Offer Description
– work environment : The position will be based in Montpellier and attached to the “Laboratoire d’Ă©tude des Interactions Sol – AgrosystĂšme – HydrosystĂšme” (joint research unit LISAH), with regular missions to Tunisia. In Tunis, the selected candidate will be hosted by INRGREF (Institut National de Recherche en GĂ©nie Rural, Eaux et ForĂȘts) as part of the NAĂLA mixed international laboratory (LMI) partnership. This will provide the opportunity to work in an international environment with access to cutting-edge equipment and the ORE-OMERE observatory, which is dedicated to the study of systems agronomy, remote sensing and spatially explicit modelling of soil and water resource management in an agricultural context.
(l’adresse dĂ©taillĂ©e est renseignĂ©e dans la fiche en français, ainsi que dans ma signature au pied du message)
– main mission : Analysis and bio-decisional modelling of stakeholders in rainfed agroecosystems under climate change for sustainable management of soil and water resources as part of agricultural transitions
– activities :
[1] Identify the main stakeholders and observe their interactions and influences in the decision-making processes that shape southern Mediterranean agroecosystems at multiple levels. Examples include farmers and their formal and informal organisations, support services, resource providers and other intermediary players in production chains, policy-makers and regional managers. The focus will be on stakeholders with a direct impact on the study area in terms of agricultural production, soil conservation and water management.
[2] Modelling the role of farming organisations, agri-food businesses and public policies in the process of choosing and allocating crops, taking into account the spatial dimension of the landscape context (in support of two ongoing PhD theses). The modelling approach will hybrid âsystem dynamicsâ and âagent-basedâ ones and may mobilise âactor-network theoryâ for levels closer to the farm. Analysis of stakeholder networks, comparative case studies and literature reviews will be used to refine the choice of modelling approach.
[3] The definition of a shared diagnosis of the role of landscape spatial dimensions on the agricultural management of soil and water resources. This diagnosis will include the identification and weighting of factors that determine and may influence changes in crop allocation. These factors and their main modalities (e.g. description of their quantitative levels) will serve as a basis for the co-design of scenarios exploring alternative management methods for rainfed agriculture.
Where to apply
E-mail: davide.rizzo@ird.fr
Requirements
Research Field: Agricultural sciences » Agronomics
Education Level: Bachelor Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in system or landscape agronomy and geography in the analysis of agricultural decision-making processes. Additionally, he/she will be required to prove expertise in spatially explicit modelling with participatory and transdisciplinary approaches. The balance between these skills will be defined according to the qualifications and research interests of the successful candidate. Additional skills include excellent proficiency in writing and communication, both in French and English, proven collaborative abilities, and an interest in working in an interdisciplinary and international context. Fluency in Tunisian will also be an advantage, as it will facilitate interactions with stakeholders in the study area.
