Credit: Shutterstock/Erich Karnberger Lead researchers: Michael Chohaney, Elisa Savelli, Naji Abou Khalil
Partner: Mercy Corps Europe
Duration: January 2026 – January 2027
Countries: Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen
The research aims to explore how these informal trade networks, involving food, fuel, livestock, and water, can either support climate adaptation or exacerbate insecurity, depending on governance quality, market structures, and local power dynamics. Using a comparative mixed-methods approach combining geospatial analysis, market data, and field-based qualitative research, the project aims to identify the conditions under which drought coping mechanisms stabilize livelihoods or fuel exclusion and conflict.
For more information regarding this research, contact [email protected]