ABOUT US
DevNet is the Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network. For over 30 years we have connected academics, students, development policy-makers and practitioners to facilitate dialogue, debate and knowledge-sharing.
CONFERENCES
DevNet’s conferences have been held biennially since 1998. Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest, regular conference on international development, provides a great opportunity for people from Aotearoa, the Pacific and others to learn from each other and from international experts. Keynote speakers have…
GRANTS & AWARDS
DevNet provides field research grants to support postgraduate students and researchers based in New Zealand and the Pacific who are studying development issues relevant to New Zealand’s development cooperation and Pacific development.
JOIN THE DEVNET NETWORK
Stay informed about development news, grants, conferences and opportunities in New Zealand.
DevNet News
Follow us on social media for the latest updates
Another excellent research project was completed by our DevNet New Zealand Postgraduate Development Field Research Award recipient, Naomi Moya, a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury.
The research is titled Governing Oil in Turkana’s New Extractive Frontier: Local Authority, Land Rights and Inclusive Development.
When oil was discovered in Turkana County in 2012, it was presented as a pathway to national development, promising economic growth, improved infrastructure, and better livelihoods in one of the country’s most marginalised regions. This research examines how these expectations have unfolded in practice and what they mean for local communities whose livelihoods and identities are closely tied to land.
Drawing on fieldwork conducted between August and October 2024 in Turkana County and Nairobi County, including interviews with community members, government officials, industry representatives, and civil society organisations, the study explores how governance processes—such as land access, compensation, participation, and benefit sharing—shape outcomes for local communities.
While limited development benefits from extractive industries are often attributed to weak or inadequate policies, laws, or development plans, this research argues that they are better explained by the limited involvement of communities in key decision-making processes and, crucially, by their lack of authority over land. Community responses to the social and environmental impacts of oil extraction in Turkana demonstrate that community-led action can play a critical role in strengthening accountability and supporting more inclusive development outcomes.
The research therefore advances the understanding that supporting community-led governance offers a practical pathway to improving development outcomes by returning authority over land, decision-making, and accountability to affected communities.
Naomi shared:
"I am grateful to DevNet and MFAT for supporting this fieldwork, and to all the participants who shared their time and insights. I am also grateful for the support of my supervisors for their guidance and encouragement through the research process."
Read Naomi's Policy Brief here: view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fdevnet.org.nz%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F20...
Congratulations Naomi
We are pleased to share the policy brief by Indeewari Kanchana Galagama, PhD Candidate in Politics and International Relations at Massey University.
Indeewari received the DevNet New Zealand Postgraduate Field Research Grant to conduct research on “Echoes of Silence: Unravelling Enforced Disappearances and the Quest for Reconciliation in Sri Lanka’s JVP Insurgencies (1971 and 1987–1989).”
Indeewari shared:
My research explored the long-term impacts of enforced disappearances that occurred during the 1971 and 1987–1989 JVP uprisings in southern Sri Lanka and sought to understand how families continue to live with unresolved loss across generations. Specifically, the study focused on second- and third-generation family members of the disappeared in Hambantota and Tangalle, examining how memory, silence, trauma, and political exclusion shape their everyday lives.
These families continue to navigate the social, emotional, and economic consequences of disappearance, ranging from prolonged uncertainty and disrupted livelihoods to intergenerational trauma and mistrust of state institutions. While enforced disappearance is often treated as a historical human rights violation, this research highlights how its effects remain present within households and communities decades later.
Fieldwork was conducted between June and August 2025 and involved in-depth discussions with affected families, as well as informal consultations with experts and practitioners working on issues of memory, trauma, and accountability. Undertaking this research held deep personal significance for me, as my own family was affected by political violence during this period. This positionality strengthened my commitment to relational ethics, care, and accountability throughout the research process.
The study contributes to broader discussions on peacebuilding and development by emphasising that justice processes must address not only legal accountability but also the lived and intergenerational consequences of disappearance. By centring the voices of affected families, the research underscores the importance of survivor-informed approaches to rebuilding trust, strengthening social cohesion, and supporting sustainable peace in post-conflict societies.
Read the policy brief here: devnet.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/NZPG-Revised-Policy-Brief-Template-2024-V1_Indeewari.pdf
Indeewari Galagama Akka ❤️
An appropriate study on the dissapearances in the slSouth during the insurgencies of 1971 and 1987. Very many families lost their earning capability and the serinity in their houdehold.
We are excited to share the key research findings and recommendations from Nurussaadah Mokhtar, our DevNet Postgraduate Field Research Grant recipient at the University of Otago.
Nur’s study explores how supermarket urbanism shapes food access for low-income households in Malaysia and how urban agriculture can offer adaptive options within these systems. Two participatory mapping workshops in the low-income neighbourhoods of Kota Damansara and Damansara Damai, Selangor, involved seven women residents each, documenting local food outlets, gaps in access, supermarket dependence, barriers to fresh food, and vegetable consumption practices. Insights were complemented by interviews with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, urban planners, and practitioners of both community-based and commercial urban agriculture in Greater Kuala Lumpur.
Findings show that supermarkets dominate affordability, driving households to prioritise lower prices over convenience or cultural preference, often travelling further for cheaper produce. Welfare programmes channel households into supermarkets, enhancing purchasing power but limiting choice and marginalising local markets. Traditional markets remain culturally important but are less accessible and often costlier, with mobility, transport, and location strongly shaping food options.
Urban agriculture offers uneven benefits. Community-based initiatives can supplement household food supply, but outcomes depend on participation, capacity, and planning constraints. Commercial urban farms prioritise profit and supermarket supply chains, rarely improving affordable access for the urban poor. These dynamics highlight the need for coordinated policies that integrate food systems, urban planning, welfare programmes, and local food initiatives to enhance equitable urban food security.
Read Nur's Policy Brief Here: devnet.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/NZPG-Policy-Brief_Nurussaadah-Mokhtar_University-of-Otag...
Photo 1: Harvesting fresh eggplant, pak choy and ulam raja (a common traditional vegetable) at a vibrant community farm tucked within the Kota Damansara public housing neighbourhood.
Photo 2: Exploring Malaysia’s largest commercial urban farm, perched atop a bustling supermarket in Greater Kuala Lumpur.
Photo 3: Collaborative mapping workshops with women who have been working in their community garden since 2010.
Meet Rosie O’Hagan, recipient of a DevNet Postgraduate Field Research Grant for her research, Combating Gender-based Violence Amid Colombian Armed Conflict: NGO Activities, Empowering Approaches, and Ongoing Challenges.
Reflecting on her fieldwork, Rosie shared:
“My field research took me to the vibrant cities of Bogotá and Bucaramanga, where I explored how NGOs work to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in the context of Colombia’s ongoing armed conflict. Through qualitative methods, this research is deeply grounded in the lived experiences of practitioners who confront this issue every day, and I was continually inspired by their commitment and courage. I am profoundly grateful to DevNet and MFAT for supporting this research, and to my incredible supervisors, Regina Scheyvens and Aisling Gallagher, whose guidance and encouragement have been invaluable throughout this journey.”
Discover Rosie's key findings and policy recommendations in her policy brief here: devnet.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/OHagan-Rose-Policy-Brief-1.docx
Well done Rosie
This is such great mahi Rosie O'Hagan! Ka rawe.
📢 Call for Session Proposals Now Open – DEVNET 2026 Conference
We are delighted to announce that the Call for Session Proposals for the 2026 DEVNET Conference is now officially open.
We invite academics, practitioners, community organisations, policymakers, and postgraduate researchers to submit proposals for conference sessions. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary and collaborative sessions that engage with contemporary development challenges and opportunities.
🗓️ Session proposal deadline: 30 June 2026
Further information and submission guidelines are available through the conference event webpage:
www.wgtn.ac.nz/sgees/about/events/devnet-2026-conference
Please share this call with colleagues, collaborators, and networks who may be interested in contributing to the conference programme.
The call for session proposals will be followed by a Call for Paper Abstracts in July 2026.
We look forward to receiving your proposals and welcoming you to DEVNET 2026.
For enquiries, please contact: devnet2026@vuw.ac.nz
#DEVNET2026 #CallForSessionProposals #DevelopmentStudies
www.wgtn.ac.nz
On behalf of the DEVNET National Forum and the Conference Planning Committee, we warmly welcome you to Wellington for the 2026 DEVNET Conference.