The Dynamics of Food Availability in sub-Saharan Africa: An Endogenous Perspective on Food Production Systems

Food production depends on the interactions of various disciplines and  systems. As an agronomist I see system dynamics as a methodology with  the potential to combine many of these interactions in one tool and therefore decided to write a phd based on this method.

Maize is the most important food item in Zambia and its production depends among other factors on water availability. In the future maize production and with it the country’s food security situation may face severe difficulties under climate change. The core part of my phd therefore is to build a system dynamics model of the Zambian agricultural and food sector which will be used to identify promising adaptation strategies in the food system in order to ensure food security even under climate change. My main motivation is to gain better understanding of the interactions in food and especially agricultural systems. And, hopefully, I can contribute a little piece for a more food secure country by writing the phd.