Alhassan Abdul-Wakeel Karakara
Alhassan Abdul-Wakeel Karakara (Ghana) is a Ph.D in Economics Student and a Researcher in the School of Economics, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is also a Research Associate at the Center for Economic Policy and Development Research (CEPDeR), Covenant University, Nigeria and Associate Member of Pan-African Scientific Research Council. Also, he serves as a Board Member for the African Finance and Economic Association (AFEA) since 2018 and Ghana Country Focal Person for Youth Initiative for Land in Africa (YILAA) since 2019 and a member of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) since 2017. His research interest includes Energy/Environmental/Ecological Economics, Economics of Innovation and Technology; and Development Economics. He has a strong communication skill and a good team-player, hardworking, intelligent and self-driven who can work under pressure with little or no supervision. He has the capability to work effectively in multicultural environments. Has a good knowledge of some computer/statistical packages including: STATA; E-views; and SPSS
Oluwadunsin Emmanuel Adekola
Oluwadunsin Emmanuel Adekola (Nigeria) is a Nigerian, currently studying towards his PhD at the FitzPatrick institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, South Africa. He holds a Bachelors’ Degree (BTech) in Ecotourism and Wildlife Management from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria with a First-Class honours. He also holds double Masters’ Degrees: MTech in Wildlife Ecology and Management from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria, and MSc in Conservation Biology from A.P Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI), University of Jos, Nigeria. His research interest focuses on behavioural ecology of birds with specific interest in understanding moult strategies and feather quality in birds (especially seabirds).
Abrham Belay Mekonnen
Abrham Belay Mekonnen (Ethiopia) is an assistant professor at Hawassa University, Ethiopia. He studied Natural Resource Economics and Policy (MSc) and Forestry (BSc) from the same University. Abrham has the following qualifications includes knowledge and experience of econometric analysis, ability to synthesize information from households and macroeconomic data, good report writing skills, and the ability to work independently. He has conducted his research fellowship in Climate Impact Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement (CIRCLE) at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), CGIAR Research Program on Climate change agriculture and food security (CCAFS), Nairobi, Kenya. He has been attending his Ph.D. study infield of climate change and adaptation at the University of Nairobi and a Ph.D. fellow at the World Agroforestry Center(ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya. Abrham has taken relevant short courses and participated in international conferences in different countries including Germany, Finland, China, South Africa, Ghana, Sudan, and Kenya. His research interest encompasses the socio-economic aspect of natural resource management, agriculture productivity, climate change, and food security. He has authored and co-authored refereed journal articles.
Haftay Hailu Gebremedhn
Haftay Hailu Gebremedhn (Ethiopia) is a PhD student in the program of the Africa Center of Excellence for Climate-Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation based at Haramaya University, Ethiopiaprograms. He obtained his M.Sc in Livestock Production and Pastoral Development from Mekelle University, Ethiopia and B.Sc with Distinction in Animal Production from Haramaya University, Ethiopia. His research interest is in the area of related to Ecology, Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences Studies mainly understanding of ecosystem and biodiversity response to climate change, land use and land cover, herbivorous and soil-plant interaction, ecosystem composition and functioning changes and developing scenario-based mitigation strategies for future driving forces of LULC change and other trigger forces which threaten the ecosystem. His career objective is challenging research and development/design or academic positions in a renowned industrial R&D organization or academic institution that will allow me to combine my multidisciplinary academic qualification and work experience with my innovative skills.
Konoutan Médard Kafoutchoni
Mr. Konoutan Médard Kafoutchoni (Benin) holds a MSc degree in Genetics, Biotechnology and Biological Resources. He is specialised in Genetic resources management and plant improvement. Currently, he works as research assistant at the Laboratory of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi (Benin), where he is also conducting his PhD research. His areas of interest include rare and threatened plant species, neglected and underutilised species, non-timber forest products, conservation genetics, ethnobotany and ecology. He has conducted and has been involved in many studies in the last few years. These include (i) study of the reproduction biology of Kersting’s groundnut (Macrotyloma geocarpum), an orphan legume crop originating from West Africa; (ii) genetic diversity analysis in Macrotyloma geocarpum; (ii) genetic diversity analysis and conservation of the rare, endangered and endemic Acanthaceae species Thunbergia atacorensis in Benin; (iii) assessment of biodiversity and prioritisation of wild spice plant species in Benin; (iv) evaluation of the domestication potential of the wild multipurpose palm species Borassus aethiopum in sub-Saharan Africa; (v) assessment of the domestication potentialities of the wild spice plant Xylopia parviflora in Benin; and (vi) assessment of the diversity of threatened woody species in the Atacora mountain chain in Benin. Medard has won more than eight research and travel grants during the last four years and has (co)-authored ten articles in peer-review journals. He has participated in many conferences and training in Kenya, France, Germany and Belgium.