Curriculum Vitae
Merga Bayssa Becho (Ph.D.)
Assistant Professor of Animal feeds and Dairy
nutrition, Post-doctoral Research associate in livestock
production, climate change and food security
School of Animal and Range
Sciences, College of Agriculture,
Hawassa University,
P.O. Box 5, Hawassa, Ethiopia
Email: mergabayssa@yahoo.com
Tel: +251-916158546/+251- 967212175
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3820-5453
Scupus Author ID:
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57193001148
Web of Science Researcher Id: AAV-5449-2021
Certified consultant in Agro-ecosystems Development and Scientific Research
Personal Particulars:
Date of Birth: April 09,1973
Nationality: Ethiopian
Gender:
Male
Marital status: Married
Language:
English, Amharic and Afaan Oromo ( very good in reading,
writing, listening and speaking)
Profession:
Ph.D. in Agriculture ( Animal feeds and Dairy nutrition)
1. Educational Background
1.1.
University Education
August 2017-August 2021: Post-Doctoral Research Associate(PDRA):
Impacts of Climate change on Livelihood and food security
Project(CLIFOOD), University of Hohenheim, Germany
Subject: Livestock production, climate change and food security
Dec. 2012 – Nov. 2016:
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Hawassa University, Ethiopia.
Subject: Agriculture ( Animal Nutrition)
1
August. 2004 – August. 2006: Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Division of Dairy Cattle Nutrition
National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
Subjects: Dairying (Dairy Animal Nutrition)
Sep. 1998-Sep. 2002: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. Distinction)
Department of Animal production and Rangeland management
Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
Subject: Animal production and Rangeland management
Sep. 1991 – August. 1993: Advanced diploma in Veterinary medicine
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Subject: Veterinary medicine (Animal health)
1.2.
Professional and short-term courses
Sep. 2020 – Nov. 2020:
Professional Accreditation certificate
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
Texas A&M University, USA
Subject: Laboratory Quality Management systems
Sep. 2020 – Nov. 2020:
Professional Course certificate
College of Agricultural Sciences
The Pennsylvania State University, USA
Subject: Dairy Production and Management
Oct. 2020 – Nov. 2020:
Advanced Laboratory Course certificate
Centre for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition
Nanjing Agricultural University, China
Subject: A n a l y s i s of In vitro fermentation by GC ,
analysis of gut microbiomes (Real-time PCR)
HPLC and Molecular
Nov.19. 2019 – Nov. 22. 2019: Professional Course certificate
CLIFOOD Project, DAAD, University of Hohenheim, Germany
Hawassa University, Ethiopia
Subject: R programming language for Statistics and Graphics
Dec.2. 2016 – Dec. 12. 2016: Advanced Laboratory Course certificate
Kansas State University, USA
Subject: Analysis of Mycotoxins in animal feeds and food
2
Feb.3. 2016 – Feb. 28. 2016: Advanced Laboratory Techniques certificate
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Pretoria, South Africa
Subject: Advanced Laboratory Analysis of Animal feeds
Sep.2. 2016 – Sep.15. 2016: Advanced laboratory Course certificate
Kansas State University, USA
Subject: Advanced animal feed formulation, feed analysis and quality control
Apr.1. 2001 – Jun.22. 2001: Professional Course certificate
Department of Food Science
Agricultural University of Norway, Norway
Subject: Theoretical and Practical food technology technician
2. Work Experience
November 2016 – present: Post-doctoral research associate in livestock
production, climate change and food security
and Assistant Professor of Animal feeds and
Nutrition, School of Animal and Range
Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa
University, Ethiopia.
August 2006 – Nov. 2016:
Lecturer of Animal Nutrition at the School of
Animal and Range Sciences, College of
Agriculture, Hawassa University, Ethiopia.
.
September 2002 – June 2004: A s s i s t a n t lecturer of Animal Nutrition and
Animal production at the School of Animal
and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture,
Hawassa University, Ethiopia.
.
Sep. 1998 – Sep.2002
Teaching assistant in Animal health and production,
School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of
Agriculture, Hawassa University
Sep. 1993 – Sep. 1998:
Supervisor of regional Animal health office for
National Dairy Goat Development Project, FARM
Africa-UK NGO , Ethiopia
3
3. Courses offered to the University students
Ruminant nutrition and feeding system, Feed stuff evaluation and feeding system,
Advanced animal nutrition, Climate change and food security , Applied animal
nutrition, dairy animal nutrition, small ruminant production, range land management,
Animal health and disease control and veterinary parasitology and Animal products
processing
4. Participation in International and National Research Projects
and grants
1. Enhanced climate adaptive food security and livelihoods of smallholder
farmers, with a particular focus on women and girls, in Ethiopia funded by
Canadian development fund, Government of Canada (2022-2028), (ongoing),
Sub-theme coordinator
2. Control of Water Hycanith (Eichhornia crassipes) invasion in Ziway and
Koka lakes through utilization as input for agricultural productivity
improvement and bioenergy, NORAD project, Government of Norway
(2023-2027). (Ongoing): Sub-theme researcher
3. Evaluation of the effect of production systems and nutrient supplementation
from non-human edible feed resources on GHG emission and productivity of
cattle herds using compound specific stable isotopes in southern and central
Ethiopia:International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA), Vienna, Austria (20222026), (on-going): Sub-theme coordinator
4. Exploratory Studies on Azolla Biomass (Azolla pinnata) as a Novel Resource
for Enhancing
Agricultural
Productivity,
Food
Security
and
Rural
Development at the Expense of Climate Change Impacts in Ethiopia, FDRE
Project (2022-224), (On-going): Main- theme coordinator
5. Integrated Management Strategies of Water Hyacinth Invasion in the Rift
Valley Lakes Region: Exploring Potential Uses through Agro-Ecological and
Socio-Economic approaches, FDRE Project (2022-2025), (On-going): Subtheme coordinator
6. Evaluation of Biomass production and Nutritional qualities of root crops
(Sweet potatoes and Anchote) by-products for Livestock feeds in Selected
4
Districts of Southern Ethiopia, FDRE Project (2020-2023),(on-going): Subtheme coordinator
7. Production, Reproduction and Adaptation characteristics of Ethiopian Boran
Cattle breed under: Impacts of climate change, Climate change, Livelihood
and Food security (CLIFOOD) project of the University of Hohenheim,
Germany, (2017-2021) ,(Completed):Lead- researcher
8. Feeding and management practices influencing productive and reproductive
performance of dairy cows in urban/peri-urban dairy farms in Southern
Ethiopia, FDRE Project (2019-2021): (Completed): sub-theme coordinator
9. Evaluation of Nutritional Qualities of Urea and Lime treated Major crop
residues in three Districts of Southern Ethiopia: Alternative option for
promotion of Climate Smart Agricultural Technologies funded by the
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway (2017-2019), (Completed):
Main theme coordinator
10. Nutritional Evaluation of Major Browse Species from Afar and Borana
Rangelands and Supplementary Values of Acacia tortilis leaves to Arsi-Bale
Goats. DELPH Project of The Government of Canada (2012-2016),
(Completed): Sub-theme coordinator
11. Enhancing food production and income generation of farm families and
environmental protection, Ecofarm project in Adami Tullu-Jiddo Kombolcha
district in Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia funded by Dry land Coordination
Group, Norway (2017-2021), (completed): Main theme coordinator
12. Enhancing crop-livestock synergy for food and nutrition security in Sidama
Zone of Southern Ethiopia, funded by the Federal Government of Ethiopia
(2012-2014), (Completed): Main theme coordinator
5.
Postgraduate students supervision
Supervised over 30 M.Sc. student research projects in the last 7 years and
currently supervising 5 MSc and 3 Ph.D student projects.
5
Awards and Scholarships
Sept. 2004
2012 – 2016
Post-graduate scholarship award by the Government of
Ethiopia for M.Sc. study at NDRI, India.
Research project award from the Government of Canada
(Delphe project) for D o c t o r a l study at
Hawassa University.
2017 – 2021 Post-doctoral research project award from DAADCLIFOOD project of the University of Hohenheim, The federal
government of Germany
6. Publications
7.1. Papers in Refereed Journals and symposia
1. Merga Bayssa, Sintayehu Yigrem, Simret Betsa, and Adugna Tolera .2023. Boran
Cattle Herders’ Perception of Climate Change and Copping Strategies in the Southern
Range lands of Ethiopia, International journal of biometeorology, in press
2. Merga Bayssa, Sintayehu Yigrem, Simret Betsa, and Adugna Tolera .2021
Production, reproduction and some adaptation characteristics of Boran cattle breed
under changing climate: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE 16(5)
3. Hassanuur Hassan,
Estimation
Netsanet
Beyero
and
Merga
Bayssa.
2020.
of major livestock feed resources and feed balance in Moyale
district of Boran Zone, Southern Ethiopia, International Journal of Livestock
Production: 11(1): 43-51
4. Alayu Tarekegn, Ajebu Nurfeta and Merga Bayssa 2023 Height at harvest and
additives influence of desho grass (Pennisetum glaucifolium) on silage fermentation
quality, animal preference and nutritional value. Livestock Research for Rural
Development. Volume 35, Article #73. Retrieved September 22, 2023, from
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd35/8/3573alay.html
5. Nanko Bali, Merga Bayssa and Ajebu Nurfeta. 2022. Assessment Of Livestock
Feed Resources and Utilization Practices in Melka Soda District of Guji Zone,
Southern Ethiopia, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational research,
Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal: Volume:11, Issue:9(4), ISSN:2277-7881,
Scopus Review ID: A2B96D3ACF3FEA2A
6
6. Andualem D, Gelgele M and Bayssa M. 2021. In vitro gas production kinetics of
selected multipurpose tree browses in Gelana rangelands of Guji Zone. Livestock
Research
for
Rural
Development.
Volume
33,
Article
#2.
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd33/2/a.dere3318.html
7. Samuel Solomon, Ayana Angassa and Mega Bayssa. 2018. Impacts of Climate
change on livestock– crop mixed system and farmers’ responses in Loka Abaya
District, Southern Ethiopia, Book of Abstracts Volume 1, Research and capacity
building in Climate Smart Agriculture in the Horn of Africa, Hawassa University pp
43
8. Sunkurta Digesa, Ayana Angassa and Merga Bayssa. 2018. Assessment of
climate change impacts on livestock production: Role of climate smart technologies
to mitigate and adapt to climate change in mixed crop-livestock production system,
Loka Abaya, Southern Ethiopia.
Book of Abstracts volume 1, Research and
capacity building in Climate Smart Agriculture in the Horn of Africa, Hawassa
University pp 45.
9. Wondimu Bayu, Merga
Bayssa, Kebede Manjur, Asmamaw Yeshanew,
Enyew Agdo, Getachew Sime, Adugna Tolera, Tesfay Belay, Kiros Meles, Jens B.
Aune and Abiye Alemu. 2010. Results of Ecofarm Action Research Activities in
Three Project Areas in Ethiopia. DCG report no. 59. Dry land coordination group,
Norway.
10. Merga, B and Getachew, S. 2009. Production Manual for Scaling up of selected
agricultural practices of Ecofarm Action research with farmers in the dry lands
(No.1), DCG, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18 pages.
11. . Merga, B. 2008. Climate smart food security project: Enhancing food
production and income generation
of
farm
families
and
environmental
protection, Ecofarm project achievements, on Proceedings of the Annual Research
Review workshop of Hawassa University, Research, publication and extension office,
Hawassa University, Ethiopia,16-17 May,2008 pp167- 168.
12. Muluye Frkade, Merga Bayssa and Ajebu Nurfeta. 2021. Nutritive Value of
Major Browse Species in East Dembia District, Central Gondar, Ethiopia.
Agricultural
Science
Digest.2021.
https://arccjournals.com/journal/agricultural-science-digest/D-192
7
(41):76-80
13. Tegene Negesse, Merga Baysssa and Sandip Banerjee. 2018. An in vitro
assessment of nutritive value of nine roughages supplemented with concentrates
containing graded levels of ground linseed (Linum usitatissimum), J Dairy Vet Anim
Res.
2018;7(6):304‒312.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350874577;
https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:212493487
14. Merga Bayssa, Tegene Negesse and Adugna Tolera. 2016. Leaf biomass yield,
Chemical composition, In vitro gas and Methane production and Rumen degradation
characteristics of some woody plant species in Afar rangeland of north eastern
Ethiopia. Middle-East Journal
of
Scientific
Research
24(4):1236-1251,2016, DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2016.24.04.23361
15. Tegene Negesse, Merga Bayssa and Sandip Banerje.
2016. An in vitro
assessment of supplementary effect of concentrates containing graded levels of
ground linseed (Linum usitatissimum) to household wastes on organic matter
degradability, short chain fatty acids, microbial protein, metabolizable energy and
relative feed values. Tropical and Subtropical ecosystems, volume 19, No 2(2016);
https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/2194
16. Merga Bayssa, Tegene Negesse and Adugna Tolera. 2016. Forage quality
and Methane reduction potentials of selected Browse species from Borana rangeland,
Southern Ethiopia,
American-Eurasian Journal of Scientific Research 11
(3)209:223.https://www.idosi.org/aejsr/aejsr11(3)16.html;https://www.idosi.org/aejsr
/11(3)16/9.pdf
17. Merga Bayssa, Tegene Negesse and Adugna Tolera. 2016. Effect of Chemical
and Biological treatments on Nutrient and Phenolic composition, In sacco
degradability, In vitro gas and Methane production kinetics of Acacia tortilis and
Prosopis juliflora leaves and pods. Middle- East
Research
24(4):1252-1265,
2016,
Volume
Journal
24
of
Number
Scientific
(4),
2016.
https://www.idosi.org/mejsr/mejsr24(4)16.htm;https://www.idosi.org/mejsr/mejsr24(
4)16/35.pdf
18. Merga Bayssa, Tegene Negesse and Adugna Tolera. 2016. Effect of
supplementation with different proportion of concentrate mixture and untreated or
calcium hydroxide treated Acacia tortilis leaves on feed intake, digestibility, nutrient
retention and rumen fermentation parameters of Arsi-Bale goats fed Rhodes grass
8
hay basal diet.
Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Sciences 6(3), 599-612.
http://ijas.iaurasht.ac.ir/issue_112215_112790.html?lang=en
19. Merga Bayssa, Tegene Negesse and Adugna Tolera .2016 Effect of Chemical
and Biological Treatments on Nutrient and Phenolic Composition in sacco
Degradability, in vitro Gas and Methane Production Kinetics of Acacia tortilis and
Prosopis juliflora Leaves and Pods, Middle- East
Volume
Research,
24
Journal
Number
of
Scientific
(4),
2016.
https://www.idosi.org/mejsr/mejsr24(4)16.htm
20. Fikre Hassena, Merga Bayssa and Dereje Andualem 2018. Traditional Feeding
practices and evaluation of selected forage legumes on Methane emission in mixed
crop-livestock system: Implication for promotion of CSA technologies in Southern
Ethiopia, Book of Abstracts volume 1, page 37, Research and capacity
21. Girma Abera and Merga Bayssa. 2017. Effect of climate smart conservation
tillage practices on crop productivity and food security in Loka Abaya District,
Sidama Zone, Ethiopia. Journal of natural resources and Environmental studies,
University of Kordofan, Sudan special issue, ISSN 1858-6686.
22. Girma
Abera
and
Merga
Bayssa.
2016.
Climate R e s i l i e n t
C o n s e r v a t i o n F a r m i n g Enhanced Crop Productivity and Food Security: the
Case from Loka Abaya District, Sidama Zone. Proceedings of International
workshop of Bahar Dar U n i v e r s i t y on Climate change Ethiopia
23. Girma Abera and Merga Bayssa. 2015. Climate Resilient Conservation
Farming Enhanced Crop Productivity and Food Security: the Case from Loka Abaya
District, Sidama Zone. Book of abstract, International conference
at Mekele
University on Improving food security in the face of climate change in Africa from
13-15 July, 2015, Ethiopia
24. Wondimu Bayu, Merga Bayissa, Kebede Manjur, Asmamaw Yeshanew, Enyew
Agdo, Getachew Sime, Adugna Tolera, Tesfay Belay, Kiros Meles, Jens B. Aune and
Abiye Alemu. 2010. Results of Ecofarm Action Research Activities in Three Project
Areas in Ethiopia. DCG report no. 59. Dry land coordination group, Norway.
9
25. Merga, B, Adugna, T. and Getachew, S.
2010. Ecofarm-low input
agricultural technologies for scaling up: action research with farmers in dry lands of
the central rift valley of Ethiopia, Technical Fact sheet by Dry land
26.Merga, B. 2008. Climate smart food security project: Enhancing food production
and income generation of farm families and environmental protection, Ecofarm
project achievements, on Proceedings of the Annual Research Review workshop of
Hawassa University, Research, publication and extension office, Hawassa University,
Ethiopia,16-17 May,2008 pp167-168.
More publications see: ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3820-5453
8.2. Published Book, Papers on international and national symposia and
conferences
-Published 10 papers on abstracts of National reviews, conferences and symposia.
-Prepared two laboratory manuals for graduate and undergraduate programs
-Published two technical notes for agricultural technology transfer.
-Prepared 3 National project reports for international organizations
-Produced two national policy briefs for Eco-farm project achievements, DCG,
Norway
Merga Bayssa, Tadesse Bokore and Feleke Tigabneh .2023. Advanced
laboratory manual for Animal nutrition research, LAP Lambert academic
publishing, London, UK, ISBN-978-620-6-678-18-0
9. Community services, Institutional responsibilities and consultation services
1. Regional lead consultant on assessment on the current livestock grazing practice
and perception of farmers on the pros and cons of free grazing on natural resource
management and other socio-economic parameters in Sidama, SNNP and SWE
regions supported by GIZ-CLM project, German Development cooperation
(August 30, 2022 to April 15, 2023)
10
2. Lead consultant of ROBA (Rural Organization for Betterment of Agro-pastoralists)
project for dairy development program in four districts of Bale and West-Arsi zones
supported by SNV-BRIDGE program, the Government of Netherlands (2021-2022)
3. Consultation service for youth smallholder urban dairy producers in Hawassa
City, Sidama region supported by DOT Ethiopia (digital opportunity trust) (Oct.
2022 -Feb. 2023)
4. Consultative team member of the International Standard Organization Global
directory Board on Laboratory Quality systems, International Standard Organization
(ISO) central secretariat, The United Nations (Since 2021).
5. Team leader of Animal feeds, nutrition and Range science team, School of
animal and range sciences, Hawassa University (2017-2023)
6. Consultative team member of National Advisory board of
Ethiopian animal
products, veterinary drugs and feed quality control authority, Federal Bureau of
Livestock and fishery resource Development (2017-2020)
7. National Consulting board member of Ethiopian Animal feed manufacturers
Associations (Since 2018)
8. Head of Hawassa University farm enterprises (2011-2013)
9. Consulting service on small ruminant production and feeding management for
the Czech
Republic development cooperation in Southern Ethiopia, Czech
University of life Sciences, Prague, (2018- 2019)
10. Head of Nutrition section, Department of Animal and Range sciences (2008-2010)
12. Coordinator of Eco-farm project of Dry lands coordination group (DCG) , Hawassa
14. Technical Supervisor of the beef project of Hawassa University (2002-2004)
15. Technical supervisor of Ethiopian sheep and goat productivity improvement
breeding station of Hawassa University funded by Oklahoma State University, USA
(2009-2013)
16. Head of Animal health service of the Dairy goat development program of FARM
Africa at Hawassa College of Agriculture and Southern Ethiopia (1992-1998).
17.Member national consultation team of live animal standard of Ethiopia (since
2020)
11
18. Consultancy service on feed resources and grazing management in selected dryland areas of Ethiopia for SOS Sahel, Ethiopia (2021)
19. Consultancy and training youth for job creation on small ruminant fattening
activities for SOS Sahel, Ethiopia (2019)
10. Technical, Information technology and Data management skills
10.1. Technical skills
1 Very good skills in Project proposal writing , fund raising and project
management
2 Outstanding skills in methods of survey sample data collection, organization,
data analysis and interpretation
3 Very good skills of policy brief development and presentation to the national
and international institutes
10.2. Information technology and data management skills
1. Excellent in SAS, SPSS, Stata and R programs for statistical analysis
2. Basic knowledge of Fortran, Java scripts, python and C++ Programms
3. Good skills of basic computer programs such as word, excel, power point and
others
11. Professional Affiliations
-Committee member of the International Standard Organization (ISO) for global
directory board on laboratory Quality systems Since May 2021
-Member of Animal Production Society of Ethiopia
-Member of Ethiopian veterinary drugs and animal feed control authority
-Member of Ethiopian Pastoral forum
-Member of Ethiopian Forum for Climate change and Combating desertification
12.Journal Peer-review service
1. Journal of tropical Animal health and production (16 papers)
2. Journal of international biometeorology (3 papers)
3. Journal of veterinary medicine and Science (2 papers)
4. Arsi Journal of Science and innovation (1 paper)
5. PLOS One, BMC journal (2 papers)
12
13. References
1. Dr. Workneh Ayalew ,
Coordinator, MOre Young Entrepreneurs in Silk and Honey (MOYESH) Programme
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe),
ILRI Campus, Bole Sub-city, Gurd Shola, P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Phone: +251 116 172 597, Mobile: +251 922 828889
Fax: +251 116 676923 / +251 116 172001
Email: wayalew@icipe.org
Skype: Skypeworkneh
website: www.icipe.org
2. Mr. Melaku Tadesse
GIZ Climate-sensitive Innovations for Land Management (CLM) Programme
Component Manager, Policy Framework
Deutsche Gesellschaft für, Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Rahem Building,P.O.Box 100009
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
3. Professor Adugna Tolera, Professor of Animal feeds and Nutrition, School of
Animal and Range Sciences, Hawassa University, Ethiopia
Email: adugnatolera3@gmail.com
4. Dr. Melkamu Bezabeh, CGIAR Consultant, ILRI, Addis Ababa
Animal feeds and nutrition
Email: m.derseh@cgiar.org
13