The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works with partners worldwide to enhance the roles that livestock play in food security and poverty alleviation, principally in Africa and Asia. The outcomes of these research partnerships help people in developing countries keep their farm animals’ alive and productive, increase and sustain their livestock and farm productivity, find profitable markets for their animal products, and reduce the risk of livestock-related diseases. www.ilri.org
ILRI is a not-for-profit institution with a staff of about 700 and in 2016, an operating budget of about USD 83 million. A member of the CGIAR Consortium working for a food-secure future, ILRI has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, a principal campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and offices in other countries in East, West and Southern Africa and in South, Southeast and East Asia. www.cgiar.org
DAAD is a German Academic Exchange service which is a publicly funded, self-governing organization of the institutions of higher education in Germany. DAAD promotes international academic exchange as well as educational co-operation with developing countries through a variety of funding and scholarship programs.
ILRI Research Project: Accelerated Value Chain Development Program / Livestock Value Chain Component
The Accelerated Value Chain Development (AVCD) program seeks to apply technologies and innovations widely for selected value chains (livestock, dairy, and staple root and drought-tolerant crops), so as to competitively and sustainably increase productivity; and contribute to the feed the goal of inclusive agricultural growth, nutrition and food security in the country. AVCD will work closely with other projects and partners to enhance resilience, agricultural productivity, food security and overall economic welfare of farmers, producers and marketers throughout the value chain. While the entry point is scaling up application of agricultural technologies and innovations, the program will address the weakest points of the value chain and be most importantly benefiting all value chain players.
Graduate Fellowship Project Title: Understanding the determinants of livestock market participation: The case of pastoralists in Northern Kenya
The Position
This PhD position aims at improving the understanding of pastoralists’ livestock market participation in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands of Kenya (ASAls) based on an analysis of the interaction of producers’ own characteristics/ resources/skills, local resource constraints, and market/distance factors, as well as the type of markets available. The analysis will also examine the relationship between market participation and producer choices of animal genetics and feeding strategies.
Responsibilities
- Literature review of the published studies and journal papers in relation to the determinants of agricultural producers market participation in general, and livestock pastoralists participation in particular.
- Data collection from pastoralists as well as livestock value chain actors.
- Data analysis and modelling using market participation models.
- PhD thesis completion.
- 2 journal papers publications (at least one published and the second one submitted)
Essential Skills and Qualifications will include:
- MSc in Agricultural Economics, Economics, Social Sciences or related fields.
- Ability to produce written work of high quality.
- Ability to work in multi-cultural/multi-disciplinary teams.
Location: ILRI Kenya
Duration: 3 years
Duration: 3 years
Terms of appointment: ILRI will offer a competitive stipend to cover living expenses in the project location(s). The successful candidate will be supervised jointly by an ILRI scientist and the university/academic supervisor.
How to apply
Interested applicants should submit the following documents;
- A cover letter explaining your interest in the position, what you can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about your professional qualifications and work experience to the Director, People and Organizational Development. The position title and reference number: PHDPTVC/DAAD/02/2016 should be clearly indicated in the subject line of the cover letter.
- Curriculum Vitae without photograph; please use the europass CV template athttp://europass.cedefop.europa.eu.
- Certified copies of all university degree certificates.
- Certified copies of all university transcripts.
- At least temporary University admission letter including fee structure of respective course (original or certified copy only), or an official letter assuring admission. If this is not available by the closing date for application; please include with the application a commitment letter that you will have obtained this by 1st September 2016 as this is a mandatory requirement before commencing the fellowship program.
- PhD research proposal and a detailed work plan (10 to 15 pages); plagiarism will be checked! The proposal has to be in line with the above outlined ILRI’s research project.
- Abstract of the proposal on one page (please include name and title of proposal).
- Where applicable a recommendation letter by head of department indicating that you are a present or prospective member of staff and how you will be integrated into the staff development agenda of the university (original only)
- Confirmation of study leave from your university (if applicable).
- Confirmation of teaching release (university staff members only).
The scholarships are only awarded to citizens of Sub-Saharan African countries (SSA).
All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com by 18 March 2016.
We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
To find out more about ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org
To find out more about working at ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org/ilricrowd/
Suitably qualified women and citizens of developing countries, with experience of working internationally, are particularly encouraged to apply.
