Flora Hajdu

Flora Hajdu is a Professor and Chair of Rural Development in the Global South at the Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). She leads research projects on rural livelihoods, cash transfers, and carbon forestry in Southern and Eastern Africa, as well as Sweden. Her work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing participatory research and policy engagement.

Education:

• MSc in Human Geography (Uppsala University, 2000)
• PhD in Water and Environmental Studies (Linköping University, 2006)
• Postdoctoral research at Oxford University (2007–2009) and Brunel University (2009–2010)

Research Interests: Dr. Hajdu focuses on rural livelihood dynamics, socio-economic inequities, and the impact of policies on marginalized communities. She explores themes such as cash transfer programs, carbon forestry projects, and discourses shaping rural development. Her interdisciplinary approach incorporates political ecology, discourse analysis, and mixed-methods fieldwork in regions like South Africa, Malawi, Lesotho, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Key Projects:

• "Carbon Guide" web-based tool for assessing social dimensions of tree planting in low-income countries (Formas-funded)
• Analysis of Swedish carbon offsetting discourses and local impacts in African communities
• Long-term study on cash transfers' effects on South African rural livelihoods
• Exploration of generational relations and youth poverty in Lesotho and Malawi

Publications & Outreach: Over 30 peer-reviewed articles and policy briefs, including work on net-zero myths and carbon offsetting. Actively disseminates findings through workshops, media engagement, and popular science publications.

Collaborations: Partnerships with researchers at Makerere University (Uganda), University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), and UK institutions like Brunel and Dundee Universities. Supervised 5 PhD completions and currently advises Stanislaus Butungo.