Description

Dr Brighton Chunga has more than 15 years of experience in the Water, Agriculture and Environment sectors. Key areas of research include: water resources management, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), hydrogeology and hydrology, climate change, system dynamic modelling, hydrological modelling and groundwater development, irrigation engineering, GIS and Geoinformatics, water reticulation systems, and water allocation. I have been a Research Fellow with the Future Africa Institute of the University of Pretoria under the FAR-LeaF programme (2022 – 2024). I was also a postdoctoral researcher with the Stellenbosch University Water Institute (SUWI) between 2020 and 2022 under Smoke-Free World, where I researched water resource availability in various catchments in Malawi. While at Stellenbosch University, I participated in the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101000348 in a project called DIVAGRI. The DIVAGRI project proposes a wide range of bio-based innovative solutions adapted to specific conditions in target countries.

I am also a Principal Investigator of more than five research projects funded by USAID, SADC-GMI, the Danish Red Cross, the National Science Foundation (USA) and the University of Pretoria. I am also the Lead Author of the Freshwater Chapter of the National State of Environment Report (Malawi). I will also serve as a Coordinating Lead Author of Chapter 16: Water of the IPCC Seventh Assessment Report (2025 – 2028). I am also the National Expert for the Sanitation Coordination Mechanisms Project under DAI Global. Having studied engineering degrees and been exposed to social science and management-related courses, I support mixed-method and multi-disciplinary research approaches to solving real-world-challenging problems.