Birhanu Melesse | College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences

Submitted by caesadmin on Wed, 03/26/2025 - 17:00

Assistant Prof.

Mr.

Birhanu Melesse Gelaw

Ethiopian

Assistant Professor

---------------------------------

College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Rural Development and Agricultural Extension

Rural Development

Adoption of New Technologies , Agricultural extension, Knowledge management, Livelihood diversification, Gender and development, Food and nutrition security, Food system, Cooperative, value chain analysis, migration

Takele Atnafu Delele, Almaz Giziew Adugna & Birhanu Melesse Gelaw
(2022) Determinants of soybean (Glycinemax.) market supply in Northwestern Ethiopia, Cogent Economics & Finance, 10:1, 2142313, DOI: 10.1080/23322039.2022.2142313

Melsew Nibret Mazengiya, Girmachew Seraw, Birhanu Melesse &
Tesfaye Belete (2022) “Determinants of rural household saving participation: A case study of Libokemkem District, North-west Ethiopia”, Cogent Economics & Finance, 10:1, 2127219, DOI:10.1080/23322039.2022.2127219

Yenesew Sewnet, Daniel Tadesse, Getahun Abreham, Birhanu Melesse. Analysis of the Formal Sesame Seed Supply System in WestGondar Zone, North West Ethiopia. Agricultural Science Digest, Volume (41)

Yenesew Sewnet, Birhanu Melesse, Abebe Dagnaw, Daniel Tadesse. 2020. Determinants of Crop Land Management Practices: The Case of North Gondar Zone, North West Ethiopia. Agricultural Science Digest, 40(1): PP: 39-43.

Daniel Tadesse, Yenesew Sewunet, Birhanu Melesse, Farmers' Indigenous Cropland Management Practices in North Gondar Zone, Ethiopia , International Journal of Research , Volume: 18, (1): http://ijrp.org/paper-detail/446

Degsew Melak, Beyene Derso and Birhanu Melesse.2018. Governance of Multipurpose Agricultural Cooperatives in North Gondar Zone, Ethiopia, International Journal of Scientific Research and Management (IJSRM), Volume 06(08): pp 628-635

Birhanu Melesse, Yenesew Sewnet, Beyene Derso, and Tigst Petros. 2018. Analysis of Indigenous Communication Channels for Disseminating Agricultural Information: The case of North Gondar Zone, International Journal of Scientific Research and Management (IJSRM), Volume 06 (07): PP167-177.

Melesse Birhanu. 2018. A Review on Factors Affecting Adoption of Agricultural New Technologies in Ethiopia, Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Research, Volume 9(3):PP 2-

Birhanu Melesse Gelaw

Email: birhanumelesse4@gmail.com/birhanu.melesse@edu.bdu.et

Cell: +251-909863447/0902081415

PoBox 5501

Birhanu Melesse Gelaw

Email: birhanumelesse4@gmail.com/birhanu.melesse@edu.bdu.et

Cell: +251-909863447/0902081415

Background

With 13 years of experience, the main responsibilities carried out at various institutions in Ethiopia include project implementation, training and course manual development, training facilitation, organizing audio-visual centers, instructional design, team leadership, teaching various courses, student counseling, research, community engagement, organizing youth empowerment programs, organizing women's self-help groups, monitor and evaluate the activities of Women self-help group, supervise the Mid-career students field work and organizing cooperatives. I have worked in three institutions namely:

October 12/ 2019- till date: Assistant professor at Bahir Dar University
October 1/ 2015- October 11/2019: lecturer and assistant professor at the University of Gondar
November 2/2011- October 30/ 2015: Instructor at Ardaita ATVET college

Core Competencies

Principal responsibilities include; Teaching, Conducting Research, Community engagement, disseminating new technology, coaching and providing pieces of training, and Advising. I am a young professional that is proactive, committed, and diligent. Strong interpersonal communication and leadership abilities to motivate team cohesion and goal attainment in any kind of organization. Self-managing with organizational, analytical, and time management abilities, Project and program formulation, Strategy design, Performing a baseline survey, Solving problems, Interaction, Computer proficiency (Microsoft Word, PivotTable, Excel, and PowerPoint), Software (Kobo Toolbox, SPSS), EXE programming, Organizing the gathering of qualitative data, Facilitation of training, Manual development training, Documentation of best practices, Preparing audiovisual materials, Writing reports, Editing videos, Cooperation, Active, A diligent worker

Professional Experience

I successfully oversaw the project for almost two and a half years. I organized semi-annual seminars, prepared quarterly and annual reports, and created strategic and annual plans. I also planned and led trainings and other activities to empower young people, raised awareness of gender issues among various target audiences. As a teacher, I have been teaching courses like Research Methods for Social Sciences, Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture, Adult Learning and Audio-visual Techniques, Rural Livelihood and Agro-Industry Management, Introduction to Agricultural Extension, Rural Organizations and Cooperatives, and Introduction to Rural Development. Giving different courses gave me the opportunity to understand the different aspects of life and learn from students about their past experience bring from different areas of Ethiopia. I supervised students in area like value chain, agricultural extension, cooperatives, livelihood, urbanization, and technology adoption. I realized the problems and tried to propose solutions.

I facilitated need assessment while I was the department head at the University of Gondar, which helped to open demand-driven curricula. I attempted to set up an audio-visual center in the Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension at Bahir Dar University while serving as the course chair for almost two years. The SASAKAWA Africa Association provided support for the center. I had the opportunity to take part in digital content development trainings like photography and video editing, which were arranged by SASAKAWA Africa Association and Bahir Dar University. I continued the training on how to upload reading materials using the e-learning platform after the initial session. Additionally, I was instructing students on how to use audio-visual resources. Learning about digital agriculture through various platforms is something that greatly interests me. I'm attempting to create materials for various teaching, learning, and training objectives utilizing programs like EXE. In my future endeavors, I would also like to discover how artificial intelligence is being applied in the agricultural sector. I have extensive experience creating training manuals and courses on topics including communication, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, self-help groups, and social science research techniques.

I have extensive knowledge of rural Ethiopia from my study and community service projects. Regarding this, I oversaw the Mega research project in 2016–17 called "Analysis of the Practices and Prospects of Indigenous Knowledge System for Sustainable Agricultural Development: The Case of North Gondar Zone, Amhara National Region State Ethiopia." Additionally, in the North Mecha district, I oversaw the Mega research project "Formal and Informal Sesame and Sorghum Seed Supply Systems for Seed Security, Demonstration and Promotion of Metal Silo Improved Crop Storage." scaled up the innovative vertical farming technology of specific vegetable crops to improve food and nutrition security at Bahir as a co-investigator in the mega research project "Institutional sustainability of multipurpose agricultural cooperatives in Amhara region, Ethiopia" in 2016–17.

In addition to community service projects like Women Self Help groups and integrated agricultural development for better lives, I am currently working on research projects like the Evaluation of Agricultural Extension service delivery in Amahara Regiona, Ethiopia. I learnt how to manage financial matters and lead project team members from these initiatives. Working closely with various levels of the agriculture office, research institutes, cooperatives, and women's and youth offices was another benefit of these programs.

In 2020–2021, World Vision Ethiopia held a pitch competition for tackling social issues in rural areas, and I was one of the team members that competed. By implementing Teff multi-thresher technology in Enemy district, East Gojjam zone, Amahara Zone, we hoped to reduce Teff post-harvest losses. Prior to the pitch competition, I received hands-on training on how to turn a company idea into a business plan and presented the idea to the intended audience. I had a fantastic opportunity to build a creative company idea and gain exposure to pitch competitions through this event. As a result, this experience will help me how to manage digital agriculture start-up initiatives efficiently.

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES

At Bair Dar University's Zenzlima campus, I serve as the vice dean of the freshman program. In addition I was the course of agricultural communication and knowledge and information management. Furthermore, I oversaw the Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension at the University of Gondar's College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Moreover, I oversaw the DKT-Ardaita SRH Project at Ardaita ATVET College as its coordinator. The following lists the terms of service for each position:

April 9/2022- February 07/2025: Vice Dean, Zenzlima campus freshman program, Bahir Dar University
July 19/2016-October 11/2019 : Head, Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences University of Gondar
February 2/2021-Feb01/2022: Chair holder, Agricultural communication, Knowledge and Information management, CAES, Bahir Dar University
January 2013- June 2015: Coordinator, DKT – Ardaita Sexual reproductive health Project, Ardaita ATVET, Ardaita

HONORS AND AWARDS

Acknowledged with the University of Gondar's Best Teacher Award for the 2018/19 academic year. Additionally, in 2021/2022, I received the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science at Bahir Dar University's Best Course Chair honor.

Education and Specialized trainings

MSc in Rural Development, Haramaya Un iversity Haramaya
BSc in Rural Development, Ambo University, Ambo
Higher diploma Program, University of Gondar, Gondar

Short term training received

November 20-25/2017: Participated a training on ‘Instructional Materials Design and Development Skills : Jhpiego Ethiopia, Adama, Ethiopia

January 5/2012-March 20, 2012: Basic of Computer Application Software (MS word, excel and access ): Ardaita ATVET College, Ardaita

July 20-July 29/2015: Project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation: Ethiopian Management institute, Busheftu , Ethiopia

March 18-22, 2013: Research Methodology (Application of SPSS): Ethiopian Management Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

May 19- 24/2014: Training of Trainers on life skill, mentorship, reproductive health and gender based violence : Women affairs directorate, Busheftu , Ethiopia

August 16-Sempmber 5, 2011: Participated in HIV/AIDS and AGRICULTURE Curriculum and TTLM preparation. Ministry of Agriculture, HIV/AIDS Mainstreaming Unit, Alagie ATVET College, Ethiopia

March 4-13, 2012: Methods of teaching, Research, Special Needs Education,Guidance and Counseling, and planning and classroom Management, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia

February 6-15, 2012: STATA Software Training and Review of Statistical Methods Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia

June 1-5,2012: Value Chain Development, Ardaita ATVET College in Collaboration with WINROCK International, Ardaita, Ethiopia

March 03-07, 2013: ToT on Peer Education, Ministry of Agriculture, HIV/AIDS Mainstreaming Unit, Busheftu, Ethiopia

April 23/2013-May 2/2013: ToT on Doing Gender, Ardaita ATVET College, Ardaita

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Melesse Birhanu. 2018. A Review on Factors Affecting Adoption of Agricultural New Technologies in Ethiopia, Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Research, Volume 9(3):PP 2-4

REFERENCES

Dr.Zemen Ayalew, associate professor in the department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Email: zayalew@gmail.com, Mobile +251-918769011
Dr. Almaz Gizew, associate professor in the department of Rural development and Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Email: almazgzw@gmail.com, Mobile +251-913356360

Dr. Koyachew Enkuahone, Assistant Professor, V/dean, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Email: koyachewbdu@gmail.com, Mob: + 251- 910014141

Department

RDEA