Janina Smaoui

Janina Smaoui is a Research Fellow (Visiting Fellow) at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, affiliated with the Faculty of Science's Environmental Policy Analysis department. She holds an MSc in Environment and Resource Management from VU Amsterdam and a degree in International Relations from the University of Erfurt. Her thesis examined governance frameworks for saline agriculture initiatives in Asia.

Her research specializes in environmental policy, food security, saline agriculture, and biodiversity governance, with a regional focus on climate-vulnerable areas in Africa and Asia. She leads projects addressing salinity adaptation and sustainable land use.

Publications emphasize saline agriculture solutions, African soil salinization challenges, and policy-driven approaches to climate resilience. Trends include interdisciplinary analyses of environmental governance, sustainability transitions, and food systems adaptation.

Active Projects:

• SUSTAIN: COST Action - Sustainable use of salt-affected lands (2023–2025)
• SALAD: Saline Agriculture for Adaptation (2021–2025)