Contact Dr Cynthia Olumba
Background
Dr Cynthia holds a PhD in Agriculture, Food Systems, and Rural Development from Newcastle University and an MSc in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture (with Distinction) from the University of Exeter. She earned her first degree in Agricultural Economics and Farm Management with First Class Honours from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. After completing her PhD, she joined Cranfield University in 2024 as a Research Fellow in Nature Based Solutions to Land degradation in East Africa. Prior to her position at Cranfield, she served as a Teaching Assistant and Module Leader for various undergraduate and postgraduate programs, teaching diverse student groups in both developed (Newcastle University) and developing countries (University of Nigeria). She has an extensive publication record and has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences and meetings across Africa, Europe, and America. Dr Cynthia is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Research opportunities
Cynthia’s research focuses on sustainable land and forest management, climate change adaptation and mitigation, gender equality, sustainable food systems, and food security. Other fundamental research interests include sustainable water resource management, renewable energy and green technology. Her work is grounded in several philosophical paradigms, such as post-positivism, constructivism, and critical realism. She is proficient in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, as well as innovative transdisciplinary research approaches designed to address urgent societal and environmental issues. Her work predominantly focuses on the Sub-Saharan African region, particularly West and East Africa.
Current activities
Cynthia is a Research Fellow in Nature-Based Solutions to Land Degradation in East Africa, contributing to a multi-institution and interdisciplinary NERC-funded project called REAL NbS - Resilience in Eastern Africa Land: Nature-Based Solutions. The project aims to enhance the climate resilience of agro-pastoralist and farming communities in East Africa by co-developing and testing equitable Nature-Based Solutions for land degradation, assessing their feasibility and scalability, and exploring evidence-based pathways to support stakeholders' implementation of these solutions.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Olumba CC & Olumba CN. (2025). Gendered livelihoods and the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices in Nigeria. Gender, Place & Culture, 32(1)
- Olumba CN, Garrod G & Areal F. (2025). Investigating the Constraints and Mitigation Strategies for the Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices in Erosion-prone Areas of Southeast Nigeria. Environmental Management, 75(6)
- Olumba CN & Olumba CC. (2025). Enhancing the Adoption Intensity of Sustainable Land Management Practices in Southeast Nigeria: The Role of Education and Mediating Factors of Trust and Belief. Sustainable Development
- Olumba CN, Ihemezie EJ & Olumba CC. (2024). Climate change perception, adaptation strategies, and constraints amongst urban farmers in Anambra Metropolis, Nigeria. Climate and Development, 16(4)
- Olumba CN, Garrod G & Areal FJ. (2024). Time Preferences, Land Tenure Security, and the Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices in Southeast Nigeria. Sustainability, 16(5)
- Olumba CN, Garrod G & Areal F. (2024). Analysis of the enabling environment for delivering land degradation neutrality in Nigeria: perspectives from the sub-national to local level. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- Olumba CC, Olumba CN & Okpara U. (2023). Household headship, resource ownership and food security: New evidence from Southeast Nigerian cities. Scientific African, 22
- Olumba CC, Olumba CN & Alimba JO. (2021). Constraints to urban agriculture in southeast Nigeria. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 8(1)
- Eberechukwu JI, Cynthia NO & Amaka PN. Drivers and socioeconomic factors influencing individual and household adaptation to climate change: A case study of residents of Leeds, UK. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 10(9)
- onunka CN. HOUSEHOLD LEVEL ANALYSIS OF FOOD INSECURITY AND COPING STRATEGIES: EVIDENCE FROM ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA.. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 5(6)
- Olumba CC & Onunka CN. Banana and plantain in West Africa: Production and marketing. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 20(02)