Anna Manourova
Presentation
Academic background in tropical agriculture, agroforestry, and ethnobotany, with a particular interest in discovering creative solutions to bridge the gap between science and development. Passionate about education and capacity building as key tools for sustainable change. Always willing to learn and explore the unknown!
Research
With a research background in plant science and development in the Global South, my work focuses on transdisciplinary research, R&D, and capacity building. I have hands-on experience from various regions: in Cameroon, we contributed to the domestication of agroforestry trees (PhD thesis on domestication of Garcinia kola); in Zambia, we worked on neglected and underutilised crops; and in Ethiopia, we supported efforts to strengthen fruit value chains and enhance university education. Although not active in laboratory-based research, I am involved in coordinating research and capacity-building projects related to sustainable agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa.
My roles at SLU include:
SLU Global coordinator at the LTV faculty
International coordinator for undergraduate studies at the LTV faculty
Coordinator of the SLU Breeding Network
Coordination role in: ADVALUE, AgBio4SSA and inSALSA projects
Coordinator of PlantLink
Projects:
Advancement and adaptation of agricultural biologicals to meet sub-Saharan Africa smallholder farmers' needs and build sustainable food systems (AgBio4SSA); donor: Formas, NRF; Implementation period: 2024-26; responsibilities: project coordinator
Harmonising tradition & innovation: Exploring the potential of agribiologicals in Ethiopia; donor: SLU Global; implementation period: 2024-2025; responsibilities: project leader
Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Transdisciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education (ADVALUE); donor: EU Erasmus+ programme; implementation period: 2024-2026; responsibilities: work package coordinator
Moringa platform development: Identifying knowledge gaps for sustainability and livelihood improvement in East and South Africa; donor: SLU Global; implementation period: 2023-2024; responsibilities: project coordinator
Circular Case Studies: Food systems transformation through transdisciplinarity and cooperation (2CS); donor: EuroLeague for Life Sciences; implementation period: 2023; responsibilities: project drafting and management
Developing practical teaching and supporting research at Arba Minch University in Ethiopia; donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Czech Republic; implementation period: 2022; responsibilities: project coordination
Implementation of Project-Based Learning among master’s degree students in selected ELLS Universities (iPBL-EU); donor: Euro League for Life Sciences; implementation period: 2022; responsibilities: project preparation and management, implementation of PBL study cases
Implementation of fruit value chain for improved nutrition and efficient production in Arba Minch Zuria, Gamo Gofa, SNNPR, Ethiopia; donor: Czech Development Agency; implementation period: 2020-23; responsibilities: help in project coordination, expertise in fruit production and diversification
Protection of Awassa Lake through sustainable management of the surrounding landscape; donor: Czech Development Agency; implementation period: 2019-22; responsibilities: help in project management, expertise in agroforestry
Agribusiness for LIFE – Livelihoods, Innovation, Food & Empowerment; donor: Czech Development Agency; implementation period: 2018-21; responsibilities: expertise in crop diversification, research on underutilized plant species
Mechanisms of soil organic matter turnover in the Congo Basin along the land-use gradient; donor: Czech Science Foundation; implementation period: 2018-20; responsibilities: biodiversity evaluation, field experiments, on-site coordination
Strengthening of teaching, research and networking capacities at the University of Barotseland in Mongu for agricultural development of West Province, Zambia; donor: Czech Development Agency; implementation period: 2019; responsibilities: lecturing courses on agroforestry and sustainable agriculture practices
Research projects
Teaching
Active involment
Selected publications
Maňourová A, Chinheya IP, Kalousová M, et al. 2023. Domestication Potential of Garcinia kola Heckel (Clusiaceae): Searching for Diversity in South Cameroon. Plants 2023, 12, 742. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040742
Manourova A, Polesny Z, Lojka B, et al. 2023. Tracing the Tradition: Regional Differences in the Cultivation, Utilization, and Commercialization of Bitter Kola (Garcinia kola, Clusiaceae) in Cameroon. Economic Botany. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-022-09564-5
Tauchen J, Frankova A, Manourova A, et al. 2023. Garcinia kola: A critical review on chemistry and pharmacology of an important West African medicinal plant. Phytochemistry Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-023-09869-w
Ruiz Chután AJ, Berdúo-Sandoval JE, Maňourová A. 2023. Variability analysis of wild Guatemalan avocado germplasm based on agro-morphological traits. Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems 26 (2). DOI: 10.56369/tsaes.4663
Teutscherova N, Manourova A, Lojka B, Tejnecky V, et al. 2022. Effect of farming on the vegetation structure, soil properties and termite assemblages in the Northern Congo basin. Land Degradation and Development. DOI: 10.1002/ldr.4294
Kyereh D, Manourova A, Hendre PS, Muchugi A, et al. 2021. Diversity, Chemical Composition, and Domestication Potential of Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev. in West Africa. Forests, 12(12), 1758.
Frankova A, Manourova A, Kotikova Z, Vejvodova K, et al. 2021. The chemical composition of oils and cakes of Ochna serrulata (Ochnaceae) and other neglected traditional oil trees from western Zambia. Molecules, 1318119
Manourova A, Leuner O, Tchoundjeu Z, Van Damme P, et al. 2019. Medicinal Potential, Utilization and Domestication Status of Bitter Kola (Garcinia kola Heckel) in West and Central Africa, Forests 10: 124