Academic Rank: Assistant Professor
Position: Agricultural Mechanization Engineering Chair Holder
Office: Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
Email: solomon.tekeste@bdu.edu.et
Phone: +251 911 055 879
Research Profiles: Google Scholar | ORCID | LinkedIn

Professional Profile

Dr. Solomon Tekeste Hailemesikel is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Mechanization Engineering at Bahir Dar University, Institute of Technology, with over 20 years of professional experience in agricultural mechanization research, technology development, engineering education, and agricultural innovation. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Mechanization Engineering from Bahir Dar University, an M.Sc. in Mechanical Design from Addis Ababa University, and a B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization from Hawassa University.

His work focuses on the design, development, testing, and performance evaluation of agricultural machinery, as well as postharvest engineering and climate-smart mechanization technologies. He has extensive experience in rice and maize mechanization, grain drying and processing, agricultural technology demonstration, and research-for-development initiatives. He also contributes to curriculum development, postgraduate education, and collaboration among universities, research institutions, government agencies, and industry.

Education

• Ph.D. in Agricultural Mechanization Engineering, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia, 2025.
• M.Sc. in Mechanical Design, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, 2011.
• B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization, Hawassa University, Ethiopia, 2005.

Courses

• Design of Farm Machinery.
• Testing and Performance Evaluation of Farm Machinery.
• Engineering Properties of Agricultural Materials.
• Selection and Management of Farm Machinery
• Off-Road Vehicle Mechanics

Professional Experience

• Assistant Professor, Bahir Dar University, Institute of Technology, July 2025–Present.
• Lecturer, Bahir Dar University, Institute of Technology, September 2017–July 2025.
• Agricultural Technology Design Team Coordinator, Amhara Metal Industry and Machine Technology Development Enterprise, September 2016–September 2017.
• Associate Researcher I, Bahir Dar Agricultural Mechanization Research Center, December 2005–February 2016.

Research Interests

• Agricultural machinery design, development, and optimization.
• Farm machinery testing, field evaluation, and performance assessment.
• Engineering properties of agricultural materials for machinery design.
• Postharvest engineering, rice drying, milling, and grain quality.
• Climate-smart agricultural mechanization and smallholder farming systems.
• Appropriate agricultural technologies, technology transfer, and mechanization services.

Selected Publications

1. Hailemesikel, S. T., et al. (2025). Effect of harvest moisture content and thresher operational parameters on rice milling quality. Agricultural Engineering International: CIGR Journal, 27(4), 261–276.
2. Hailemesikel, S. T., et al. (2025). Optimizing open-sun drying of paddy rice: Effects of drying floor type and layer thickness on milling quality. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 2025(1), 9269672.
3. Mihret, Y. C., Hailemesikel, S. T., Alemu, A. G., & Delele, M. A. (2024). Modeling the drying kinetics, performance evaluation, and economic analysis of rice drying using a rice husk-fueled mixed-flow dryer. Energy Conversion and Management: X, 24, 100774.
4. Hailemesikel, S. T., et al. (2024). Effects of machine-crop parameters on mechanical grain damage in rice threshing. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 10(1).
5. Mihret, Y. C., Delele, M. A., & Hailemesikel, S. T. (2023). Design, development, and testing of rice-husk fueled mixed-flow rice dryer for small-scale rice producer farmers. Heliyon, 9(7), e18077.
6. Takele, A., Selassie, Y. G., & Tekeste, S. (2018). Farmers' willingness to pay for 2-wheel tractor hiring services in northwestern Ethiopia: A contingent valuation study. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 6(6).

Research and Development Projects

• Postharvest loss assessment of rice in the Fogera hub.
• Design and development of rice threshers and rice parboiling technologies.
• Development and evaluation of teff seed drills and row seeders.
• Evaluation and demonstration of maize threshers, hay presses, and crop-residue choppers.
• Development and evaluation of improved crop storage and agricultural mechanization technologies.

Academic and Professional Service

• Lead developer and committee head for the BSc Agricultural Engineering curriculum at Bahir Dar University.
• Contributor to MSc Agricultural Mechanization Engineering curriculum development.
• Technical contributor to regional agricultural mechanization strategies and extension guidelines.
• Technical consultant for agricultural machinery design, manufacturing specifications, and machinery quality assurance.