International Water Management Institute Consultant - City-Region-Food Systems Vulnerability Advisor Jobs in Ghana

International Water Management Institute Consultant - City-Region-Food Systems Vulnerability Advisor Jobs in Ghana

International Water Management Institute (IWMI) seeks the services of a Consultant: City-Region-Food Systems Vulnerability Advisor for research project "CRFS and Climate change".

Project Background

At present, more than 50% of the world’s population is living in urban areas and it is estimated that by 2050 this figure will rise to nearly 70%, with most growth being in Asia and Africa (UNDESA, 2014).

Associated with this transformation has been a shift in our food supply from more localized to global systems (Jenning et al., 2015).

Already now, cities consume 75% of our natural resources, produce over 50% of global waste, and emit 60-80% of the global greenhouse gases (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2019).

Aside this direct contribution to climate change, cities and their growing number of inhabitants are also increasingly affected by climate change.

Key issues include rising temperatures, increasing rainfall, flooding and other extreme weather conditions, also affect entire food (supply) systems, as well as the management of food waste and human and environmental health.

Increasing food prices resulting from disruptions in production and transport directly impact consumers, especially the low-income groups in city regions that are highly dependent on purchased food.

The stability of food and natural resources supply, in terms of quantity and quality, needs to be ensured, while the economic, social and environmental sustainability of food systems have to be maintained and enhanced.

There is a need therefore to better understand and generate evidence on the impacts of climate change on food systems (incl. the related waste) and the most vulnerable populations in city region contexts, and how cities can be made more adaptive and resilient to such impacts.

Objectives of the Project

The main goal of the project is to improve livelihoods and food security of city region dwellers in a changing climate context, by building sustainable and climate-resilient city region food systems.

The work will support the FAO LoA with W. Laurier University/RUAF on the same subject in other cities.

Specifically, the project aims at: