Nature, Livelihoods, and Vector-Borne Diseases in Uganda: The Need for Interdisciplinarity

Nature, Livelihoods, and Vector-Borne Diseases in Uganda: The Need for Interdisciplinarity

Blog post by Maureen Nabatanzi, Junior Researcher in ZEF’s Research Group on Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (LAND). Our study investigates the role of biodiversity loss, land use changes, and climate change in the emergence of vector-borne zoonotic diseases in Uganda. The transmission cycles of these diseases involve wildlife, domestic animals, and humans, and they…

Mother Earth on Fire: Insights from the Bolivian Amazon

Mother Earth on Fire: Insights from the Bolivian Amazon

In 2024, we witnessed a concerning increase in wildfire activity worldwide. North and South America were among the regions hit hardest since wildfires were first recorded in 2003. Bolivia and Venezuela experienced their highest-ever carbon emissions caused by wildfires, and Brazil nearly reached its historical peak. Bolivia stood out among the many affected countries for…

NEPAL Part 3. Rethinking Inclusion: Development That Truly Reaches Those Farthest Behind

NEPAL Part 3. Rethinking Inclusion: Development That Truly Reaches Those Farthest Behind

In May 2025, a group of ZEF researchers paid a visit to Nepal within the framework of the Bonn Global Cooperation Fund (BGCF) project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW) of North Rhine-Westphalia. This blog post was written by ZEF senior researcher…

NEPAL part 2. From Survival to Displacement: Migration in Nepal’s Bajhang District

NEPAL part 2. From Survival to Displacement: Migration in Nepal’s Bajhang District

In May 2025, a group of ZEF researchers paid a visit to Nepal within the framework of the Bonn Global Cooperation Fund (BGCF) project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW) of North Rhine-Westphalia. This blog post was written by Amit Kumar, junior…

NEPAL part 1. Hidden in Plain Sight: Women’s Role in Nepal’s Agriculture

NEPAL part 1. Hidden in Plain Sight: Women’s Role in Nepal’s Agriculture

In May 2025, a group of ZEF researchers paid a visit to Nepal within the framework of the Bonn Global Cooperation Fund (BGCF) project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW) of North Rhine-Westphalia. In this first blog post, ZEF senior researcher Anindita…

Photo of La Sapienza University building in Rome

Job Shadowing in Sunny Italy: Spending One Week at the La Sapienza University in Rome

Blog post by ZEF-colleague Andreas Gohlke, who works with ZEF’s Cultural and Political Change research group (ZEF-CPC). From March 24 to 28, 2025, he spent a week shadowing the National PhD in Peace Studies doctoral program at La Sapienza University in Rome. This “job shadowing” opportunity at a European partner university was made possible by…

When nature is no longer sacred: the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests of Kenya
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When nature is no longer sacred: the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests of Kenya

Blog by Asrat Gella, project coordinator and senior researcher at ZEF. “I think I can smell smoke,” said one member of our research team as we entered into the sacred forests of Kaya Mudzimuvya. And she was right. Soon enough we stumbled upon what appeared to be an active charcoal making pit with logs burning…

UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh: Bolstering Land Actions for Climate, People, and Nature
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UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh: Bolstering Land Actions for Climate, People, and Nature

Blog by Sara Velander and Nady Mahmoud (Junior Researchers in the LANUSYNCON Project at ZEF) share their insights from UNCCD COP 16, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 2-13, 2024. 2024 was a landmark year for global environmental governance, marking a “triple COP year” with consecutive high-profile events: New York Climate Week (USA),…

Boy at Malecon Ciudad Bolivar enjoying the amazining view
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Beyond the Skyline: Collective Memory in Bogotá’s Largest Self-Constructed Settlement

Blog by Clement Roux, Eva Youkhana and Christian Petersheim Bogotá, November, 2024. During our research stay in Colombia’s capital we took the opportunity to visit the Museo de la ciudad autoconstruida (MCA), or the Museum of the Self-Constructed City, located in the district of Ciudad Bolivar. To get there, we took the gondola lift, which…

Combating Gender-Based Violence in rural Northern Ghana: Critical Insights into Pathways for Change
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Combating Gender-Based Violence in rural Northern Ghana: Critical Insights into Pathways for Change

Blog post by Tina Beuchelt, Constance Akurugu, Theresa Weise, Biihee Na Jaafar Natasung Pelpuo, Bushira Alhassan. Every year on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed worldwide from November 25 to December 10. This day highlights the ongoing struggle of women against gender-based violence. It serves as a…