About Ethiopia Living Lab
Ethiopia Living Labs is a collaborative platform where farmers, researchers, communities, and stakeholders come together to transform the Ethiopian agricultural sector. Through functional living labs, we generate, validate, and share innovative practices that support regenerative and inclusive food systems.
Our Team
Dr. Tewodros Tefera
Project manager and co-strategic lead (REFOOTURE)
Dr. Tewodros Tefera is a leader in socioeconomic development with expertise in regenerative food systems, agricultural policy, innovation adoption, impact evaluation, and value chain development. He currently leads the Food Futures Eastern Africa (REFOOTURE) Project and oversees the TRANSFORM Soil Fertility Management Program at Stichting Wageningen Research (WUR) Ethiopia, advancing sustainable agriculture and soil health solutions. With a PhD and experience as an associate professor, Dr. Tefera combines research, project management, and strategic leadership to drive systemic change. He has authored 50+ scientific publications and actively contributes to global knowledge-sharing platforms, promoting food security, ecosystem health, and social equity.
Dr. Tilaye Teklewold
Socio-economist Advisor
With over 20 years of experience, he worked as a researcher and held leadership roles in the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute. He was a research consultant for the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas and also a postdoctoral fellow in the Cambridge University UK Project known as “Ethiopian Bovine Tuberculosis Control Strategy”. Currently, he is an adviser on innovation documentation, scaling, and regenerative agriculture at Stichting Wageningen Research-Ethiopia. His expertise spans agricultural extension and economics, institutional resource economics, climate resilience, and food systems, with numerous academic publications.
Prof. Dr. Gezahegn Berecha Yadessa
Advisor for Regenerative Agriculture
Prof. Dr. Gezahegn Berecha Yadessa is an Ethiopian scholar with extensive experience in teaching, research, community service, project coordination and management, and consultancy within the agricultural sector. He earned his BSc from Jimma University (Ethiopia), his MSc from Wageningen University and Research (The Netherlands), and his PhD from KU Leuven (Belgium). He currently serves as Director of the International Institute of Coffee Research at Jimma University, and Senior Technical Advisor for Regenerative Agriculture at SWR-Ethiopia (an international NGO). With over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications and more than 2200 citations, he has successfully supervised 50 MSc and 8 PhD students. Prof. Gezahegn has coordinated over 20 national and international projects.
Marta Hailemariam Mamo
Change Facilitator
Marta Hailemariam Mamo is a lecturer in the Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension at Jimma University in Ethiopia. She holds an MSc degree in Rural Development from Eduardo Mondlane University (2020) and a BSc in Rural Development and Agricultural Extension from Jimma University (2017). She has been involved in the Paradoxes of Climate-Smart Coffee (PACSMAC) project since December 2022 and is also a co-participant in the ABCDryBASIN project, which focuses on enhancing drought resilience through indigenous knowledge and smart tools. Additionally, Marta serves as a change facilitator for the Regenerative Agriculture within the REFOOTURE II project, starting in January 2025.
Melkamu Mamuye
GIS and Remote Sensing Expert
Melkamu Mamuye is a lecturer and researcher at Jimma University with experience in development, research, and academia. He earned his BSc and MSc from Jimma University (Ethiopia) and is currently pursuing his PhD as part of the PACSMAC project. He has published over 15 peer-reviewed papers. Melkamu worked as a research expert in the CASCAPE and CANAG projects and participated in several other initiatives. He currently serves as a lecturer at Jimma University and as a part-time GIS and Remote Sensing expert for the REFOOTURE Project. His expertise includes natural resource management, watershed management, climate change adaptation, and GIS and remote sensing. His current research focuses on modeling the impacts of climate change on coffee.
Prof. Yihenew G. Selassie Mengesha
Senior Soil Health Advisor
Prof. Yihenew Gebreselassie Mengesha holds a Ph.D. in Soil Science from Kasetsart University, Thailand (2004), an MSc from Kharkiv State Agricultural University, Ukraine (1995), and a diploma from Hawassa College of Agriculture, Ethiopia (1986). He has served in various research and leadership roles in Ethiopian agricultural institutes and has been with Bahir Dar University since 2009, where he became Professor in 2020 and held positions such as Dean of Graduate Programs and Executive Director for Research and Publications. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Management Board at Hawassa University. He has published 80 journal articles, 6 book chapters, and 24 conference papers, supervised 7 PhD and 58 MSc students, and co-developed over 18 projects with Wageningen University and other partners. Since April 2023, he has been Senior Soil Health Advisor at the REFOOTURE-II Project, Wageningen University & Research, Ethiopia.