Scholarships Source

PhD Adaptation to climate change of agricultural systems in the Netherlands
Wageningen, (Gelderland), 38 hours per week Wageningen University, Plant Production Systems group

Job description
In September the so-called Delta Committee issued a report and advice to the Dutch government on how to make The Netherlands climate-proof for the century to come. The Delta programme aims to protect the country against flooding and at safeguarding freshwater supplies. Dutch agriculture is one of the sectors significantly affected by climate change; efficient and effective adaptation strategies are needed. Effects of higher temperatures and different rainfall and rainfall patterns in a changing international economy and markets affect sectors, individual farms and fields. Hence, adaptation strategies should be multi-scale with a good mix of measures at regional, farm and field level. Such strategies must be facilitated by efficient policies, promoting the use of effective adaptation strategies for the agricultural sectors while avoiding negative influences on other types of land use.
The present PhD aims at developing and using a multi-scale and quantitative approach for assessing adaptation strategies for Dutch agriculture, and to complement this approach with qualitative methods for assessing governance aspects such as institutional compatibility and acceptability by various stakeholders groups.
The PhD will develop and use bio-economic models, a farm typology and a biophysical simulation model. These models will be used to assess alternative adaptation strategies in the context of market developments, policy changes and technological innovations. Economic and environmental effects will be investigated for regions, farm types and fields. Risk and uncertainties about weather, price, policy and market changes will be included in the assessment. Compatibility and acceptability of alternative policies to promote adaptation will be investigated using a pre- and post-modelling approach. Participation of stakeholders is possible through collaboration with a project running in parallel to the model-based project.

Requirements
The candidate has completed an MSc in a relevant domain (e.g. Plant Sciences, Agronomy, Biology, Resource Ecology), with affinity for social sciences including economy and political science. He/she has proven capabilities in systems analysis, simulation modeling and other quantitative methods, has experience with literature research and computer programming languages, is fluent in English and has good writing skills. The candidate is able to communicate well with fellow researchers in similar and other relevant disciplines.

Organization
Wageningen University, Plant Production Systems group
Within one of the strategic research themes of Wageningen University and Research Centre, Scaling and Governance, a PhD position will be funded to conduct fundamental research applied to the subject climate change and adaptation of agricultural systems. This subject is also core to research taking place within the BSIK programme Klimaat voor Ruimte (e.g. the project AgriAdapt-NL) which aims at exploring and underpinning adaptation strategies for agriculture in the three Northern provinces of the Netherlands through quantitative research models allowing an analysis at regional and local level, in the context of national and international developments.

Information on a similar type of research is available at www.seamless-ip.org

Conditions of employment
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period
Duration of the contract: 18 months.
Maximum hours per week: 38

Additional conditions of employment:
A PhD position at Wageningen University. Gross salary per month: € 2000 in the first year, increasing to € 2558 in the fourth year. Duration of the contract: for a period of 18 months. Continuation of the appointment for another 30 months will be based on a performance evaluation.

Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from:

Dr. Martin van Ittersum
Telephone number: +31 317 482382
E-mail address: martin.vanittersum@wur.nl

Prof.dr. B. Arts
Telephone number: +31 317 486196
E-mail address: bas.arts@wur.nl

Application
You can apply for this job before 20-11-2008 by sending your application to:

Wageninge University, Plant Production Systems group
Personnel & Organisation
L. Bikker
P.O. Box 16
6700 AA Wageningen
The Netherlands
E-mail address: vacaturemeldingen.psg@wur.nl