National Conference on “Agriculture, Climate Change & Environmental Safety: The Challenges on National Transformation in Ethiopia”.

Wollega University organized two days National Conference on “Agriculture, Climate Change & Environmental Safety: The Challenges on National Transformation in Ethiopia” at Shambu Campus on 17-18 February 2017. Through its “Call for Papers” the University’s Research and Technology Transfer Vice President collected more than 100 research papers and tediously screened 43 qualified papers for presentations. More than forty research papers were presented by academicians, research scholars and practitioners from various Ethiopian public universities.  During the presentations held in different venues, the participants discussed a number of critical issues including technical efficiency of milk production, value chain analysis of beef, coffee, and maize production. Besides,  modulation of postpartum reproductive performance  in tropical dairy cows; rainfall features and crop water requirement in chickpea production; impacts of selected watershed management practices on rehabilitation of degraded land; monitoring and characteristics of waterlogged irrigation fields; anthropological inquiry in retrospect of biodiversity and forest policy; hydrological response to climate change; soil carbon sequestration and its role to mitigate climate change and advanced food security; smallholder household’s adaptation strategies to climate variability; effects of climate change adaptation strategy on farm household’s were points of discussion for further endeavors. Finally, indigenous weather forecasting system and key factors affecting market participation of small dairy farmers were presented for argument.

Dr Abera Deressa, Former State Minister for Agriculture and Board Member of Wollega University made opening remarks in the presence of Mr.Abebe Kebede, Horro Guduru Wollega Zone Administrator and Board Member of Wollega University. Dr.Amsalu Ayana, Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD), Addis Ababa and Dr.Alemtsehay Tesfa, Nekemte Dairy Farm delivered key note speech. Dr.Eba Mijena, President, Wollega University made welcome remarks and highlighted the importance of the conference and outlined its different thematic areas for future utilization.