Bio
Katarzyna Cieslik is an Assistant Professor in Global Development at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester, with a specialization in social and environmental sustainability transitions. Holding a Ph.D. in Economics and Management from the University of Brussels and a Master’s degree in International Development from the University of Amsterdam, her work explores the interplay between society, technology, and the environment within agrarian contexts for sustainable development. Her notable contributions include research on community-based social enterprises in rural Burundi and a study on the role of digital platforms in addressing agricultural mechanization challenges in Ghana, highlighting the impact of gender-based barriers. Cieslik’s academic journey is further distinguished by her tenure as a Cambridge Philomathia Social Science Fellow at the University of Cambridge. As an ICDE fellow, Katarzyna is examining the role of digital platforms in enabling women farmers in Ghana to access agricultural mechanization, particularly tractors, as a solution to collective action challenges. Her research, conducted in collaboration with the University of Ghana and Wageningen University, explores how these platforms might help overcome the gender-based barriers that contribute to the inefficacy of government-led shared tractor ownership schemes.
pronouns: she/her/hers