Biography
Emiru Birhane is Professor in the Department of Land Resource Management and Environmental Protection at Mekelle University, Ethiopia, where he is also associated with the Institute of Climate and Society. He is a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.
Professor Birhane's research focuses on sustaining healthy and nutritious food systems in degraded landscapes, particularly in the context of climate change and post-conflict recovery. He has worked extensively on restoring dryland ecosystems through both passive and active techniques, including exclosures, farmer-managed natural regeneration, soil and water conservation, agroforestry and assisted natural regeneration. A key component of his recent work develops strategies for distributing restored lands to landless youth and women, providing them with sustainable livelihoods from restoration. His studies have informed landscape-restoration policy and practice in Ethiopia, demonstrating how ecological recovery can be combined with food production and livelihood creation for rural households. He accepted the distinction of Fellow of the Liberia Academy of Sciences in August 2026.
His expertise is particularly relevant to Liberia's priorities in restoring degraded land, building climate-resilient agriculture and creating rural livelihoods that support peace, recovery and food security.