Land Tenure and Land Use Change
This research examines how land transactions and tenure changes reshape relationships among land, livelihoods, and ecosystems. Shifts in land control enable new crops, production systems, and market linkages, with cascading effects on food and energy security, human well-being, and ecological processes. These dynamics have accelerated rapidly in lower-income countries. Our work uses rigorous, data-driven approaches to assess the agricultural, environmental, and socio-economic outcomes of large-scale land transactions. By generating new, publicly available datasets and collaborating with partners across regions, this research supports both scientific understanding and evidence-based decision-making among governments, NGOs, and development organizations. Selected publications include:
Liao, C., Nolte, K, Sullivan, J. Brown, D., Lay, J., Althoff, C., Agrawal, A. 2021. Carbon Emissions from the Global Land Rush and Their Potential Mitigation. Nature Food, 2, 15–18.
Liao, C., Agrawal, A. 2025. Divergent Outcomes of Large-Scale Land Transactions in Ethiopia: A Quantitative Comparative Analysis. Ecological Economics, 230, 108531.
Dryland System Sustainability
This research examines the sustainability of pastoral systems by analyzing the interactions among rangeland vegetation dynamics, pastoral mobility, and human well-being in savanna and steppe regions. Changing mobility strategies shape resource use, livestock dynamics, and ecological conditions, with important implications for livelihoods and ecosystem resilience. These dynamics are unfolding rapidly under shifting socio-economic and climatic pressures across dryland regions. Our work integrates novel, multi-scalar datasets on vegetation, livestock, mobility, institutions, and climate to assess the socio-economic and ecological outcomes of different pastoral strategies. Using spatiotemporal analysis and modeling approaches, this research advances understanding of coupled human–environment systems and informs policies for sustainable rangeland management. Selected publications include:
Liao, C., Agrawal, A., Clark, P., Levin, S., Rubenstein, D. 2020. Landscape Sustainability Science in the Drylands: Mobility, Rangeland and Livelihoods. Landscape Ecology, 35, 2433–2447.
Liao, C. 2018. Modeling Herding Decision-Making in the Extensive Grazing System in Southern Ethiopia. Annals of American Association of Geographers, 108 (1): 260-276.
Sustainable Energy Transition
This theme examines how energy transitions unfold across diverse social and geographic contexts in the Global South. While renewable technologies offer opportunities for cleaner and more affordable energy, adoption remains uneven due to differences in reliability, affordability, and local practices. Our work combines global synthesis with empirical studies in Africa and China to analyze the social, economic, and institutional factors shaping energy transitions. Recent research in sub-Saharan Africa shows that adoption varies across energy functions and everyday practices, revealing gaps between policy goals and lived experiences. Recent work in China demonstrates the importance of aligning policy design with local needs and participation. Our work advances understanding of energy transitions as socially embedded processes and informs more equitable and effective pathways toward sustainable energy systems. Selected publications include:
Lee, Y., Liao, C. Consumers Really Aren’t in a Position to Choose: Reliability, Affordability and Uneven Adoption across Energy Sources and Functions in Uganda. 2026. Energy Research & Social Science. doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2026.104692
Liao, C., Erbaugh, J., Kelly, A., Agrawal, A. 2021. Clean Energy Transitions and Human Well-Being Outcomes in Lower and Middle Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 145 (2021) 111063.
Circular Bionutrient Economy and Co-benefits
This research theme examines how nutrient flows in food systems can be reorganized to support a circular bionutrient economy. We focus on recovering nutrients from human and livestock waste and assessing their potential to replace synthetic fertilizers across spatial scales. Our work combines geospatial analysis with system-level modeling to identify mismatches between nutrient supply and crop demand and to evaluate opportunities for local use and redistribution. This approach highlights both the technical and equity challenges of closing nutrient loops, including spatial imbalances and infrastructure constraints. By integrating environmental, economic, and social dimensions, this research informs policies and strategies for more sustainable, resilient, and equitable agricultural systems. Selected publications include:
Zhou, S., Lu, D., Li, L., Mosdossy, K., Nelson, R., Lehmann, J. Liao, C. 2026. Realizing an equitable circular bionutrient economy in the United States. Nature Sustainability. doi.org/10.1038/s41893-026-01811-0.
Nelson, R., Njagi, J., Culotta I., Newell, E., Zhou, S., Mosdossy K., Alaba, E., Liao, C., Lehmann, J., Midega, C. 2026. Synergistic Pathways to a Circular Bionutrient Economy. Global Food Security. doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100898
crop switching for climate adaptation
This research theme examines how crop switching can serve as a strategy for climate adaptation in agricultural systems. As climate change intensifies risks such as flooding, heat stress, and water scarcity, shifting to alternative crops offers pathways to diversify production and enhance resilience. Our work explores how different crop transitions, such as the introduction of rice in wetter environments and shifts from corn to more drought-tolerant crops like sorghum in drier regions, can help align agricultural practices with changing climatic conditions. This approach highlights both the opportunities and trade-offs of crop switching, including environmental impacts, resource use, and market development, as well as the importance of locally adapted practices and institutions. By integrating agronomic, environmental, and socio-economic perspectives, this research informs strategies for building more resilient and adaptive agricultural systems. Selected publications include:
Liao, C., Kao-Kniffin, J., Reid, M., Zhang, W., Tshabalala, P., Andrus, E., Butler-Jones, Z., LaPoint, J., Zhou, S., Rafols, R., Shin, S., Ichihara, M., Pereira, A., Butler, N., Tu, Y., McCouch, S. 2025. Rice Farming for Climate Change Adaptation in the Northeastern US. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2402181122
Liao Research Group 