Arbetsbeskrivning

Department of Economics The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a world-class institution in life and environmental sciences, aiming to contribute to sustainable development through science and education. The Department of Economics is a key platform for research and teaching in Economics and Business, with activities linked to Agronomist, Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes and research organized around four thematic areas, including agricultural and food economics. We invite applications for a PhD position within the research group Agricultural and Food Economics. The successful candidate will join a dynamic academic environment, working on topics such as agricultural and food policy, food security, consumer economics, development economics, production economics, and trade - contributing to advancing international literature in agricultural economics and related fields. The research group collaborates both within and across disciplines, e.g. with experts in crop production, technology, animal health, and epidemiology. It consists of around 20 members, including PhD students, postdocs, senior researchers, a senior lecturer, and a professor, providing a stimulating and supportive setting for doctoral studies. Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/ The nexus between adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and technologies and household welfare of smallholder farmers Applied Economics Description: The research field is applied economics, focusing on agriculture and food. This PhD project will analyse the nexus between technology adoption and household welfare of smallholder farmers in Ghana (sub-Saharan Africa) and Vietnam (Southeast Asia). The study will emphasize adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) strategies and technologies—such as climate-resilient crop varieties, precision agriculture, rainwater harvesting, intercropping, crop diversification, integrated pest management, and agroforestry—and their impacts on welfare indicators like food and nutritional security, income, inequality, multidimensional poverty, consumption, health expenditure, and productivity gaps. It will also explore smallholder resilience to biological, climatic and economic shocks and implications for food production and welfare.  As a PhD student in applied economics, you will pursue supervised research leading to a thesis and complete 90 credits of PhD coursework.  This position is part of a collaboration between researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, and Tay Nguyen University, Vietnam. The project seeks to improve farmers’ welfare and resilience to shocks in developing countries through empirical research. It also aims to generate scientific insights on innovation use to enhance food security, reduce poverty and inequality, and support socioeconomic development. It contributes to institutional capacity building for staff, researchers and students in the partner institutions. The PhD research will be carried out collaboratively, with potential co-supervisors from the partner universities. Qualifications: Applicants must meet the basic eligibility requirements for third-cycle studies in applied economics. Candidates must demonstrate knowledge of research methods in applied or agricultural and food economics, as well as strong quantitative and statistical skills. Proficiency in English and excellent communication abilities are required. Motivation, initiative, and the capacity to work effectively in a team are essential. Prior experience with econometric software (e.g., Stata, R) and field surveys in developing countries will be considered an asset. Personal merits will play an important role in the selection process. Place of work:       Uppsala Forms for funding or employment: PhD employment (4 years) Starting date: According to agreement. Application: Click the “Apply” button to submit your application. The deadline is 31/10/2025. To qualify for third-cycle (Doctoral) courses and study programmes, you must have a second-cycle (Master’s) qualification. Alternatively, you must have conducted a minimum of four years of full-time study, of which a minimum of one year at second-cycle level. Applicants will be selected based on their written application and CV, degree project, copies of their degree certificate and transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution, two personal references, and knowledge of English. More information about the English language requirements can be found here: https://www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/application-admission-doctoral-studies/ Please note that applicants invited to interview must submit attested copies of their degree certificate, or equivalent, a transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution. Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport’s information page containing their photograph and personal details. Read about the PhD education at SLU at https://www.slu.se/en/study/programmes-courses/doctoral-education/ Academic union representatives: https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/