Research and community Services

The Center for Food Security Studies has been aspiring to be the center of excellence in food security, disaster risk management and development research in the country and set up research agendas and themes in line with the AAU, Ten Year Development Plan, Agricultural Development Policies and Strategies, SDG, Climate Resilient Green Economy, and National Disaster Risk Management/Reduction. The program has its own research priority areas to which the students’ research works are tied.

• Food systems, markets, sovereignty, institutions and policy
• Livelihoods, food security & poverty analysis
• Nutrition, food safety & environmental health
• Disaster risk management and resilient economy
• Natural resources management & food security nexus
• Social protection and inclusiveness (safety nets and rights to food)
• Indigenous knowledge for food security

Accordingly, Master’s thesis and PhD dissertation projects are done on the pertinent problems of the community and the results can serve as input for practicing and formulating policies to address the problem of food security and rural poverty in general. There are also many areas on which graduate students are advised to focus; areas that will contribute to methods, theories and empirical knowledge in food security and disaster risk management. Researches done in the Center are linked to the industry or other stakeholders. Knowledge that comes out of Master’s theses and PhD dissertations contribute to food security and disaster risk management at regional and community levels. So, it is possible to say that the research works undertaken in the Center are linked to the activities of stakeholders.

As part of the teaching-learning process, the academic staff members have been actively involved in research activities pertinent to the nation’s food security, disaster risk management/reduction and development. The program is thus fulfilling its share towards the University’s mission in terms of research and community services. Moreover, the research activities undertaken by the CFSS have an immense contribution in helping policymakers and development planners to make informed decisions.