General Description:
DU is located at the belt of high value economically important cash crops that are traditionally managed multistory agro-forestry land use system. This miracle agro-forestry land use system on steep terrain settled by the highest population density in the country is showing the wisdom of Gedeo farmers in natural resource management practice. The area is relatively rich in water resources and vast virgin irrigable command areas at the lower plain. In addition to the traditionally managed agro-forestry system, (agro) pastoral landscape which extends from western and southwestern side of DU is also another untapped resource on which local and national transformation could base. Important to mention is the cultural and indigenous natural resource management skills (e.g., UNESCO accredited Konso world Cultural Heritage Site for its traditional landscape with terraces; and Gedeo cultural landscape in UNESCO’s tentative registration list) of the local community requires slight innovation effort to make use of these local endowments for societal transformation, particularly through enhancing their productivity and ecotourism market. DU is recently identified as applied sciences university with particular focus of natural resources management and others. This was with the strong assumption of adequately using and conserving the natural endowments of the respective institutions to make need-based services readily available for the nearby community and the country. Hence, designating an institution that has its focus area can play unparalleled role in increasing its competitiveness, and enable an institution to make the best out of its comparative advantage associated to its respective locality. So, justification for the theme and sub-themes will bring societal transformation via scientific solution for chronic land degradation by maintaining healthy and sustainable environment and productive agro ecosystems.
Aim:
The main aim of the theme and sub-themes are to bring holistic landscape health and economic improvements of the society on environmentally and economically prioritized areas that can enhance landscape sustainability and ecosystem health, agro ecosystems productivity and ecotourism industry.
Sub-Themes:
Sub-theme-1: landscape management (Forest resources and biodiversity)
Under this sub-theme, research projects focusing on ecosystem-based landscape resilience via Forest Resource Management and utilization, biodiversity conservation, Policy and institutional framework in forest resources management, Agro-forestry and agro-ecosystem approaches for resilient landscape management,
Ecosystem services and human well-being; ecosystem-based climate change and disaster risk mitigations studies
Sub-theme-2: wildlife resources and ecotourism
Ecology of various Ecosystems; wildlife resources conservation, management and governance; National Parks & Game Reserves; Genetic Conservation; Wildlife Survey & Monitoring Techniques; Habitat Management; Environmental & Ecotourism Education; Wildlife in Agricultural Ecosystems; community ecotourism
Sub-theme-3: Sustainable land management, and eco-hydrology
Mainly focused on: Studies of soil resources, productivity, and soil and water conservation technology, integrated soil management, integrated water resources management, soil-plant-water relations and irrigation technologies, water harvesting technologies, integrated watershed development, and eco-hydrological processes, environmental flows and aquatic ecosystem health.
Sub-theme-4: Agro-forestry and climate smart agriculture
Under this sub-theme, researchers will focus on productive tree-crop interactions, agro-forestry-based climate resilience; improve farm resilience, biodiversity and other mutual benefits ― mainly by combining more productive trees with more resilient and profitable agricultural systems and a sound understanding of the health of the soil, land and societal culture and indigenous skills that is part of ‘greener’ and better-governed landscapes; valuable and timely knowledge products and services.
Sub-theme-5: Land resources survey and administration
Research projects focusing on Land change studies; land use and resource planning, surveying and evaluation; cadastral studies and technologies; Land administration focusing on effective urban and rural land management processes like adjudication, land transfer, subdivision, planning and valuation; studies of urban-sub urban-rural linkages for sustainable development