Flavia Amayo

Flavia’s research engages with the complex intersections of environmental change, gender, and sustainable livelihoods in developing countries. Her research unravels structural and relational dimensions of gendered climate adaptation contributing to broader debates on equity, justice, and resilience in the context of global environmental change. Her specific interest areas are climate change adaptation, agriculture, women’s empowerment, feminist political ecology and food security. 

Flavia is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at IDD. Her research focuses on the gendered politics of adaptation decision-making in Uganda. Prior to her current role, Flavia completed a PhD in International Development at the University of Birmingham. Her Doctoral research explored the interconnection between the interaction of gendered institutions and gender relations and how these dynamics influence adaptation decisions of smallholder women farmers in Uganda. Flavia has held teaching positions in the Department of Development Studies at Makerere University, Uganda Martyrs University, and Kumi University. During her PhD studies, she served as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant in the School of Government and frequently delivered guest lectures to Gender and Development Masters students in the School of Government. Her academic work has been published in the Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development and by Uganda Martyrs University Press. Her work has also been presented at international conferences across Africa and Europe.

Flavia’s academic qualification reflects a steady and purposeful commitment to the field of development studies, shaped by both regional and international perspectives. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies from Uganda Christian University in 2009, where she built a strong foundation in development theory, social analysis, and community-oriented approaches. This early training grounded her interest in understanding the structural and human dimensions of development within African contexts. Building on this foundation, Flavia completed a Master of Arts in Development Studies at Uganda Martyrs University in 2013. At postgraduate level, she deepened her analytical and research skills, engaging more critically with issues of policy, inequality, and sustainable development. This period marked a transition from foundational knowledge to advanced inquiry, strengthening her capacity to link theory with practice in development work. In 2025, Flavia completed her PhD in the International Development Department at the University of Birmingham. Her research explored the interconnections between the interaction of gendered institutions and gender relations and how these dynamics influence adaptation decisions of smallholder women farmers in Uganda. Her doctoral training refined her expertise in international development debates, advanced research methodologies, and scholarly contribution.