Fariha Farjana defended her doctoral thesis on “Innovation adoption among smallholder farmers in Bangladesh and effects on agricultural production and dietary quality” Her doctoral degree was granted by the Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional and Engineering Sciences of the University of Bonn Her supervisor was Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim and her tutor Dr. Thanh-Tung Nguyen (ZEF ECON senior researcher) Fariha about her research: “Increased farm output and production diversity do not necessarily mean improved dietary quality for smallholders. While digital access can improve farm performance and diets, certain labor-demanding farming practices, i.e. rice-aquaculture and structural barriers, such as land fragmentation, may inadvertently erode income potential and nutritional gains”.      

Elza Samantha Elmira has successfully defended her doctoral thesis on “The nutrition transition in low- and middle-income countries: The role of socioeconomic factors, culture, and the food environment” Her doctoral degree was granted by the Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional and Engineering Sciences at the University of Bonn Her supervisor was Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim and her tutor: Dr. Bezawit Beyene Chichaibelu (ZEF senior researcher). Elza about her research: “Building strong and healthy human capital goes beyond providing a plate of food. It requires understanding how socioeconomic conditions, cultural norms, and the food environment interact within households, across communities, and over time to shape health and nutrition”.   

Chrispinus Mutsami successfully defended his doctoral thesis on Off-farm employment, gender, and nutrition in rural Africa. Chrispinus’ doctoral degree was granted by the Faculty of Agricultural, nutritional, and engineering sciences, University of Bonn. His supervisor was Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim and his work was tutored by Dr. Martin Parlasca.

Valentine Opanga, junior researcher with ZEF’s research group on Cultural and Political Change (ZEF CPC), defended her doctoral thesis on “The Political Ecology and Governance of Green spaces in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements” successfully today. She obtained her doctoral degree from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bonn. Her research was supervised by Professor Detlef Mueller-Mahn (Geography Department, Bonn University) and Professor Eva Youkhana (group leader ZEF CPC).

Gretchen Gonzaga (ZEF's research group on Cultural and Political Change, ZEF CPC) defended her doctoral thesis on “Post-Disaster Recovery in the Philippine Periphery: An Anthropological Approach to the Experiences of Sea-Oriented Indigenous Peoples”. Her doctoral degree was granted by the Faculty of Arts, Bonn University.  Gretchen’s supervisor was Prof. Christoph Antweiler, and her second reviewer was Prof. Kristina Großmann. Prof. Eva Youkhana (ZEF CPC) was head and Prof. Carmen Brandt a member of the examination committee. Gretchen's tutor was Dr. Dennis Lucy Aviles Irahola (associated ZEF senior researcher)

Ana Maria Perez Arredondo, ZEF researcher with ZEF’s Division on Ecology and Natural Resources Management (ECOL) defended her doctoral thesis titled “Holistic Health Approaches in Ghana. Essays on the evolution and institutionalization of the One Health concept, the social and environmental determinants of health, and the determinants of technological change” successfully on January 29, 2026. 

Philipo Jacob Mtweve (ZEF ECOL) obtained his doctoral degree from the Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional and Engineering Sciences of the University of Bonn on January 21, 2026. “The choice is not whether to build roads in Sub-Saharan Africa, but where and how. This endeavor is demanding evidence-based frameworks that integrate biodiversity conservation with rural development imperatives”, says Philipo about his doctoral research, which he concluded today with a successful defense. 

Fernando Rodriguez-Camayo (ZEF ECOL) defended his thesis on “Climate Resilience Actions and Coffee Households’ Food (In)security in Western Honduras” on January 19, 2026, at ZEF.