Simon Manda is a Lecturer of International Development at the University of Leeds, UK. His research focuses on politics of global development, climate change and environment. Specifically, his research focuses on environment, and sustainability, including climate mitigation and adaptation (e.g., environmental conservation initiatives such as REDD+), social dimensions of climate change, including disaster recovery. He also has focused on agriculture expansions and implications for livelihoods and rural communities, including political economy of land. With a rural economy perspective and social anthropology, he asks questions about how and in what ways can rural response pathways be expanded amidst diverse development crises to reduced vulnerability. He has worked primarily on Zambia, but also has experience in Malawi, Tanzania and USA