AGRI-DRY

    Category: Blog

    • Tracing degradation patterns in Harbu: why preliminary field assessment matters

      Written by Wudu Abiye In January, I travelled to Ethiopia to carry out a preliminary field survey. The aim of this visit was to gain a deeper understanding of the landscape before starting full-scale data collection. For this trip, I selected Harbu, a district in the Amhara Region, as one of the main study areas…

    • Building palynological expertise: AGRI-DRY student gaining experience in South Africa

      Written by – Alexandra Vasilyeva Following the AGRI-DRY Summer School in November, I stayed in South Africa for a few weeks to learn about local pollen types. It was a busy month of laboratory work, with time also spent exploring the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom campus and the town. Exploring the NWU Campus, Potchefstroom. Photo credit:…

    • From archives to excavations: preparing for archaeological research at Ziwa

      Written by – Tawanda Mushweshwe On 7 January 2026, I visited the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) Headquarters in Harare as part of my preparations for the upcoming archaeological fieldwork at Ziwa National Monument, scheduled for early this year. During the visit, I met with the Deputy Executive Director of NMMZ, Mr Munyikwa.…

    • Joining an archaeological think tank for climate resilience in Sweden

      Written by – Sara Krubeck and Paidamoyo Chingono  In early January, the two of us, Sara and Paidamoyo, were invited as AGRI-DRY delegates to the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU, Uppsala) for a two-day workshop on another archaeological resilience research project called SAFAR: Surviving Aridification – A framework for ancient resilience. Our supervisors, Marco…

    • Exploring Ziwa: first encounters with a precolonial farming landscape

      Written by – Tawanda Mushweshwe On 3rd December 2025, I had my first visit to the Ziwa National Monument in the Nyanga Highlands. This was an orientation visit to help me understand the nature of the site, which will assist me in preparing for our fieldwork scheduled for early next year, provided the weather allows.…

    • PhD candidate Mncedisi Taala defends proposal in Botswana

      Last month, Doctoral Candidate 10, Mncedisi Taala, presented and defended his PhD proposal titled “How Can We Devise a More Sustainable Food Production System Building on Traditional Ecological Knowledge” to the History Department at the University of Botswana.The presentation forms part of the AGRI-DRY project’s ongoing effort to share its research with a wide range…

    • Unearthing stories from Castellaccio di Lentini

      Written by – Kayla Mac Conachie This September, I joined the excavation at Castellaccio di Lentini (Sicily) — an incredible experience uncovering traces of past communities while surrounded by olive trees, Mount Etna, and Sicilian sunsets. Mount Etna is around 70 km to the north of the excavation. From early mornings under golden skies to…

    • Research in motion – UPF PhDs share their summer stories

      Written by – Sara Scaglia & Sara Krubeck Summer didn’t mean slowing down for our UPF Doctoral Candidates. Between conferences, research visits, and new collaborations, Sara Scaglia and Sara Krubeck have plenty to share, both in their work and in the adventures that came with it. Read below to hear about their summer journeys and…

    • The ancient genius of drylands

      Written by – Mudit Joshi Drylands don’t often make headlines. They’re not lush like rainforests or dramatic like melting glaciers. But behind their cracked soils lies one of the most surprising biological stories. Drylands cover over 40% of the planet’s land surface, across six continents, and quietly support more than two billion people. Despite limited…

    • A week full of learnings: AGRI-DRY Summer School at the University of Salento

      Written by – Sara Krubeck A magnificent week (April 7 to 11, 2025) of field trips, scientific training, and lively discussions in southern Italy is over, and I’m excited to share with you our group experience! I am Sara Krubeck, archaeologist, archaeobotanist and currently a doctoral candidate in the international AGRI-DRY doctoral network. Together with…