Clifood block seminar 6: Agro-ecosystems
October 7-13, 2019, Hawassa University, Ethiopia
The Block Seminar 6 of the CLIFOOD SDG Graduate School on “Agro-Ecosystems” was conducted from 10th September to 12th October 2019. It was developed using blended learning concept and started with e-learning phase from September 10th 2019 to October 6th 2019. The on-site phase was conducted at the Hawassa University from October 7th to October 12th 2019.
Focused on Agro-Ecosystems, the Block Seminar tackled 4 sub-themes:
Sub-theme I: Agrobiodiversity
Sub-theme II: Agroecosystems and their dynamics
Sub theme III: Sustainable Land Management
Sub-theme IV: Pest Management
The second part of the Block Seminar at Hawassa University was opened by the scientific leaders: Dr. Tesfaye Abebe Amdie / CLIFOOD Scientific leader Hawassa University, Associate Professor at School of Plant and Horticultural Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University and PD Dr. Frank Rasche / Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), University of Hohenheim.
The Block Seminar program included contributions from prominent agro-ecosystems researches from Hawassa University and the University of Hohenheim and was additionally enriched by inputs from several external actors from International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute – EBI, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Ethiopia, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)), Tanzania.
Two invited experts have given their lectures via video-conference, which was the very first experience for the College of Agriculture of Hawassa University:
- Land Use Change Impact Assessment (LUCIA) on Ecosystem Services by Prof. Dr. Georg Cadisch / Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), University of Hohenheim
- Fungal diseases by Prof. Altus Viljoen / Department of Agri Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
In addition, CLIFOOD PhD scholars were given the opportunity to present the results of their group work conducted within e-learning phase and discuss their own research work. The expert presentations, case studies and status reports by PhD scholars, provided a valuable scientific input and served an interdisciplinary framework for interactive exchange among participants.
Further highlights of the block seminar were the Official Day on October 10 with the welcome speeches from the Vice-President of Hawassa University, Scientific leaders and key note speeches and the Field trip on October 11.
This seminar is part of the qualification program for the SDG Graduate School CLIFOOD, it is the fifth of seven Block Seminars planned per generation of PhD Scholars between the Hawassa University (HU) in Ethiopia and the University of Hohenheim (UHOH) in Germany.
Program
| Location: HS | |
| 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Registration |
| 9:10 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. | Welcome to CLIFOOD block seminar 6 |
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| 09:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. | Expert presentation 1.1 Agrobiodiversity for sustainable food systems Dr. Bart Minten, International Food policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Senior Research Fellow, and Representative, Country Programs, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| 10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. | Expert presentation 1.2 Biodiversity and ecosystem services in agroecosystems Dr. Debissa Lemessa, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| 11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | On-farm diversity and seed systems of root and tuber crops in Ethiopia: biological and social adaptive capacity of smallholder farming system in the changing climates Post-doc presentation Dr. Temesgen Magule Olango, School of Plant and Horticultural Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University |
| 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Result of e-learning group work of subtheme 1 (25'+5') |
| 3 poster presentations by scholars (each 3-5'+2') | |
| 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Lunch break |
| |
| 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Expert presentation 2.1 Sustainable intensification of tropical agroecosystems On an example: An integrated dairy farm in Wolkite, Ethiopia (title to be confirmed) Hansjörg Plaggemars, Balaton Agro Invest AG, Heidelberg, Germany |
| 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Expert presentation 2.2 Enset-coffee-based agroforestry systems Dr. Beyene Teklu Mellisse, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University |
| 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Coffee break |
| 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Result of e-learning group work of subtheme 1 (25'+5') |
| 3 poster presentations by scholars (each 3-5'+2') | |
| 7:00 p.m. | Joint Dinner |
| Location: HS | |
| 9:00 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. | Welcome, wrap-up Day 1 and introduction to Day 2 |
| 9:20 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. | Production, reproduction and adaptation traits of the Boran cattle breeds under changing climate in the low lands of Ethiopia, Post-doc presentation, Dr. Merga Bayssa Becho, School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University |
| |
| 09:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Expert presentation 2.3 - Prof. Dr. Georg Cadisch, University of Hohenheim |
| 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Expert presentation 2.4 Land cover and land use change Dr. Nigatu Wondirad, Director of the Institute of Technology (IOT), Hawassa University |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Result of e-learning group work of subtheme 2 (25'+5') |
| 3 poster presentations by scholars (each 3-5'+2') | |
| 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Lunch break |
| |
| 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Expert presentation 3.1 Integrated soil fertility management |
| 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Expert presentation 3.2 Pluses of pulses... Prof .Sheleme Beyene, School of Pland and Horticultural Sciences, Hawassa University |
| 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Coffee break |
| 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Result of e-learning group work of subtheme 3 (25'+5') |
| 7:00 p.m. | Joint Dinner |
| Location: HS | |
| 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. | Welcome, wrap-up Day 2 and introduction to Day 3 |
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| 09:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Expert presentation 3.3 Rangeland ecology Prof. Anna Treydte, Biodiversity Conservation & Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, Tanzania |
| 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Expert presentation 3.4 Integrating NRM in highland agroecosystems of Eastern Africa Dr. Tilahun Amede Wondifraw, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) -Ethiopia |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Coffee break |
| 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Result of e-learning group work of subtheme 2 (25'+5') |
| 3 poster presentations by scholars (each 3-5'+2') | |
| 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Lunch break |
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| 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Expert presentation 4.1 Fungal diseases Prof. Altus Viljoen, Department of Agri Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa – virtual session |
| 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Expert presentation 4.2 Crop pests in the context of climate change Dr. Ferdu Azerefegne and Dr. Alemayehu Chala, School of Plant and Horticultural Sciences, Hawassa University |
| 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Coffee break |
| 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Result of e-learning group work of subtheme 3 (25'+5') |
| 7:00 p.m. | Joint Dinner |
| Location: HS | |
| 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Welcome speeches by official delegates |
| 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. | Welcome, wrap-up Day 3 and introduction to Day 4 PD Dr. Frank Rasche, Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), Agro-ecology Section (490f), University of Hohenheim Dr. Tesfaye Abebe Amdie, CLIFOOD Scientific leader Hawassa University / Associate Professor at School of Plant and Horticultural Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University |
| 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Keynote 1: National land rehabilitation program: lessons from Ethiopia Dr. Tefera Mengistu, Ethiopian Ministry of Environment and Forest, Addis ababa, Ethiopia |
| 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Keynote 2: Agro-ecosystems in the Arba Minch (ecological and socio-economic aspects) Prof. Roel Merckx, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium |
| 12:00 p.m. - 12:20 p.m. | Official closure of block seminar |
| 12:20 p.m. | Group picture |
| 12:30 p.m. - 13:45 p.m. | Official lunch break Haile Resort |
| 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Leaving for Arba MInch from Haile Resort (with excursion stop(s) on the way) |
| 7:00 p.m. | Check-in hotel Arba Minch |
| 7:30 p.m. | Dinner |
