Photography | Amir Jina

I tend to take a lot of pictures. Now uploading photos to instagram, and I used to upload and write about them on flickr.

Below are some slideshows related to my research. Follow the links or click the images to see the slideshows. My photos are frequently used for reports and other publications by NGOs. I’m happy to share them, but please contact me first!

Hover over the pictures to read the descriptions.

Flooding Impacts in BangladeshIn 2012, I went to Bangladesh for a few months to research the impacts of flooding on peoples’ lives. Floods are beneficial in many ways – among other things, they can increase soil fertility by depositing nutrients – but there is also a large cost when floods overwhelm peoples’ capacity to adapt, costing them income or even their lives. By using satellites to detect floods, I’m looking at the longer-term or hidden effects that result from this natural disaster. Click to see more.

Disaster Risk Reduction in BangladeshIn 2009, I spent a few weeks in Bangladesh with the Red Cross / Red Crescent working on issues of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. I was lucky enough to visit a few Red Cross project sites that were supporting income generating activities in extremely vulnerable communities. It was at times harrowing, but it has affected my research ever since. Click to see more.

Climate adaptation in IndiaIn 2010, I started a project in rural Gujarat, India, to see how farmers were adapting their agricultural practices to climate variability. In this semi-arid part of India, the monsoon was traditionally the most important source of water for crop, but recently massive exploitation of groundwater has led to a boom for wealthier farmers even as the depletion of the groundwater could be leading to an environmental catastrophe. Click to see more.

Forest Transition in Puerto RicoLike many tropical countries, Puerto Rico has undergone extensive deforestation. This was largely due to agriculture and population expansion. However, as more people migrated to the United States and agriculture became less important for the economy, the forests started to recover. While working on a research paper about the drivers of both reforestation and deforestation on the island, I was able to visit Puerto Rico to understand some of those drivers first hand. Click to see more.

Community-based conservation in KenyaPart of a UNEP workshop on environmental sustainability and the role of Universities in Africa. While I was there I met with students representing about 25 different countries and got to see some interesting energy and conservation programmes in the areas surrounding Nairobi. Click to see more.

Salaam Balaak – Street Children in DelhiWhile not directly related to my own research (yet), I had a chance to have a brief visit with an NGO called Salaam Balaak which operates near the Delhi and Mumbai train stations. They operate halfway-houses for street children – to get food, bathe, watch TV, play games – and are run largely by former street children. The initial trust that is established often turns into a desire for education, or work, and eventually a reintegration with the life they ran away from. Click to see more.