Dr. Abebech Abera Beyene

Dr. Abebech Beyene is an Assistant Professor of Irrigation and Water Resource Engineering at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia. She has a robust academic background supported by a sandwich scholarship that facilitated her PhD studies, supervised jointly by Ghent University in Belgium and Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia. Dr. Beyene's research interests focus on conducting detailed field experiments and analyses using physically based numerical models such as Hydrus, RETC, and SPAW, alongside biophysical and statistical modelling tools including Aquacrop, Cropwat, WEAP, R, SAS, SPSS, Matlab, and geospatial analysis using GIS and remote sensing.

Her work aims to enhance water resources management in irrigated agriculture, which is critical for policymakers and practitioners seeking to improve agricultural water management across Africa.

Abebech's work during her Short Research Stay

During her Short Research Stay at Ghent University's Physical Geography Lab, Dr. Abebech Beyene engaged in knowledge exchange with lab members and received specialized training in Google Earth Engine (GEE) and other geospatial tools. This enhanced her understanding of GEE's application in agricultural water management and environmental monitoring, particularly in data-scarce regions, which is pivotal for her career development and future supervision of students. Additionally, her participation in the SRS will fortify collaboration between Ghent University and Bahir Dar University, fostering opportunities for joint project initiatives and academic exchanges. She led the development of an International Training Program (ITP) proposal focusing on gender issues, agricultural water management, and environmental degradation in Ethiopia, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and emphasising capacity building for academic and professional experts.

Selected Publications

Abera, A., Verhoest, N. E. C., Tilahun, S. A., Alamirew, T., Adgo, E., Moges, M. M., & Nyssen, J. (2019). Performance of small-scale irrigation schemes in Lake Tana Basin of Ethiopia: technical and socio-political attributes. Physical Geography, 40(3), 227-251. https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.2018.1516445
Abera, A., Verhoest, N. E. C., Tilahun, S. A., Alamirew, T., Adgo, E., De Pue, J., & Nyssen, J. (2018). Estimating the actual evapotranspiration and deep percolation in irrigated soils of a tropical floodplain, northwest Ethiopia. Agricultural Water Management, 202, 42-56.
Yihune, W. N., Abera, A., Zewdie, M., & Kibret, E. A. (2022). Assessing farm water management and performance of Koga Irrigation Scheme: a case study of Inguti Unit, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Water Conservation Science and Engineering, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08778-1