UR SAPHA

28/04/2026

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:
Join the Summer School on Transdisciplinary Methods for Studying Social-Ecological Systems and explore Livelihood and Biophysical Gains from Forest and Agroforestry Systems-Synergies and Trade-offs.
The program will be hosted at JKUAT in collaboration with leading international institutions and funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.
Set to begin, September 28th – October 2nd, 2026, this program will offer a unique platform to engage, learn, and collaborate across disciplines.
For more details on the application procedure, visit our website:
https://www.jkuat.ac.ke/.../Call-for-applications_Summer...

📢𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

Join the Summer School on Transdisciplinary Methods for Studying Social-Ecological Systems and explore Livelihood and Biophysical Gains from Forest and Agroforestry Systems-Synergies and Trade-offs.

The program will be hosted at JKUAT in collaboration with leading international institutions and funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.

Set to begin, September 28th – October 2nd, 2026, this program will offer a unique platform to engage, learn, and collaborate across disciplines.

For more details on the application procedure, visit our website:
https://www.jkuat.ac.ke/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Call-for-applications_Summer-School-_JKUAT_22.04.2026.pdf

16/01/2026

The wait is over 😊
You can relive the Livelihod Summer School 2025 video in the link below.

This reviews the scientific highlights, methodological exchanges, and key lessons learned from this international meeting dedicated to agro-pastoral systems, resilience, and transdisciplinary research.

👉 We invite you to watch, like, comment, and share the video, and then subscribe to the UR-SAPHA YouTube channel to follow our upcoming scientific publications and research activities.

The Livelihood Summer School 2025 funded by the Volkswagen Foundation in Germany was hosted from the 22th to the 26th of September 2025 at the University of ...

29/09/2025

🌟 Livelihood Summer School 2025 Farewell Dinner: A festive and memorable closing event! 🎉

The highlight of the five intense days of the Livelihood Summer School 2025 was undoubtedly the farewell dinner. This gala evening provided a dazzling finale, marked by conviviality and human warmth.Organizers, mentors, speakers, and participants gathered in an atmosphere overflowing with joy and good cheer.

The evening kicked off with a bang with a captivating performance of Fulani folk dances by a group of guest choreographers. This was followed by a delicious buffet offering a variety of African dishes, which delighted all the guests.

Once they had eaten their fill, the participants took to the dance floor to dance the night away!

This festive occasion was also an opportunity to pay tribute to the speakers and mentors, who were the driving force behind the success of this program. They were presented with gifts as a token of gratitude for their commitment and outstanding contribution.
The evening ended on a high note, with a lively dance floor where everyone expressed their joy and enthusiasm for this unforgettable experience.

This evening marks the beginning of promising future collaborations!

Stay tuned so you don't miss out on our next adventures!

27/09/2025

🌍 Livelihood Summer School 2025: A memorable closing ceremony! 🌟

On Friday, September 26, 2025, the Livelihood Summer School 2025 came to a successful close with the theme “Navigating Change in Agro-Pastoral Systems.” This first edition marks the beginning of a series of summer courses (2025-2027) dedicated to transdisciplinary methods for studying socio-ecological systems.

The day began with an inspiring presentation by Dr. Oumarou Ouedrago on the theme “Building an international profile and visibility.” He emphasized the importance of an online presence, particularly on LinkedIn, for seizing professional opportunities.

The ensuing discussions were rich in testimonials and practical advice for developing an effective digital profile.

Next came a convivial moment: the presentation of certificates. All participants and speakers were honored for their commitment. The participants were applauded for their enthusiasm throughout the five days, while the speakers were thanked for the quality of their presentations.

To conclude the program, each participant shared their impressions of the experience, highlighting the strengths and areas for improvement for future editions. Everyone agreed that this Summer School was a wonderful opportunity for learning, sharing, and networking.

Stay tuned for upcoming UR SAPHA activities!

26/09/2025

🌍 Livelihood Summer School 2025 – Highlights of Day 4 🌍

On Thursday, September 26, 2025, the fourth day of the Livelihood Summer School 2025 was marked by lively discussions, innovative ideas, and collaborative energy.

The day began with enthusiasm, as participants shared their impressions of the previous day's field activities. Between new knowledge and enriching interactions with local communities, everyone agreed that these experiences were a true source of learning and connection.

Immediately afterwards, Dr. John-Baptist S. Naah captivated the audience with his presentation entitled “Leveraging AI in Research: Enhancing Efficacy & Ethics.” This dynamic session highlighted the revolutionary potential of artificial intelligence while emphasizing the ethical responsibilities of researchers. The lively discussions that followed clarified the role of AI and its impact on high-impact research.

After a break, participants gathered in working groups to analyze the data collected in the field. These collaborative workshops, which began before lunch and continued into the afternoon, saw each group present its findings on a variety of topics.

The day ended with a captivating plenary discussion, where participants and facilitators exchanged views on the groups' findings. The collective energy gave rise to a rich dialogue, leaving everyone motivated and eager to continue the adventure.

Stay tuned for more!

24/09/2025

🌍 Livelihood Summer School 2025 – Highlights of Day 3 🌍
This day was devoted to fieldwork. After the sharing workshops and learning research methods, it was time to put them into practice in the field.

All participants were divided between two sites according to the interests of the groups they had formed. The different themes formulated by each group were as follows:

 Group 1: Perception of environmental and climate changes
 Group 2: Assessing innovation adoption and integration in the N'Dali Municipality in Benin using the Theory of Planned Behavior
 Group 3: Governance and benefit-sharing of resources in pastoralist communities

Groups 1 and 3 visited the Bokera site in the municipality of Tchaourou, and Group 2 visited Banhoun Gueou in the municipality of N'Dali.

This activity was lively and involved local communities in the areas visited. At the Bokera site, discussions took place with women and men from a predominantly pastoral Fulbe community.

At the same time, in Banhoun Gueou, discussions were held with farmers, herders, and women to understand the various interactions in their activities. Drone piloting was also practiced. In a friendly atmosphere, relevant data for understanding agro-pastoral systems was collected.
The following day will be devoted to reporting on this field visit.

Stay tuned for more!

23/09/2025

🌍 Livelihood Summer School 2025 – Highlights of Day 2 🌍

Today, September 23, 2025, the second day of our Summer School immersed all participants in the methods of research on agro-pastoral systems.

The day began with three introductory presentations:
✅Prof. Eva Schlecht presented the interactions between animals and their environment, as well as methods for studying them.
✅Prof. Nikolaus Schareika explored the social and ecological systems in which these interactions take place.
✅Prof. Andreas Bürkert addressed “Spatial variability in the ancient agro-pastoral landscapes of West Africa.”

This was followed by theoretical sessions on socio-ecological research methods, with presentations by Prof. Honorat EDJA and Dr. Oumarou Ouedrago, providing insights into socio-anthropological and agro-ecological approaches for research.

Between the coffee break and lunch, practical workshops allowed participants to gather in small groups according to their specialties and research interests to share techniques and tools. This was the highlight of the day!

The day ended with a session on drone mapping and livestock tracking, led by Prof. Andreas Bürkert, who shared his experiences and techniques, preparing participants for the fieldwork planned for the third day.

Stay tuned! Follow us for more updates!

22/09/2025

🌍 Livelihood Summer School 2025 – Day 1 Highlights 🌍

Monday, September 22, 2025, marks the start of five days of enriching discussions on the topic: “Navigating Change in Agro-Pastoral Systems.” The event kicked off at the Benin Metropole Hotel in Parakou with a welcome speech by Dr. Georges DJOHY, who welcomed representatives from partner universities (Stellenbosch University, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Universität Kassel, Jomo Kenyatta University- JKUAT, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ecole Nationale de Statistique, de Planification et de Démographie, VolkswagenStiftung and 20 participants from various countries in Africa and Europe.

This was followed by two keynotes introducing the agro-pastoral system in many dimensions. The first was presented by Dr. Eveline Sawadogo Compaoré from University of Joseph KI-ZERBO (Burkina Faso) on “Navigating change in agro-pastoral systems: the human and social dimensions of agro-pastoral systems.” The second presentation, given by Dr. Eméline Assedé from the University of Parakou (Benin), focuses on the biophysical and ecological dimension of agro-pastoral system.

An innovation fair then took place with the presentation of several local products developed by innovators from northern Benin in collaboration with researchers to improve food and nutritional security for young people, women, and children. Participants had the opportunity to discover seven (07) innovations developped.

After a short break, Dr. Robert Mbeche from JKUAT University (Kenya) led a theoretical session with a discussion on the core concepts in socio-ecological systems research.

The day ended with two presentations by Prof. Andreas Bürkert from the University of Kassel (Germany). The first, on “How to stand your ground as a young scientist in a highly competitive environment,” showed participants how to manage the challenges of competitiveness in research. The second presentation, entitled “Challenges for research and sustainable development in a highly contested region of a geopolitically changing world,” highlighted the difficulties of conducting research in a world undergoing constant change.

This first day set the stage for a promising Summer School full of knowledge sharing and practical skills’ acquisition in transdisciplinary research on agroecological systems.

Stay tuned for more updates on this page!

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22/09/2025

The Livelihood Summer School starts today!!

On this morning of September 22, 2025, UR SAPHA is launching this unique summer school dedicated to the study of African agropastoral systems at the University of Parakou.

It brings together 20 doctoral and postdoctoral students, as well as experts from different backgrounds, for five days of enriching discussions and workshops.

The following pages describe the main objectives of this learning springboard.
Follow us to stay up to date on what we learn each day.

19/09/2025

🎯Facing Today's Challenges with an Innovative Response!

🌍 Summer School on Livelihoods 2025: “Navigating Change in Agro-Pastoral Systems”🌍

From September 22 to 26, 2025, UR-SAPHA will host an international summer school dedicated to transdisciplinary research on socio-ecological systems.

African pastoral communities face major challenges: climate change, demographic pressure, limited access to resources, complex governance, and growing insecurity. This school brings together experts and young researchers to analyze these dynamics using a systemic approach.

Stay tuned for updates on this adventure, which promises to be enriching.