Sam is a senior researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development. His main research focus is developing participatory, gender transformative tools that inform climate-resilient development planning at the local level, particularly for local government authorities and community-based organizations. He is the content lead for the community-based adaptation conferences.
Much of Sam’s research has focused on the development of mechanisms for the delivery of climate finance to the local level at scale in East Africa, particularly through devolved climate financing systems. This includes understanding and supporting the development of community-led planning institutions, tools that articulate local priorities, and local government planning and budgeting processes. Since much of this work has been focused in dryland ecosystems, he is also interested in the enabling conditions for effective adaptation in economies dominated by pastoralism where there is much to learn from strong, adaptive, customary natural resource management approaches.
Sam has an MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies.