UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM

INSTITUTE OF RESOURCE ASSESSMENT

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR POSTDOCSTUDIES IN FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME

The Sustainable Agricultural Productivity, Processing, and Value Chain for Enhancing Food Security in Tanzania (SAPPV), a Sida-funded sub-programme, has 3 scholarship positions for postdoc studies. Selected applicants will conduct their research mainly in Tanzania and run analysis in the collaborating institutions in Sweden. The programme will last for one year. Three key areas of study are:

  1. A: POST DOC IN SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS FOR EVIDENCE BASED DECISION MAKING

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses has been developed and extensively used in medical research (Friedman and Goldberg 1996, Osenberg et al. 1999). More recently this approach is receiving increasing interest for more evidence based policy making in various fields, including ecology (Osenberg et al. 1999) and social science (Peterson 2001), since it achieves a less biased quantitative synthesis of researchthan narrative reviews, and by statistically combining several studies the overall power is substantially greater than, for example, by ‘vote counting’ of individual significant studies. As an example the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) recently started a programme called “Evidence Based Forestry”.

The post doc will use a systematic review protocol including quality criteria to select studies to which meta-analysis will be applied (Osenberg et al. 1999).This dataset will be used to test the hypothesis that agroforestry/afforestation increases infiltration capacity and reduces surface run-off in the tropics. The post doc will not only bring in new relevant knowledge to IRA regarding agroforestry and food security (which is an area where IRA need increased capacity), but most importantly will also bring in a general tool box that will be useful for all fields relevant IRA. It is well established that papers based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses are easier to publish in higher ranked journals and are cited more than regular reviews. To learn the protocol and perform a systematic review and meta-analysis will be doable within one year at the department of Forest Ecology and Management in Sweden where we have good capacity and experience of working with the approach (Ilstedt et al. 2007). This will give one year back at IRA/UDSM for publishing results and extending the capacity to other staff at IRA through arranging workshops.

Key Qualification

  • Ph.D. in any forestry/ecological related studies with previous experience in the analysis of the interaction between plants and their soil environment.

1.B. ECONOMIC DRIVERS OF LAND USE CHANGE AND FOOD PRODUCTION IN MIOMBO WOODLANDS

Miombo woodlands are central to the livelihood systems of millions of rural and urban dwellers in Tanzania for domestic and some agro-industry activities. However, Miombo woodlands are increasingly associated with economic incentives than before. The current shifting and small-scale sedentary cultivation practices are unsustainable and inefficient. Factors contributing to degradation are use of cheap and reliable charcoal over electricity, clearing for agriculture, overgrazing, mining, forest fires for various reasons e.g. tsetse eradication, shifting cultivation and hunting and harvesting. The situation is exacerbated by population growth, growth of middle class and increased market driven economy. These detach populations from sustainable agricultural production and increase demands. These parameters need to be carefully analysed to project change, and analyse possibilities for proper land planning to reverse the current degradation into sustainable intensification.

Objective: To investigate the economic drivers of miombo woodland degradation in Tanzania with the purpose of improving the sustainability use and management of natural resources derived from Miombo woodlands. To provide support to the programme’s PhD project in economics as well as economic expertise to other projects within the overall programme.

Key Qualifications

  • Applicant should have a strong background in natural resource economics (agriculture, forestry or energy);
  1. POSTDOC POSITION IN FOOD SECURITY AT THE COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES (CONAS)

Introduction

Push-pull technology was invented at ICIPE Kenya in collaboration with Rothamsted-UK in the late 90's. It is an effective and affordable approach to controlling both stem-borers and Striga the parasitic weed of cereals, particularly in maize and sorghum. The technology utilizes an intercrops such as Desmodium to repel stem-borers and control Striga, and a trap/border crop such as Brachiaria to attract stem borers away from a cereal crop. The technology is appropriate and economical to the resource-poor smallholder farmers in the region as it is based on locally available plants, not expensive external inputs, and fits well with traditional mixed cropping systems in Africa. To date it has been adopted by over 131,229 smallholder farmers in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania) where maize yields have increased from about 1 t/ha to 3.5 t/ha, achieved with minimal inputs ( Also, plans are underway to introduce the push-pull technology to Zambia (Personal communication with the inventor of the technology, Prof. Zeyaur Khan, Coordinator of Push-Pull Programme, November 2016). More than 50,000 farmers in Kenya alone have so far adopted the technology, Kenya is leading because of the presence of ICIPE for training and other extension services to small farmers.

Over the years, ICIPE has done and published a lot on the science behind the push-pull technology, 99 publications in reputable journals so far. The technology involves intercropping maize with a repellent plant, such as desmodium, and planting an attractive trap plant, such as Napier grass, as a border crop around this intercrop. Gravid stemborer females are repelled or deterred away from the target crop (push) by stimuli that mask host appearance while they are simultaneously attracted (pull) to the trap crop, leaving the target crop protected. However, the effect of push-pull system on soil microorganisms and the contribution of microorganisms on the effectiveness of the technology have not been well explored yet.A PhD study (Ms. Aneth D. Mwakili registered at SLU-Sweden) on the same is underway. There is also a need to study the phytochemistry of the companion plants in the push-pull system to assist to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms that lead to the biocontrol effects of the system. However, this part is beyond the MwakiliIi’s PhD study, and should lead to a new but complimentary project.

In Tanzania, Ukiriguru Agricultural Research Institute has taken initiative to introduce the push-pull farming system around the Lake zone. The institute conducts field trials and dissemination of the technology to small-holder farmers in Mwanza in partnership with Heifer Tanzania and ICIPE Kenya. Most of the Tanzania population live in rural areas and survive on small-holder farming with poor production due to pests, weeds, poor soil and draughts. However a life saving technology such as push-pull has not reached the many parts of the country yet. There is a need for more institutions to get involved to take the initiative to introduce the technology throughout the country by setting up experimental and demonstration plots and farms, conduct more research and extension services to farmers in their neighbourhood who would be willing to adopt the technology. This work together with the phytochemistry studies explained in the previous paragraph is proposed as a Postdoc project for under the Sida-Food security project.

The food security project is advertising a postdoc position to be based at CoNAS. The appointment will be for 12 months, starting immediately, with a possibility of reappointment based on performance and availability of funds.

The core research areas will be:

  • Genomics of the interactions between companion plants and soil microorganisms in a push-pull set up
  • Adaptation of push-pull system to Dar es salaam environment
  • Bioprospecting of the push-pull plants for products of nutritional importance
  • Other related activity determined by the group leader as necessary

Key Qualification

  • Ph.D. in biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics, or a closely related field. The ideal candidate will be familiar with gene regulation and will have previous experience in the analysis the interaction between plants and their soil environment.
  1. POSTDOC POSITION IN FOOD SECURITY AT THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (COET)

Introduction

Fruit postharvest losses is one of major problem in Tanzania due to limited post harvesting processing technologies. Bananas is one of the fruits with a short shelf life once it has reached maturity. Certain varieties of banana are cooked as staple food in regions of Karega, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Mbeya, others are used as desert while non-cooking banana are used for production of alcoholic drink (Mbege) in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, or for production of low viscosity clear banana juice which is then fermentation to banana beer in Kagera (rubisi) and Kigoma (kayoga) regions.

Traditionally, low viscosity clear juice from banana is obtained by kneaded a mixture of ripe high tannin content banana with grass or fibre until juice separates from pulp. The traditional technology is rudimentary, of low hygiene and has been difficult to scale up. Recently, the technology has been improved. Low viscosity banana juice can be produced from same banana cultivars by mashing ripe banana using a blender and pressing the resulting pulp to separate juice. The improved technology produces the juice in a hygienic condition and is easy to scale up. Scale up production trials has been successful. Consequently, there is a need to introduce banana juice to the market.

The food security project is advertising a postdoc position to be based at CoET, University of Dar es Salaam. The appointment will be for 12 months, starting immediately, with a possibility of reappointment based on performance and availability of funds.

The core research areas will be:

  • Formulation and preservation of banana juice and its blends with other fruits available within the banana growing regions such as citrus, passion and berries;
  • Identification of suitable and appealing packaging for the formulated juices;
  • Identification, formulation and test trials for uses of spent pulp as human food or animal feed;
  • Market evaluation of juices and spent pulp products; and
  • Other related activity determined by the group leader as necessary.

Key Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Food technology, food processing, biochemical engineering, or related fields;
  1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL POSTDOCS IN FOOD SECURITY
  • The scholarship is intended for UDSM staff, but also other potential candidates may apply;
  • Evidence of scientific publication from which at least one publication is from the PhD work;
  • Not more than three years since completion of PhD;
  • Not more than 50 years of age;
  • Candidate must be able to communicate clearly in both written documents and oral presentations;
  • The candidate must work well with individuals from diverse backgrounds and have the ability to make independent decisions about research directions, while maintaining regular communication with team members and the PI.

Salary

A reasonable good salary will be provided.

To Apply

Send a CV, concept note of three pages explaining details of your research area, cover letter, and letters from three referees to following addresses Prof. Agnes Mwakaje and Dr. Oscar Kibazohi . Deadline for submission is 20th June 2017.