For a fuller description of each of IWMIs Research Themes, please see the pages below.
Listed below are current priority research topics. On your application form please indicate the topic as shown below which relates to your proposed research.
Title: Health risk assessment for urban and peri-urban dwellers.
Location: Accra, Ghana
IWMI Theme: 3
Wastewater irrigation of vegetables has been associated with health risks for the urban population. The research question is how this risk compares to other risks urban dwellers are exposed to? The study should focus on diarrhea in different wealth and age groups considering major food- and water-related hazards and exposures. In an ideal case, the study should compare two cities, a less (Accra) and a more developed one (to be decided with academic supervisor).
Title: Strengthening river self-purification and related natural wetland functions
Location: Kumasi (Ghana) and Hyderabad (India)
IWMI Theme: 3 and 4
Streams highly contaminated with wastewater are leaving the cities of Hyderabad and Kumasi. The research question is which natural and man-made factors and processes contribute to which extent to the self-purification of the streams with increasing distance from the cities, and how could we enhance these processes at low costs on a shorter distance?
Title: Assessing and comparing informal and formal irrigation in SSA
Location: Accra, Ghana (partially Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
IWMI Theme: 1, 2, 3 and 4
Small-scale informal irrigation outside governmental or commercial irrigation schemes takes place along (peri-urban) streams, around small reservoirs, in inland valleys and where groundwater can be accessed. The research question is how investments in informal smallholder irrigation would compare to investments in formal irrigation schemes looking at overall productivity, livelihood support, economics, environmental impact, health risks, sustainability and other factors? A related question is to assess the actual extent of different types of informal irrigation in SSA based on literature, RS/Google Earth, etc.
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