Jordan Paul Blekking

Dr. Jordan Paul Blekking is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Global Development at Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His research examines human-environmental interactions and their impacts on livelihoods in Southern and Eastern Africa, with a focus on food systems, spatial analysis, and international agricultural development. He earned a Ph.D. in Geography (2022) and M.S. in Geography from Indiana University, a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Applications from Michigan State University, and an Associates of Arts from Kellogg Community College.

His work spans two primary areas: smallholder farmers' perceptions of environmental conditions influencing cropping decisions under rainfall variability, and urban food retail environment dynamics in growing African cities using high-resolution remote sensing. Publications highlight intersections of climate change, urbanization, and food security. Recent studies address agricultural cooperatives in Zambia and global food production challenges.

Career highlights include collaborative research across Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa, with funding through the Polson Institute for Global Development. While no explicit awards are documented, his scholarship contributes to understanding environmental sustainability in global development contexts. His professional background includes US Peace Corps service in Zambia from 2012-2015.