狼友社区

Research in International Development at 狼友社区 addresses some of the most urgent and complex challenges facing people and environments across the Global South. Our work is interdisciplinary, applied and grounded in real-world issues, from climate resilience and sustainable agriculture to health, migration and governance. We aim to produce knowledge that is not only academically rigorous but also useful to communities, practitioners and policymakers.

Working in long-term partnership with local organisations, research institutes and global networks, we bring together social science, environmental science and development practice to shape more just and sustainable futures.

We examine how rural communities experience climate variability, environmental hazards and weather-related risks.

Our work supports locally led adaptation and decision-making, primarily through participatory tools that prioritise locally-led knowledge and solutions. We also study the politics of climate knowledge and the uneven impacts of climate-related displacement.

Our research examines how farming systems, land use, and food security are influenced by policies, market dynamics, and environmental change within the context of agri-food systems.

We work closely with smallholder communities to understand sustainable agricultural innovation, access to resources, and the gendered dynamics of food production and labour.

Over 50 years, plastic use in agriculture has boosted food security but created lasting pollution. This project evaluates its risks, explores prevention and seeks solutions for contaminated fields.

We take a critical and grounded approach to understanding how people engage with new technologies, extension systems and environmental interventions. This includes attention to local knowledge, the role of intermediaries, and the everyday negotiation of change.

Our research spans multiple global regions, including:

• Sub-Saharan Africa (e.g. Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Mozambique)
• Southeast and South Asia (e.g. Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, India)
• The Caribbean (e.g. Jamaica)
• The UK (e.g. Wales and Cornwall)

We work in close collaboration with universities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), government agencies, and international organisations, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Deutsche Gesellschaft f眉r Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.

Our methodological approach combines rigour with real-world relevance. We use:

• ethnography and community-based research
• participatory tools such as PICSA
• policy and institutional analysis
• mixed-methods evaluation
• co-production of knowledge with stakeholders.

Our research is shaped by long-term field engagement, ethical collaboration, and a commitment to valuing diverse forms of knowledge and expertise.

For further examples of the impact of our work, please visit the . 

We welcome collaboration with academic partners, non-governmental organisations, governments and international agencies. We also supervise postgraduate research on a wide range of international development topics.

To find out more or to discuss opportunities, please contact Dr Alex Arnall (Head of Department) or Ferdousi Rahman (Executive Support).

For the contact details of all staff members, please view our full staff list.