Lamlili Nadia
Professionnal title : PhD candidate
Main affiliation : UM6P France
Contact by mail
Forever on the move, in search of unexplored worlds
Presentation
Author and former journalist, I currently serve as Head of Social Innovation at UM6P France. I am pursuing a PhD in Development and Environmental Economics at Paris-Saclay University, within the framework of an action-research project to be conducted in Morocco. My doctoral research focuses on the intersection of gender dynamics and climate change adaptation in agricultural value chains in Africa.
In parallel, I am a member of the scientific committee and responsible for the organization of the Autumn School "Socio-Economic Strategies for Sustainable Development in Rural Africa." This event, jointly organized by the Graduate School of Economics & Management at the University of Paris-Saclay (along with its research units UMI-SOURCE and UMR PSAE) and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (including its College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and its Social Innovation Institute) with the support of « Agence Universitaire de la Francophone (AUF) » et OCP Foundation, will take place from October 27 to 31, 2025, at the Benguerir campus in Morocco. This Autumn School is a hands-on school, there will be an immersive work on real african case studies, fostering an interdisciplinary platform of exchange between researchers, PhD students, and professionals to stimulate innovation and strengthen the resilience of rural African territories.
I hold a Master’s degree in Geopolitics and Geo-economics of Emerging Africa, jointly awarded in 2023 by HEC Paris and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P). My master’s thesis explored the impact of agricultural training programs on women’s empowerment in West Africa, through a case study of an initiative launched by OCP Africa in Senegal to train women in agricultural processing and marketing. The program was evaluated using the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index for Market Inclusion (Pro-WEAI+MI), developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
Between 1997 and 2018, I held several senior editorial positions in the media sector in Morocco and France, most notably as Head of the Maghreb–Middle East section at Jeune Afrique magazine. In 2019, I published the novel "Une plume dans la plaie", which explores the challenges faced by a Moroccan newspaper under state censorship.
From 2020 to 2025, I served as Editorial Director of the think tank L’Afrique des Idées, which produces analyses and policy recommendations on major economic, political, and cultural issues affecting the African continent.
What I can bring to this network ?
As a researcher and practitioner at the intersection of development economics, gender studies, and climate resilience, I bring a cross-disciplinary perspective grounded in both field-based action-research and policy-oriented analysis. My current doctoral research explores gender dynamics and climate adaptation within agricultural value chains in Africa, with a particular focus on action-research in Morocco.
In addition, as a member of the scientific committee of the Automn PHD School "Socio-Economic Strategies for Sustainable Development in Rural Africa.", I can bring a transdiciplinary knowledge based on real case studies in Africa, especially in contexts marked by socio-environmental complexity. I also bring strong communication skills, honed through a long career in journalism and authorship, which allow me to effectively translate scientific insights into accessible narratives for decision-makers and local communities.
What I seek in this network ?
This community of practice represents an opportunity to deepen my understanding of systems science tools and models and to engage in meaningful collaboration with researchers, practitioners, and system thinkers working on the complex interconnections between agriculture, gender, water governance and indigenous knowledge.
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