Cornell Research

Expertise

Climate change adaptation in agriculture and food systems; agroecology; social dimensions of agriculture; gender in agrarian systems; addressing food security and nutrition in southern Africa; participatory research methods; feminist political ecology

Current Research Interest

Socioeconomic viability of agroecological practices across Africa; landscape-level impacts of agroecology on biodiversity and ecosystem; participatory climate change adaptation in Malawi, including forest regeneration; policies to support agroecology transitions in Malawi; social and ecological impacts of biodiversity in agriculture-synthesis study

Distinction

Coordinating Lead Author, “Chapter 5: Food, Fibre, and Other Ecosystem Products,” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, Working Group II Contribution to Assessment Report 6, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
Project Team Member, High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS)
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Early Achievement Award

Selected Publications

Bezner Kerr, Rachel, Sidney Madsen, Moritz Stüber, Jeffrey Liebert, Stephanie Enloe, Noélie Borghino, Phoebe Parros, Daniel Munyao Mutyambai, Marie Prudhon, and Alexander Wezel. “Can Agroecology Improve Food Security and Nutrition? A Review.” Global Food Security 29 (2021). 

Bezner Kerr, Rachel, Catherine Hickey, Esther Lupafya, and Laifolo Dakishoni. “Repairing Rifts or Reproducing Inequalities? Agroecology, Food Sovereignty, and Gender Justice in Malawi.” Journal of Peasant Studies 46, no. 7 (2019): 1499–1518.

Cornell Research Website Article

Farmer-Led Climate Action