Asia Khamzina can be called a happy new Junior Professor now, after receiving the prize by the Robert Bosch Foundation at an official ceremony in Berlin on March 6 2009. The Junior Professorship for "Sustainable Use of Natural Resources" is awarded annually by the Robert Bosch Foundation since 2007. Ms. Khamzina is therewith the second prize holder. The selection procedure is chaired by Klaus Töpfer, former Director of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

is the theme of World Water Day 2009. Research on water management, including transboundary issues, is also at the core of ZEF's research activities. ZEF has expertise on water related topics such as Water use in Uzbekistan, Water policies and water use in the West African Volta Basin, as well as Water resource policies in India and in Vietnam.

Cooperation between science and extension organisations such as the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) is a win-win situation. This is one of the conclusions of the first ZEF-GTZ-seminar on „Science for Development“, which was held on February 12 at the GTZ headquarters in Eschborn. This seminar was the first of a series of exchange rounds titled “Science for Development” and featured on the topic of renewable energies.

Read the latest ZEF news of March 2009 and learn more about: The impact of the demand for biofuels on food prices, China's balancing act between economic growth and environmental policy and doing field research in Uzbekistan. The issue also includes an interview with Pavan Sukhdev, the study leader of "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity" (TEEB) - in which ZEF is involved. Order a printed copy in German or English now!

Iskandar Abdullaev (Senior Researcher in the ZEF/UNESCO Uzbekistan project) and Ahmad Manschadi (Project coordinator of the ZEF/UNESCO project) are going to participate in the in 5th World Water Forum 2009 "Bridging Divides for Water". The 5th World Water Forum will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 16 to 22 March 2009.

Accra, January 19 2009. The first batch of students started doctoral courses in the Program for Development Studies of the new Ghanaian-German Centre for Development Studies and Health Research in Accra, Ghana. The Program for Development Studies was set up jointly by ZEF and the Institute for Statistical and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana, Legon.

How do Afghan people survive between reconstruction measures and the resurrection of the Taliban movement? Why do so many development policies fail when implemented at the local level? These are key questions tackled by researchers during the international symposium "Beyond the State - Local politics in Afghanistan", taking place at the Center for Development Research (ZEF) in Bonn from February 26-28 2009.

ZEF is collaborating with "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity" study, led by Pavan Sukhdev. In this context ZEF hosted a meeting for a group of 30 leading international scientists contributing to the scientific part of the study, led by Pushpam Kumar from January 12-14, 2009.

led by Pavan Sukhdev. From January 12-14, 2009 ZEF is hosting a meeting for a group of international scientists contributing to the scientific part of the study, led by Pushpam Kumar. 30 leading scientists in the fields of environmental and ecological economics and ecology will come together to discuss the study...