SLU news
Land management and soil carbon scientist visits AgriFoSe2030
Published: 21 September 2017
AgriFoSe2030 has recently had a visit from Bezaye Tessema, a researcher from Ethiopia working on rangelands for soil carbon sequestration. Below follows an interview with Bezaye.
Bezaye Tessema is an environmental scientist by profession and has been conducting research activities and coordinating an IDRC funded project on sustainable land management at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR). She has recently completed her PhD studies at the University of New England, Australia with the support from Australia Awards scholarship whichaims to build a new generation of global leaders with strong links to Australia. Bezaye's PhD research project is entitled “Vetiver Grass in Australia and Ethiopia: Soil Organic Carbon Storage for Sustainable Productivity and Carbon Sequestration”. Currently, she is working at EIAR in Ethiopia and has joined the Land and Water Research division.
AgriFoSe2030 took the opportunity to ask her some questions during her visit.
-
Bezaye Tessema with Swedish coallegues outside the Soil-Water-Environment Center at SLU in Uppsala.
1/2
-
Bezaye Tessema (to the right) on an exkursion to a field at Lanna Research Station in Skara.
2/2
What have you been doing during your visit in Sweden?
– I am currently doing a review on the potential of rangelands for soil carbon sequestration in East Africa funded by the AgriFoSe2030 programme in collaboration with SLU and CIAT.
– During my visit in Sweden as a guest researcher I had the opportunity to get input on the review work with SLU Skara precision agriculture research team. I also travelled to SLU in Uppsala to discuss different research activities in East Africa with researchers at the Soil and Environment, Ecology and Forestry departments. While I was there we visited JULMYRA horse centre where SLU Uppsala is undertaking research activities on nutrient leaching. I also visited the Lanna research field station where long term research experiments are still running. Lastly, I got the chance to communicate the review work at the SOM2017 symposium in London early September.
– Overall, it was a great networking opportunity and I shared learnings around different research interests and involvements with scientists across the whole university.
What are your expectations of AgriFoSe2030?
– My understanding of the AgriFoSe2030 programme is that it aspires to bring the science talks and findings into a reality through consolidated communication mechanisms such as using policy briefs and reviews so that they influence policies and regulations towards sustainable agricultural production for food security. I think this can bring real change on the ground.
What are you passionate about concerning your research?
– I am passionate about contributing to the research and development efforts towards food security, sustainable development, climate change adaptation and mitigation through networking, partnership, innovation and mentoring. I also believe it is through an active participation of key stakeholders, including the broader community, that science can deliver and create impact.