Post-Hurricane Damage and Recovery: A Remote Assessment of Agricultural Resilience in the Caribbean

Applications are invited for a 3.5-year PhD studentship on ‘Post-Hurricane Damage and Recovery: A remote assessment of agricultural resilience in the Caribbean’. 

Project Background

Hurricanes cause widespread damage to agriculture, resulting in vegetation loss and decreased productivity. The Caribbean region, specifically, is affected by three major hurricanes (on average) each year with island nations identified as particularly vulnerable. Importantly, while the immediate impact of hurricanes on agriculture can be detrimental to short-term production, the long-term impact on agricultural systems is less certain. Coupled with this, it is likely that the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes (associated with climate change) may affect recovery in the long-term. This project will address this knowledge gap by assessing the impact of hurricanes on agriculture in the Caribbean, 2010-2020.

The purpose of this research is to conduct a regional assessment of all hurricanes that made landfall in the Caribbean, 2010-2020, to determine the overall impact of hurricanes on agriculture and the factors that contribute to agricultural loss. Utilising satellite imagery, a standardised methodology will be developed that will enable the short-term damage and long-term recovery of agricultural land to be identified, as well as compare hurricane events and farming systems. The findings of this research will drive innovations in resilience by determining disaster-resilient farming systems that are able to withstand and recover from future events. 

Training

The candidate will be part of the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience within Coventry University. As part of your professional development, you will complete research specific training with supervisors and as part of the University doctoral programme. This will include key methodological skills. 

Person Specification

We are looking for a candidate with a minimum 2:1 (and minimum 60% project mark) in Geography/GIS/Remote Sensing or a related discipline. While training will be provided, candidates should have prior experience of satellite image processing including remotely sensed datasets and methods. Knowledge and experience in programming and the development of processing scripts would also be advantageous. 

Supervisory Team

DoS: Dr Charley Hill-Butler

Co-Supervisors: Dr Matthew Blackett and Dr Georges Félix

If you wish to discuss this project further, please contact Dr Charley Hill-Butler, [email protected] .