Project Description

Societal challenges in Africa are multifaceted and their solution requires interdisciplinary study. As an African development economist, I am engaged in the following interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research projects. The first one is entitled 'Food, local, agriculture, and nutritional diversity in six African countries' and funded by EU. This project draws a comprehensive picture of the nutritional needs of urban and rural populations, understanding the socio-economic, production conditions, and individual factors that determine the decision of smallholder producers and processors in six African countries. The project's scientific coordinator is Prof. Macro Setti from Bologna University. The second research project which I am participating investigates value chain-based industrialization in Ethiopia and Kenya. This project is multidisciplinary, I am collaborating with a team to study whether risk-taking and cooperative behavior explain worker agency. The project is directed by Prof. Lindsay Whitfield of Copenhagen Business School in Denmark, who receives financing from Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC).

I am also leading the following ongoing research:

• Understanding Inconsistencies in Risk Attitude Elicitation Games: Evidence from Crop and Fish Farmers in Five African Countries.
• Do Risk-taking and Cooperative Behavior explain Worker Agency? Evidence from field experiment from Kenya Apparel Industry Workers.
• Assessing Peri-urban Farmers Risk Preference: Do Methods and Real Incentives Matter?
• Time Preferences among Peri-urban Farmers in Ethiopia: Does Time Framing Affect Discounting?

My plan is to continue and work on the ongoing research projects during my fellowship and publish part of it in an esteemed international journal. Further, I am fascinated to collaborate with AIAS researchers and develop a funding proposal for an interdisciplinary research project. 

Short Bio

I am an empirical development economist. My research focuses on development, behavioral, and experimental economics, and it is empirical in nature.  In my research I examine the behavior of individuals and groups, investigate whether certain intervention mechanisms can affect behavioral factors, and assess the impacts of intervention programs and policies in developing countries using micro level data.

I have been working as an Assistant Professor of Economics at Mekelle University in Ethiopia and I formerly served as Head Department of Economics for two years. I also hold an adjunct professor of Economics position at University of Nairobi in Kenya.