Discover the Doctoral Study Programme on Climate Change and Agriculture (DSP CC & Agric)

Training African leaders in climate and sustainable agriculture

Nos partenaires Our partners

Institutions et universités qui soutiennent le programme Institutions and universities backing the programme

Ils nous font confiance Trusted by
Le programme est financé par le BMFTR depuis 2012. 12 pays membres et un réseau scientifique panafricain. Encadrement avec des universités d’excellence. Bourses doctorales entièrement financées.
Funded by the BMFTR since 2012. 12 member countries and a pan-African research network. Supervision with leading universities. Fully funded PhD scholarships.

12 member countries

17 Graduate Programs

BMFTR funding

DSP CC & Agric at a glance

The Doctoral Study Programme on Climate Change and Agriculture (DSP CC & Agric), hosted at IPR/IFRA and implemented in partnership with USTTB, has been training top-level researchers in Climate Change and Agriculture since 2012. Integrated into a regional network of 12 countries, it benefits from international supervision and strong partnerships with leading scientific institutions.
Dr Amadou Coulibaly - Message from the Director

Message from the Director

Climate change is a daily reality for West Africa. Our programme trains researchers capable of thinking globally and acting locally, in order to build concrete and sustainable solutions for our territories.

Read full message

Why choose the DSP CC & Agric?

High-quality supervision

High-quality supervision

Scientific and pedagogical support provided by African and international experts.

Pan-African network

Pan-African network

A community of researchers from 12 countries and partnerships with Europe and America.

Opportunities & scholarships

Opportunities & scholarships

Full scholarships and complementary professional training.

Applied research

Applied research

Research addressing the real challenges of rural communities.

Key figures

0

Start year

42+

PhD students enrolled since creation

37+

Theses defended

20+

Partner institutions

Projets & thèses en action

Quelques exemples récents

Our doctoral training

A demanding curriculum, close supervision, and skills geared towards action.

A structured and progressive path

4 months of language preparation in Ghana and Togo, then 6 months of intensive courses at IPR/IFRA. Research continues in one of the member countries, with a scientific stay in Germany, before the defense in Mali.

High-level scientific supervision

Each student is guided by a committee bringing together national and international experts, ensuring personalized and rigorous support.

Skills for resilience

Methodology, modeling, GHG measurement, public policy and sustainable solutions for agriculture.

Programme structure and contents (overview)
  1. Scientific English and French (4 months, Ghana and Togo) — immersion and methodological foundations.
  2. Intensive courses (6 months, IPR/IFRA) — climate, agriculture, modeling, GHG.
  3. Topic validation — committee and thesis milestones.
  4. Research (member country, or Germany) — experiments, surveys, modeling.
  5. Scientific stay (Germany) — 3–6 months, reinforcement and co-publication.
  6. Defense (Mali) — submission, public defense, dissemination.
Discover the programme

12 WASCAL member countries

BeninBenin
Burkina FasoBurkina Faso
Cabo VerdeCabo Verde
Côte d’IvoireCôte d’Ivoire
GambiaGambia
GhanaGhana
MaliMali
NigerNiger
NigeriaNigeria
SenegalSenegal
TogoTogo
GuineaGuinea

Devenez acteur de la résilience climatique

Candidatures ouvertes du 1 juillet 2025 au 15 octobre 2025.

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Alumni voices

All testimonials
Dr. Awa Traoré
“The CC & Agric DSP has transformed my career. The resources, trainers, and scientific network are exceptional.”

Dr. Awa Traoré

Alumni — Cohort 2020

Our partners

An institutional and academic network supporting training and research.

Institutional & funders

WASCAL Headquarters BMBF – Ministère fédéral allemand de l’Éducation et de la Recherche IPR/IFRA USTTB WASCAL Competence Center Burkina Faso NetCDA

Universities & research centers

Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture ZALF – Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research Justus Liebig University Giessen University of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

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