Research Institution
Jimma University (JU) is one of the leading public premier in the country, renown in Africa and recognized in the world.
Who We Are
Jimma University is a center of academic excellence integrating Training, Research, and community services. The University trains higher caliber professionals at undergraduate and postgraduate levels through its cherished and innovative Community-Based Education. JU is well situated in the southwestern part of Ethiopia endowed with diversified vegetation cover and high moisture areas of the country. The communities in this particular area of the country are mainly agrarian. Research in this part of the country is a core business of Jimma University. Through its colleges and institutes, JU runs various academic and research programs at the level of PhD, MA/MSc, and BA/BSc. JU will participate in EWA-BELT through the College of Agriculture (Department of Horticulture and Plant Sciences). The Department of Horticulture and Plant Sciences is the biggest in terms of human resources, physical facilities, and number of graduate programs. It promotes multi-disciplinary research in agronomy, plant breeding, plant protection, and soil fertility management.
Our Own Experience
The existence of several disciplines and diversified research-based postgraduate programs has created opportunities to foster multidisciplinary, demand-driven, and quality research. JU University has identified and prioritized research thematic areas to address societal needs. Hence, improving food security, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, germplasm management, and use are among the different research areas that JU is focusing on for the communities of the south Western part of Ethiopia. Moreover, JU works in close collaboration with the national (Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, The federal and regional agriculture offices, sister Ethiopian universities, the private sector, etc) and international research partners (Ghent University, Belgium; Cornell University, USA; University of Georgia, USA; Kangwon National University, Korea; Wageningen University, The Netherlands). Hence, JU is committed to generating technology, knowledge, and information and disseminating the outputs of research and innovations to the end users to improve rural livelihoods, economic growth, and development of the nation at large. JU has gained experience in research and cooperation with partner countries in Africa, Europe, and the US on themes similar to those of the EWABELT project.
Amsalu Nebiyu Woldekirstos
Amsalu Nebiyu Woldekirstos (PhD) is an associate professor of Agronomy (soil fertility) in the Department of horticulture and Plant Sciences of Jimma University. My research interest focuses on investigating the role of legumes in the sustainable intensification of smallholder cropping systems in the tropics. Particularly, I have investigated the effectiveness of the inclusion of legumes in improving crop yields of smallholder farmers via their high N2 fixation ability and P mobilization through biomass. Moreover, I am investigating the potential role of organic resources and organic wastes (e.g., biochar derived from organic resources such as coffee husk) as soil amendment in acid soils. I coordinated a two-phase five-year project “Soil Fertility” funding from VLIR-UOS, Belgium).
I am currently PI of a sub-project “Agronomic Bio-stimulation of legumes” (2017-2020: funding from VLIR-UOS, Belgium as part of the University Collaboration for Better Health (UCBH) program between Jimma University, Ethiopia, and Ghent University, Belgium and Co-PI of a project “Legume Diversity in Ethiopia: Investigations of the Traits and Values of Selected Legume Crops and Varieties” (2018-2020: a collaborative project with Cornell University, USA) (funding from CCRP of McKnight Foundation). In EWA BELT I will be involved in WP2 (Tasks 2.1, 2.2).