutional choice patterns of mine workers. In sum the study aims to provide more insights into the political ecology of natural resource markets in countries emerging from protracted armed conflict, specifically detailing (1) the transnational dimension of economic regulation and (2) its impact on the institutional choice patterns of direct natural users of natural resources in the specific case of the DRC.

Requirements:
Applications should have completed a MA/MSc degree in geography or any relevant social science domain. They should carry evidence of their capability (and, if possible, prior experience) to do qualitative research in the domains of conflict analysis and resource governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. They should be willing to spend prolonged periods in the field.

Proficiency in French is required, active knowledge of Kiswahili and German will be regarded as an additional asset.

This project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF), so candidates are paid by SNF regulations. The post is of limited duration (3 years). A one-year extension is possible if funding continues.

Interested candidates should send a cv, copies of relevant diplomas and a letter of motivation stating their qualifications for the job in one single pdf file to this email address by 15 May 2013:

Monday, April 8, 2013

PostDoc position – Transdisciplinary research to reduce post-harvest losses and to add value in food value chains

Call for application [» download PDF]
Organisation/Project: DITSL at the University of Kassel, GlobE Project: RELOAD
Application deadline: April, 30st 2013 or until the position is filled
DITSL is a non-profit limited liability company (GmbH) at the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences of the University of Kassel at Witzenhausen. DITSL conducts research on agricultural systems as human activity systems following an inter- and transdisciplinary social-ecological approach.
We are looking for a dynamic, highly motivated and innovative scientist for a Post Doc position in the frame of the collaborative research project RELOAD: Reduction of Post Harvest Losses and Value Addition in East African Food Value Chains. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and led by the University of Kassel in Germany.
Within RELOAD, DITSL leads the subproject “Transdisciplinary research: Stakeholder processes, knowledge integration and collaborative learning”. We will investigate food value chains (mainly milk and meat and to some extent vegetables, grains and tubers) as human activity systems, with a focus on communication, collaboration and competition of various actors. Research will focus on actors, their goals, perspectives, strategies, activities, needs and room for maneuvre. Starting out from a stakeholder analysis and the formation of stakeholder platforms, we will offer learning opportunities to the actors to reveal control options in food value chains - so that losses can be reduced and value addition enhanced. We will explore possibilities for collective action by producer groups to bring about benefits especially in the areas of strengthening marketing capacity and market linkages.

The Post Doc:
  • will lead research activities in Kenya and is expected to conduct field research for about 4 - 6 months per year,
  • will advance methodology in transdisciplinary research,
  • will contribute to capacity building through training of PhD and MSc students,
  • will support project management (financial, logistic, reporting),
  • will coordinate the research activities with other partners in the RELOAD project.
We offer a Post Doc position (TV_L 13, 80 %) for 3 years starting 1st of July 2013. The project contains the research funds to pursue extended empirical research abroad.

Qualifications of the applicant:
  • PhD in agricultural/rural -sociology, -economics, -development or -system science, human or economic geography, organizational behaviour or related discipline.
  • Practical experience in (community based) action research, in designing and facilitating learning processes with producer organisations or in value chain development.
  • Interest and experience in working with scientists of other disciplines and with societal stakeholders in Kenya (and to a limited extent in Ethiopia and Uganda).
  • Fluency in spoken and written English. Knowledge of German and/or Kiswahili is an asset.
  • Very good writing skills, team work orientation and good communication skills.
Female and male applicants are equally encouraged to apply for this position.

Application documents:
  • A letter of motivation
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Publication list
  • Summary of the PhD thesis
  • Copies of relevant certificates
  • Contact details of 2-3 referees
Please submit these documents by email in a single PDF file to PD Dr. Brigitte Kaufmann ( b.kaufmann@ditsl.org).

Candidate screening will start May 1st 2013 and continue until the position is filled.
Contact: PD Dr. Brigitte Kaufmann, DITSL GmbH Witzenhausen at the University of Kassel Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Phone: +49 (0) 5542 607 19 (direct)

4 PhD Scholarships for Kenyan applicants: Pastoral meat value chains

Call for application [» download PDF]

Organisation/Project: These studies will be jointly implemented between University of Nairobi, the National Museums of Kenya and the German Institute for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics (DITSL) at the University of Kassel in Germany. GlobE Project: RELOAD: Reduction of Post Harvest Losses and Value Addition in East African Food Value Chains
Application deadline: Selection of candidates will start on 1st of May 2013 and continue until positions are filled.
RELOAD: Reduction of Post Harvest Losses and Value Addition in East African Food Value Chains builds a research network between partners in Germany, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. It is a 5 year collaborative project led by the Institute for Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kassel in Germany. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF),
and starts in June 2013.
In Kenya, one focus of RELOAD is on pastoral meat value chains. The high losses along the meat value chain include material losses i.e. weight loss prior to slaughter, wastage of animal products and byproducts, losses in quality as meat products are highly perishable and economic losses due to low net profit margins for the producers. Four PhD thesis projects will analyse different possibilities to reduce losses and increase efficiency along the pastoral meat value chains. These studies will be jointly implemented between University of Nairobi, the National Museums of Kenya and the German Institute for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics (DITSL) at the University of Kassel in Germany.
PhD candidates will be registered at either the University of Nairobi or at the University of Kassel.
The following PhD topics are on offer. In all cases applicants need to have very good knowledge on pastoral production.
  1. Assessing the potential of stratified livestock production and marketing systems to reduce losses along the pastoral meat value chain.
    Interest and good knowledge on: Rangeland management, livestock nutrition and husbandry and livestock marketing.
    Contact: Dr. Oliver Wasonga, University of Nairobi, email oliverwasonga@uonbi.ac.ke, o.wasonga@ditsl.org. Scholarship starts in January 2014.
  2. Assessing the potential of pastoral marketing associations to reduce economic losses.
    Interest and good knowledge on: community based approaches, farmer groups and collective action, institutional economy, network analysis, linking farmers to markets.
    Contact Assoc. Prof. Dr. Brigitte Kaufmann, DITSL, email b.kaufmann@ditsl.org or Dr. Oliver Wasonga, email oliverwasonga@uonbi.ac.ke, o.wasonga@ditsl.org. Starts in January 2014.
  3. Upgrading traditional meat preservation techniques.
    Interest and good knowledge on: Value addition in meat processing, food science, community based approaches, indigenous knowledge in pastoral production system, micro-enterprise development.
    Contact: Dr. Hassan Roba, National Museums of Kenya, email: guyoroba@yahoo.com, h.roba@ditsl.org. Scholarship starts in August 2013.
  4. Collaborative learning approaches for stakeholders in the pastoral meat value chain.
    Interest and good knowledge on: Designing interactive learning: adult learning & experiential learning; facilitating and managing learning processes.
    Contact: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Brigitte Kaufmann, b.kaufmann@ditsl.org. Starts in September 2013.
For each topic we offer a PhD scholarship and the research funds to pursue empirical field research. Furthermore candidates will be able to access research infrastructure at the University of Nairobi, the National Museums of Kenya and the DITSL in Witzenhausen in Germany.
Qualifications of the applicants:
  • Excellent master or equivalent degree in agricultural sciences, natural resource management, range management, animal production, veterinary sciences, agricultural economics, geography, development studies or related fields.
  • Very good English communication and writing skills
  • Team work orientation and networking skills.
You are a particularly suitable candidate if you:
  • have your family background in pastoral systems.
  • have practiced and liked participatory research and cooperation with practitioners.
  • Have experience in the area of the PhD study for which you apply.
Female and male applicants are equally encouraged to apply for these positions.
Application
Please specify the topic to which you apply and provide a statement of motivation for you to choose this topic. Submit your documents to the respective contact person. Application documents comprise: A letter of motivation (indicating the topic you apply for), Curriculum Vitae, Publication list, Summary of the master thesis, Copies of relevant certificates, Contact details of 2-3 referees. Please submit these documents by email in one single PDF file. Selection of candidates will start on 1st of May 2013 and continue until positions are filled.

DAAD In-Country Scholarships 2013/2014 for Postgraduate Studies


Application deadline: 20th June 2013

Opportunities Masters and PhDs at Kenyan Public or Chartered Universities

Offer

.Full scholarship for up to 3 years
.Research allowance and up to 6 months research stay in Germany .Lifelong access to DAAD alumni programmes

Requirements

.Present or prospective staff member of a public or chartered university or research institute .A Kenyan or Kenyan resident from a developing country - last degree not older than 6 years.
.Bachelor's qualification of at least upper second division .Full or provisional admission to the desired degree course .Field relevant to national development .Recommendation letter/s from high level academic referee/s

Additional requirements for PhD
.A very good Masters degree
.Declaration of acceptance from an academic supervisor .Excellent research proposal of 10 to 15 pages

Women are encouraged to apply!

Application deadline: June 20th each year Application forms: University Graduate School or DAAD Office Nairobi Forms and more Info: http://nairobi.daad.de/funding_for_studying_kenya_a.php

DAAD contact person:
Bonface Nyagah
Tel: +254-771444 111, Direct Line: +254-733465720