For Viviana, who has worked at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute since 2021, the PhD is the result of a goal she has pursued for years.

‘I knew even before starting my master’s degree that I wanted to do a PhD. Now I finally have the opportunity to pursue that dream,’ she says.

Her PhD will be part of DIVERSIFOREST-Colombia, a new research project led by FNI that explores how international environmental agreements can support sustainable, rights-based forest management in Colombia.

A long-term goal

Viviana came to FNI with two master’s degrees, in project management and development studies. While studying development studies at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), she deliberately chose a substantial research thesis because she already knew she wanted to continue in academia.

Her first years at FNI involved a series of shorter research contracts.
‘I was determined that this was where I wanted to stay,’ she says.One reason is the way research is done at a small institute.
‘At a smaller institute, it is easier to work across disciplines. Everyone helps each other, and we know what our colleagues are working on. It makes the work both more interesting and more effective.’ She also points to the working environment and the special atmosphere at Polhøgda, FNI’s historic home outside Oslo.

From Colombia to the Amazon

For her PhD, Viviana will study how international environmental agreements affect forest management on the ground, and what they mean for the people and communities who depend on forests and their resources.

‘The seed and genetic resources of Colombia and the Amazon are incredibly important. If we fail to protect them, it will become a major problem, not just for Colombia, but globally,’ she says. 

The project will study wild edible plants, local crop varieties and underutilised species, and their importance for forest management, livelihoods and food and nutrition security. It brings together researchers and organisations in Colombia and Norway, including the National University of Colombia, Agrosavia, the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS), Rainforest Foundation Norway and Caritas.

‘Local partners are absolutely essential. They know the areas and the communities, and contribute knowledge that we need to find solutions that can actually work.’

Forests, politics and livelihoods

Colombia has struggled with deforestation for decades, although recent years have seen some improvement.

Viviana will examine how two international agreements, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, shape forest governance in Colombia and whether their combined implementation could help reduce deforestation.

The research also connects forest management with Indigenous peoples’ rights, Colombia’s peace process and local livelihoods. In areas where legal economic opportunities are limited, creating viable alternatives can be an important part of reducing pressure on forests.

For Viviana, these questions are both academic and personal.

Returning with a new perspective

Viviana left Colombia ten years ago, moving first to Ireland and later to Norway. She has previously worked in Colombian forest areas, but the Amazon will be new territory.

‘I left Colombia ten years ago, first for Ireland and then for Norway. Learning Norwegian and building a new life in a new country has not been easy, but it has also taught me that a lot is possible if you work hard and do not give up. So returning now will be special. A lot has changed, and I see my own country from a new, outside perspective,’ says Viviana, who became a Norwegian citizen in 2025.

For her, the PhD marks a new stage in her career.

‘If you want to be a researcher, you need a PhD. Now I finally get the chance to do it.’