The Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation programme has launched formally, following the approval of the Department for International Development. The ESPA programme, a partnership between the NERC, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and DFID, was established in 2007 but the past two years have seen the development of the concept of the programme. Today, the three funders announced that funding had been agreed. The project has been formally launched under the banner of the Living With Environmental Change partnership.

Funding for the ESPA programme will total £40.5 million, combining £27 million of DFID’s development research funding together with £13.5 million of UK Research Council funding. The ESPA programme will explore the sustainable management of ecosystems and how this can contribute to poverty alleviation in developing countries.

The first call for applications has opened: Funding Stream 1 is a one-off opportunity for shorter-term, innovative, conceptual development type projects submitted as a Programme Framework grant.
Funding Stream 2 has two submission opportunities: one to win catalyst funding through a Partnership & Project Development grant, in preparation for a second submission opportunity for a larger Research Consortium grant. Further details can be found at the NERC website. The closing date for submissions is 3 March 2010.

Source: Research for Development

The Department for International Development (DFID) is looking to employ a Senior Research Fellow to design and implement research initiatives under a proposed new strategy.

The Senior Research Fellows will provide scientific leadership for DFID’s research priorities and assist with DFID’s engagement with the science, academic and policy research communities in international development and across UK government.

Research scientists with a background in any of the following fields are welcome to apply:

• Growth: economic policy and performance; investment and innovation; firm behaviour; trade policy; financial development; infrastructure and growth; private sector development
• Sustainable agriculture: natural resources management; agricultural productivity, crop breeding technologies including biotechnology; agricultural markets; plant science; bio-fuels for developing countries
• Climate change: climate science; low carbon growth paths and technologies; carbon markets; carbon capture and storage; local level adaptation strategies; ecosystems
• Health and education: service delivery; health systems and financing; poverty and nutrition; drugs and vaccines for chronic and infectious diseases; maternal mortality; health and climate change; educational quality, access and results; education and growth
• Governance in challenging environments: conflict, state fragility and social cohesion; social exclusion and inequality; state-building; migration
• New and emerging technologies: nanotechnology; role of systems biology in development; rapid diagnostic devices; information and communications technology; advanced energy technologies for developing countries

Further job particulars will be available from the 1st September. To have the job particulars sent directly to you, please register your interest by sending your contact details to DFIDrecruitment8@dfid.gov.uk .Completed applications should be returned to DFIDrecruitment8@dfid.gov.uk by no later than 26 September 2008.

For further information about these opportunities please visit the DFID website.