2 MSC CALL FOR APPLICATION -ASSESSING SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCKS AND FLUXES UNDER HOLISTIC PLANNED AND TRADITIONAL GRAZING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN RANGELANDS OF KENYA (SMARTGRAZE)

SMARTGRAZE is funded through the RUFORUM GRA Graduate Research Grants. The project seeks to investigate the impacts of holistic planned grazing (HPG) on carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrious oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions, soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil properties, biomass production, diversity and nutritional quality, and livestock forage preferences in a semi-arid rangeland of Kajiado County, Kenya. Data will be collected from plots under HPG system and traditional grazing during the wet and dry seasons. GHG emissions will be measured using static chambers, while vegetation and soil will be sampled and analysed to determine SOC, herbage biomass and nutritional quality. GIS will be used in the integration of biomass carbon, soil carbon and carbon stock mapping. Roth-C carbon model will be used to model soil carbon dynamics. The findings provide evidence on the pros and cons of the HPG system as a climate change mitigation and adaptation strategy in the semi-arid rangelands.

The following MSc topics are on offer:

1. Determination of carbon stock, selected soil properties, CO2, N2O and CH4 emissions under holistic planned grazing and traditional grazing systems in the semi-arid rangelands of Kajiado County of Kenya

2. Analysis of the effects of holistic planned grazing management on herbaceous biomass production, cover, diversity, nutritional quality and livestock forage selectivity and preferences in the rangelands of Kajiado

The Scholarship will cover MSc. Tuition fees, monthly stipend for two years and research costs.  

Application process

Please chose the research topic of interest and send your application to the undersigned. Application should: Letter of motivation related to the research topic you have chosen (1 page), Curriculum vitae; Summary of the undergraduate special project/field attachment report topic (1 page); Copy of relevant certificates & transcripts; Names and contact details of 2 referees. Please submit these documents by email in a single PDF file, best before 10th, November,2023.

Note: Successful applicants shall be required to immediately apply and join MSc. Dryland Resource Management and (or) MSc. Land Water Management offered at the Department of Land Resource & Agricultural Technology (LARMAT), UoN.

For more information, Contact: Prof. Richard Onwonga, SMARTGraze Project Principal Investigator, & Chairman LARMAT, UoN (Email: richard.onwonga@uonbi.ac.ke; Tel. +254725828254

Read more about SMARTGRAZE scholarship.