Biography
Profile
Dr. Diana Kirungi is a distinguished and multifaceted professional dedicated to advancing sustainable development and social change. She spearheads multi-stakeholder initiatives and oversees large-scale resilience and livelihoods programs. Her leadership focuses on integrating climate-smart agriculture, transforming food systems, and strengthening rural livelihoods-key areas in addressing global climate challenges and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Dr. Kirungi holds a PhD in Bioscience Engineering with a specialization in Socioeconomics from Ghent University. Masters from Ghent University and a bachelor’s degree from Sokoine University of Agriculture. Her research underscores her commitment to understanding and addressing the socio-economic dimensions of climate and agricultural development. Her work emphasizes developing innovative business models and policy recommendations to enhance the adoption and scaling of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) innovations among smallholder farmers, aiming to generate impactful knowledge to inform climate action. She is a passionate social worker and researcher. A founding Director of the Great Lakes Union for Inclusive Development (GUIDE) in Uganda, where she advocates for community empowerment, legal education, and improved access to support services for refugees. Her leadership in GUIDE has been pivotal in promoting peace, governance, and inclusive development, with particular attention to the needs of women, girls, persons with disabilities, and refugee populations. Her research interests encompass socio-economics, business models, and climate science, all aimed at fostering sustainable development and resilience. Her work bridges the gap between scientific knowledge and practical implementation, driving transformative change at community, national, and regional levels.