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Alan Dixon

Professor of Sustainable Development, University of Worcester
Alan is an interdisciplinary geographer and human ecologist with research interests in sustainable development and social-ecological systems, especially in the global south. Much of Alan's work has focused on the importance of wetland environments at the community level, where he has explored how local knowledge, social capital, nature-based solutions and common property resource institutions contribute to sustainable management strategies that produce win-win outcomes for both local peoples’ livelihoods and wetland ecosystem services.

Alan has been involved in various participatory action research and consultancy projects, ranging from ESRC-funded research examining the role of local institutional arrangements in wetland management in Ethiopia, to work undertaken for the FAO that led to the development of global Guidelines for Wetland-Agriculture Interactions. He has worked with the NGO Self Help Africa in Malawi and Zambia to develop and disseminate a climate-resilient ‘Functional Landscape Approach’ for wetland and catchment management, and in Malawi he works with sustainable agriculture NGO Tiyeni. As well as informing wetland policy-making and management practice, this work has contributed to food security and built sustainable and resilient livelihoods in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Alan has co-authored two editions of ‘Africa: Diversity and Development’, which has become a key text in geography, international development, and African studies courses around the world. He also co-authored the Routledge book ‘Wetland Management and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa,' which sets out a new agenda for wetland management in the 21st century.

Malawi farming experiment shows how simple changes can boost maize yields and improve soil

Jun 13, 2024 06:10 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Malawis increasingly unpredictable rainfall and higher than usual temperatures are causing problems for smallholder farmers. Soil erosion has increased, causing soil fertility and water availability to decline. Crops often...

Economy

Bessent Urges G7 to Strengthen Iran Sanctions Amid U.S.-China Talks

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday that he plans to encourage G7 finance ministers to strengthen and maintain a coordinated sanctions regime aimed at cutting off funding tied to Irans military...

ECB’s Nagel Says Central Banks Can Do More to Support Markets Amid Inflation Concerns

Joachim Nagel, head of Germanys central bank, said on Monday that global central banks still have significant tools available to stabilize financial markets and restore investor confidence. Speaking ahead of a Group of...

Dollar Holds Strong as Iran Conflict and China Slowdown Shake Global Markets

The U.S. dollar eased slightly on Monday after posting strong gains last week, as investors continued to react to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and concerns over inflation. Despite the minor decline, the...

Global Companies Face $25 Billion Blow From U.S.-Israel Iran Conflict

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has already inflicted more than $25 billion in losses on companies worldwide, with costs expected to rise further as energy prices surge and supply chains remain disrupted. A...

Thailand Economy Grows 2.8% in Q1 2026, Beating Market Expectations

Thailands economy recorded stronger-than-expected growth in the first quarter of 2026, supported by higher government spending, rising investment, and solid export performance. Official data released Monday by the National...

Politics

Rick Fox Appointed to Bahamian Senate After Election Loss

Former NBA champion Rick Fox has officially joined the Bahamian Senate after being appointed by the opposition Free National Movement (FNM). The announcement came shortly after Fox failed in his campaign to secure a seat...

Trump-Backed “Rededicate 250” Event Sparks Debate Over Religion and Politics in America

A major faith-based event supported by the Trump administration drew thousands of attendees on Sunday, celebrating Americas religious heritage while also triggering criticism over church-state separation and lack of...

Samsung Faces Major Strike Threat as Union Restarts Pay Talks

Samsung Electronics and its South Korean labor union resumed government-mediated wage negotiations on Monday in an effort to prevent a large-scale strike that could disrupt the global semiconductor supply chain. The...

G7 Finance Ministers Meet in Paris Amid Global Trade and Economic Tensions

Finance ministers from the G7 nations gathered in Paris on Monday to address rising global economic tensions, supply chain risks, and critical mineral dependence as geopolitical divisions continue to challenge the groups...

Cuba Denies U.S. Drone Threat Claims Amid Rising Tensions

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has rejected accusations that Cuba is preparing military aggression against the United States, calling the allegations a fraudulent case designed to justify tougher economic sanctions...

Science

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

Anthropic to Brief Financial Stability Board on AI-Driven Cyber Risks

Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic is preparing to discuss potential cyber vulnerabilities in the global financial system linked to its latest AI model, Mythos, with members of the Financial Stability Board (FSB),...

TSMC Stake Sale Sends Vanguard Semiconductor Shares Lower

Shares of Vanguard International Semiconductor (TWO:5347) dropped sharply on Monday after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced plans to reduce its ownership stake in the chipmaker. Vanguard shares...

CXMT Forecasts Record Revenue Growth as Global DRAM Prices Surge

Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT), Chinas leading memory chip manufacturer, expects first-half revenue to climb between 110 billion yuan and 120 billion yuan ($17.62 billion), according to its updated IPO prospectus. The...

China vs U.S. AI Race Shifts Toward Robotics and Manufacturing Power in 2026

The global competition for artificial intelligence dominance is no longer driven solely by computing power and advanced chips. A new Alpine Macro report released on May 12, 2026, argues that industrial scale, manufacturing...

Samsung Union Talks Enter Final Stage as Strike Threat Looms

Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union are set to resume critical wage negotiations on Monday as both sides race to prevent a major strike that could disrupt South Koreas economy and global semiconductor supply...