Human dimensions of environmental change in sub-Saharan Africa

Policy, Poverty and Livelihoods in Southern Africa

Since 1994, Deborah has been involved in interdisciplinary research as a Principal Investigator with Professor David Thomas ( University of Oxford ) on two large interdisciplinary projects funded by the ESRC Global Environmental Change Programme (1994-8) and DFID (1998-2001) (also with Dr Chasca Twyman) that have examined societal-environmental interactions in southern African drylands. The ESRC project in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Botswana examined Environmental Change and Poverty in Kalahari Pastoral Systems.

Recent DFID funded research has investigated public policy impacts on sustainable natural resource use and poverty in cross-border dryland regions in three southern African countries. This research encompassed new ways of thinking about social and environmental change, and developed innovative methods for dealing with these integrated issues. Details of the project and outputs can be found at the PANRUSA website (see right).