German-Ethiopian SDG Graduate School “Climate Change Effects on Food Security (CLIFOOD)"

Background and objectives

Food security is highly sensitive to climate risks in the Eastern African region. Food production, access to markets, and income from agricultural activities are connected inseparably with climate-related events and food security crises. The German-Ethiopian SDG-Graduate School entitled ‘Climate change effects on food security’ (CLIFOOD) aims at empowering young academics of HEIs on the African continent focusing on SDGs: No poverty, Zero hunger, Good health and well-being, Quality education, Climate action, Life on land, Partnerships for the goals.  Main objective of CLIFOOD is the education of African students at the (post) doctorate level to address the threats of climate change to food security in the Eastern African region. Furthermore, CLIFOOD strengthens bilateral partnerships between higher education institutions in Germany and Ethiopia, supports relevant, high-quality educational offerings of structured study courses on research subjects, achieves greatest possible multidisciplinary research, qualifies specialized experts and lecturers at doctorate and postdoc level, and contributes towards the joint development of innovative solutions to higher education and SDG topics.  

Research 

Agriculture is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy, but climate change strongly affects food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia is facing severe droughts having impacts on the lives and livelihoods of farmers. Demand-driven research on climate change and food security will be conducted and improved within CLIFOOD with special reference to the Agenda 2030 and its SDGs. Interdisciplinary research on adaptation strategies for agriculture is conducted with respect to weed control, livestock production, food and feed crops, soil health, grain quality, farming households, human nutrition as well as seasonal weather forecasts.

Qualification program

CLIFOOD offers a unique interdisciplinary qualification program for PhD students and Postdocs. According to the research areas, it conveys knowledge and methods from a wide range of disciplines like soil science, physics, meteorology, (agro)ecology, crop science, livestock science, agricultural economics, and nutritional and food sciences.