Arba Minch University Inter-University Cooperation (AMU-IUC) project partners and local stakeholders visited research sites in Geressie Town and Lake Chamo shore on May 17, 2025. Click here to see more photos.
Teklu Wegayehu (PhD), vice president for research and cooperation, being impressed by the job done and appreciating the efforts of the researchers and thanking the donors, said, by fostering innovative practices, building capacity, and strengthening community engagement, we aim to create a sustainable and resilient environment that drives economic growth and improves livelihoods of our community. The importance of conservation cannot be overstated and working towards land, forest and water conservation systems is not a matter of option but a must-do obligation, he underscored. We have understood the impacts of cooperative projects like AMU-IUC and the opportunities they brought to our institution and catchment communities; hence, let's embrace the challenges as opportunities, celebrate our successes, foster environment of open communication, mutual respect and unwavering support for one another harnessing the strongest benefits for our diversity with the guiding light our shared purpose, he remarked.
Fasil Eshetu (PhD), AMU-IUC project manager and project coordinator, said, the overall aim of the project is to upgrade the human capacity at AMU regarding PhD level infields like terrestrial, aquatic ecological conditions, human-park relationships and others, refurnish advanced laboratory and ICT equipment and give outreach activities for knowledge that can be generated from PhD students and other researchers. Already 19 PhD students have been graduated from first phase and, now, they are applying what they have learned on the ground in the second phase, he noted. The research activities are made to line with research thematic area and sustainable development goals (SDGs); and the aim of this visit is mainly to show the outreach activities through the project and indicate the importance of local people engagement, Dr. Fasil remarked.
Emeritus Professor Roel MERCKX, coordinator of AMU-IUC project from Belgium side, said, our main focus is to do everything to protect the lakes, especially Lake Chamo in Particular. AMU researchers, with us, studied erosion, better farming practices, hydrology, soil conservation and aquatic ecology in the lakes along with other study areas to make sure Lake Chamo is not to be endangered like Lake Abaya. Emeritus Prof. Roel further added that the first phase of the project was to build human capacity for AMU with PhD students; in this second phase, we are also continuing to build the capacity and use the expertise and knowledge gained to overcome the problems and support the local community.
Seyoum Getaneh (PhD), researcher and instructor at AMU, noted the major objective of the visit is to look at intervention activities in the gully erosion specifically and watch our efforts to overcome deforestation impacts with buffer zone plantation exeperiences. We do have several demonstration sites that show how we work to tackle erosion and land degradation for local people, yet we bring our students and researchers from abroad to see the promising progress and witness how AMU works on environmental conservation, Dr. Seyoum remarked.
AMU officials, donors, Geressie Town officials and local elders participated in the visit program.
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