Abrham Belay Mekonnen

Abrham holds a PhD in Climate Change and Adaptation, an MSc in Natural Resource Economics and Policy, and a BSc in Forestry. He has over a decade of experience in research and development, focusing on natural resource management, forest restoration, agroforestry, and climate-smart agriculture in the Global South. 

He is currently a researcher with the Forest Systems and Sustainable Management team. Before joining EFI, he worked as a Junior Researcher at the Center for Development Research (ZEF) at the University of Bonn, Germany, and as a research fellow with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) in East Africa, based at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Nairobi, Kenya. He also served as a lecturer and researcher at Hawassa University in Ethiopia.

His work focuses on the interactions among forest and agricultural systems, climate dynamics, and socio-economic conditions within broader socio-ecological systems. He applies a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative data analysis, including statistical and econometric techniques, with qualitative methods. He has also contributed to the assessment of large-scale restoration projects associated with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, supporting practical approaches that strengthen sustainable livelihoods, enhance food security, and promote regenerative and climate-resilient systems.