This project will be part of an ongoing piece of research looking at the gendered nature of farmer innovation in Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. It will involve working with the Reading-based research team on qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and writing up results for publication. The project is looking at the impact of agricultural innovation on smallholder farmer livelihoods in East Africa.
Department: Agri-Food Economics & Social Science
Supervised by: Dr. Sarah Cardey
This research is contributing to a larger two-year research project that has been undertaken to explore how farmers innovate, the gendered nature of that innovation, and the impact on local communities. The goal of the project is to establish how innovations take place, smallholder farmer patterns of innovation, and how these patterns are different between men and women. This placement will involve two tasks. Working with the research team, the first task is to work with existing qualitative and quantitative data to answer a set of questions about gender patterns in innovation processes. This will involve working with participatory data that has been collected in Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. It will also involve working with a large quantitative dataset, running basic descriptive statistics. The second task is to work with the research team to write up the findings from this analysis for a peer-reviewed publication. Specifically, we are looking at how to understand gendered patterns for innovating. This project will feed into ongoing analysis and writing being done with this project, including valuable contributions to peer reviewed publication. There is the opportunity for the student to be a co-author on the final publication arising from this placement.
The student’s time will be split into two sets of activities. First, they will work with the research team on data analysis and writing up the findings. They will be given support in using quantitative software to analyse the data, and generate a report about the trends they find. The second task will be to work with the team to turn this data into a peer reviewed publication. There is already an ongoing literature review for the project, though the student may be asked to contribute to updating this with new publications. It is envisioned that the student will spend half to two-thirds of their time on data analysis, and half to one third of their time on contributing to the research paper.
The student will need to be comfortable with computers, and word processing packaged. They need to be organised, so that they can be systematic in how they do the research. We will provide training on statistical software that is going to be used, but comfortability with numbers will be an asset. Strong writing skills are important. We will train the student in the specific disciplinary understanding needed for the project.
The student will have the opportunity to strengthen their qualitative and quantitative research skills. They will strengthen their skills in using quantitative data analysis software, including how to analyse and interpret quantitative data, with the guidance of experts. They will gain skills in qualitative content analysis. There may be the opportunity for them to participate in conference activities related to the project, depending on the timing of the placement. The student will learn how to work in a research team environment, as they will be working with three other Reading-based academics, and PhD students. The student will gain experience in international development and agriculture, and the link between research and policy. They will also learn each step of the process of preparing a research paper, and will be given support throughout this process. This would be valuable for students intending to go on to further study at the postgraduate level.
Agriculture Building. There is some flexibility in the start date for the placement. This will be discussed with the successful applicant.
Monday - Friday
Monday 27 June 2016 - Wednesday 05 August 2015
Students should apply with a CV and covering letter to Dr. Sarah Cardey, copied to Peter Dorward and Graham Clarkson. Applications should be emailed to Dr. Cardey on: s.p.cardey@reading.ac.uk.; Peter Dorward on: p.t.dorward@reading.ac.uk; to Graham Clarkson on g.clarkson@reading.ac.uk. All short listed candidates will be invited for an interview.