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The Climate Food and Farming Research Network (CLIFF) is an international research network that links researchers and doctoral students working on climate change mitigation in small-scale farming and food systems, particularly through the Standard Assessment of Mitigation Potential and Livelihoods in Smallholder Systems (SAMPLES) project. The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) launched CLIFF in 2011 in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Ecology, University of Copenhagen and the Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University. For more information, please contact Meryl Richards.

CLIFF student Marcia de Melo Carvalho is investigating the impact of wood-biochar on N2O fluxes in aerobic rice systems in Nova Xavantina, MT, Brazil. Photo: Laissa Gabriele Vieira Gonçalves
2015 CLIFF Recipients
CCAFS is pleased to announce the 2014-2015 CLIFF grant recipients. Read more about the launch of this year's cohort in March, held in Montpellier to allow students to attend the Global Science Conference on Climate Smart Agriculture.
Name | University of Enrollment | Host center | Host country |
Theodora Achieng | Kenya | ILRI/CIFOR | Kenya |
Carolina Alvarez | Argentina | CATIE | Costa Rica |
Geeta Bhatrai Bastakoti | Thailand | IRRI | Philippines |
Madhu Choudhary | India | CIMMYT | India |
Sandra Durango | Colombia | CIAT | Colombia |
Alice Onyango | Kenya | ILRI/CIFOR | Kenya |
Pardeep Sagwal | India | CIMMYT | India |
Tan Yuechen | China | CIMMYT | UK |
cLIFF 2015 grant recipients with COLLABORATING scientists and Aarhus and CCAFS partners. (Photo: T Kandel, Aarhus)
Publications and blogs
Please remember that all publications should acknowledge CCAFS, with the following statement: This work was undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), which is a strategic partnership of CGIAR and Future Earth. This research was carried out with funding by the European Union (EU) and with technical support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The views expressed in the document cannot be taken to reflect the official opinions of CGIAR, Future Earth, or donors.
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Arias-Navarro C, Díaz-Pinés E, Kieseb R, Rosenstock TS, Rufino MC, Stern D, Neufeldt H, Verchot LV, Butterbach-Bahl K. 2013. Gas pooling: a sampling technique to overcome spatial heterogeneity of soil carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide fluxes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 67: 20–23.
Carvalho MTM, Madari BE, Leal WGO, Costa AR, Machado PLOA, Silveira PM, Moreira JAA, Heinemann AB. 2013. Nitrogen fluxes from irrigated common‑bean as affected by mulching and mineral fertilization. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 48(5): 478-486.
Ding L, Wang C, Lu Q, Yan Z, Shi Z. 2013. Effects of Configuration and Head Space Wind Profile on the Performances of Flux Chambers in Gas Emission Measurement: A Laboratory Study. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Paper Number 131619989. Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
Guarnacci, U. 2012 Governance for sustainable reconstruction after disasters: Lessons from Nias, Indonesia. Environmental Development 2:73-85.
Kansiime KM, Shisanya AC, Wambugu KS. 2014. Effectiveness of technological options for minimising production risks under variable climateic conditions in eastern Uganda. African Crop Science Journal 22s4: 859-974.
Kansiime MK, Wambugu SK, Shisanya CA. 2013. Perceived and actual rainfall trends and variability in Eastern Uganda: implications for community preparedness and response. Journal of Natural Sciences Research 3(8).
Mujuru L, Gotora T, Velthorst EJ, Nyamangara J, Hoosbeek MR. 2013. Soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration over an age sequence of Pinus patula plantations in Zimbabwean Eastern Highlands. Forest Ecology and Management, 313, 254–265.
Mujuru L, Mureva A, Velthorst, EJ, Hoosbeek MR. 2013. Land use and management effects on soil organic matter fractions in Rhodic Ferralsols and Haplic Arenosols in Bindura and Shamva districts of Zimbabwe. Geoderma, 209-210, 262–272.
Nyamadzawo G, Shi Y, Chirinda N, Oleson J, Mapanda F, Wuta M, Wu W, Meng F, Oelofse M, de Neergaard A, Smith J. 2014. Combining organic and inorganic nitrogen fertilisation reduces N2O emissions from cereal crops: a comparative analysis of China and Zimbabwe. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change.
Nyamadzawo G, Wuta M, Chirinda N, Smith JL. 2013. An estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from seasonal wetland (dambo) rice in Chiota smallholder farming area of Zimbabwe. Atmospheric Climate Sciences. 3:13-20.
Nyamazawo G, Wuta M, Nyamangara J, Nyamugafata P, Chirinda N. 2014. Optimizing dambo (seasonal wetland) cultivation for climate change adaptation and sustainable crop production in the smallholder farming areas of Zimbabwe. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability.
Nyamazawo G, Wuta M, Nyamangara J, Smith JL, Rees RM. 2014. Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from cultivated seasonal wetland (dambo) soils with inorganic, organic and integrated nutrient management. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems.
Nyamadzawo G, Wuta M, Nyamangara J,Rees R, Smith J. 2014. The effects of catena positions on greenhouse gas emissions along a seasonal wetland (dambo) transect in tropical Zimbabwe. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science.
Vu QD, Neergaard A, Tran TD, Hoang HTT, Vu VTK, Jensen LS. 2014. Greenhouse gas emissions from passive composting of manure and digestate with crop residuesbiochar on small-scale livestock farms in Vietnam. Environmental Technology.
Yusuf H. 2013. Managing semi-arid rangelands for carbon storage: Grazing and wood encroachment effects on soil carbon and nitrogen. (submitted)
2013-2014 grant recipients
This year's recipients will spend 3-4 months at CGIAR centers, working with scientists affiliated with the Standard Assessment of Mitigation Potential and Livelihoods in Smallholder Systems (SAMPLES) project, where they will learn research principles and methods applicable to their own PhD research.
Name | PhD research topic | University of enrollment | Country of PhD study | CGIAR host institution |
Ana Lucía Cadena González de Thiele | Potentials of native plant species in agroforestry systems for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the improvement of local environment and communitites | University of Münster, Germany | Colombia | CIAT, Colombia |
Taiwo Bintu Ayinde |
Economics of sustainable crop intensification in smallholder agriculture in northern Nigeria | Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria | Nigeria | CIFOR, Kenya |
Brijesh Kumar | Effect of conservation agriculture practices on soil characteristics, crop yield, physiological response and nutritional quality of grain | Jiwaji University, India | India | CIMMYT, India |
Frederick M. Wandera | Soil carbon sequestration potentials of semi-arid soils at the CCAFS site in Wote, Makueni County | University of Eldoret | Kenya | ILRI, Kenya |
Ibrahim Wanyama | Assessing mitigation options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture at plot, farm and landscape level in the CCAFS Rakai block, Uganda | University of Freiburg, Germany | Uganda | ILRI, Kenya |
Jorge Elías Chalco Vera | GHG emissions from sugarcane cultivation in Tucumán, Argentina |
INTA Famaillá Experimental Station, Argentina | Argentina | CIFOR, Kenya |
Ram Dhan Jat | Precision-conservation agriculture-based practices for resource use efficiency and carbon footprints in maize-wheat cropping system | CCS Haryana Agricultural University, India | India | CIMMYT, India |
Syed Faiz-ul Islam | Reduced emissions from intensified rice production systems | Wageningen University, Netherlands / Copenhagen University, Denmark | Vietnam | IRRI, Philippines |
Zipporah Musyimi | Assessing the climatic forcings of land management options practiced by pastoralists of the African dry lands: case of Burkina Faso | Trier University, Germany | Burkina Faso | ICRAF, Kenya |
Eight grant winners kicked off 2013-2014 CLIFF activities with an orientation workshop 1-4 December 2013 at Aarhus University-Foulum in Denmark (located between Tjele and Viborg). At the workshop, the grantees presented their proposed PhD research for critique. View their research proposals below.

CLIFF 2013-2014 grant recipients with CCAFS and Aarhus partners at Aarhus, Denmark.
2012-2013 grant recipients
Applicants name | Title of proposal | University of enrollment | Country of research |
Aaron Hoyt Joslin | Estimating greenhouse gas fluxes in an improved-fallow agroforestry system in the Eastern Amazon of Brazil | University of Georgia | Brazil |
Bernardo del Campo | Assessing the potential of biochar to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and increase agricultural productivity in rural Nicaragua | Iowa State University | Nicaragua |
Cristina Arias-Navarro | Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manure management in the lower Nyando watershed, Kenya | Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg | Kenya |
Elizabeth Adobi Okwuosa | Landscape management impacts on soil organic and carbon, gas fluxes in smallholder farms in Kenya dry land soils | University of Nairobi | Kenya |
Hasan Yusuf Mohammed | Carbon sequestration potential of Semi-arid rangelands of Southern Ethiopia: estimating above -and below-ground carbon stock | Hohenheim University | Ethiopia |
Lizzie Mujuru | The potential of soil carbon sequestration in sandy and clayey soils of Zimbabwe | Wageningen University | Zimbabwe |
Lu Yu Ding | Field quantification of ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions from a typical small dairy farm in China | China Agricultural University | China |
Niharika Rahman | Environmental efficiencies and controversies: yield intensification in smallholders oil palm production systems of South-East Asia | University of Copenhagen | Indonesia |
VuDuong Quynh | The effect of the different organic inputs on green-house gas emissions and soil’s fertility on paddy rice field of small scale livestock farm in Vietnam | University of Copenhagen | Vietnam |
William KoblaHeve | Spatial distribution of soil C storage on smallholder farms in Northern Ghana | University of Ghana | Ghana |
2012-2013 CLIFF Grant recipients at kickoff workshop, Photo: t rosenstock
2011-2012 grant recipients
Applicants name | Title of proposal | University of enrollment | Country of research |
George Nyamawadzo | Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Cultivated Dambos of Central Zimbabwe | University of Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe |
B Soundharajan | Mitigation of GHG from rice fields - through water management in India | Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India | India |
Marcia de Melo Carvalho | Towards sustainable production of aerobic rice in Brazilian savannas: investigating the potential of biochar as a soil amendment | Wageningen, Netherlands | Brazil |
Monica Kansiime | Impact and Effectiveness of Technological and Management Options for Averting Agricultural Production Risk under Variable and Changing Climatic Conditions in Eastern Uganda | Kenyatta University, Nairobi | Kenya |
Salome Muriuki | Potential of biogas technology to mitigate climate change and improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kiambu County, Kenya | Kenyatta University, Nairobi | Kenya |
Sheryl Quail | Finding Balance in the Opportunity Costs of Forest Carbon Conservation, Sustainable Agriculture and Global Warming Potentials: Ecosystem Tradeoffs and Spatially Explicit Scenario Modeling of Agricultural Intensification at Two REDD Pilot Projects in Tanzania | University of Florida | Tanzania |
Ugo Guarnacci | Organic Cocoa Agroforestry in Post-tsunami Indonesia: Potentials for Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience | University of Reading | Indonesia |
Yuefeng Shi | Greenhouse Gases Emission in the High Yield Region of the North China Plain | China Agricultural University, Beijing | China |
Calls
The call for applications is now closed.
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