Gete Zeleke

Director General, Water and Land Resource Center (WLRC), Addis Ababa University

Dr. Gete is currently Director General of Water and Land Resource Centre, Addis Ababa University (AAU) and Regional Representative Horn of Africa (HOA) for Center for Development and Environment of University of Bern, Switzerland. He is Fellow of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences, Member of the Scientific Steering Committee of Global Land Programme, and Member of the International Resource Panel of UNEP (2013-2019), now scientific collaborator. He has over 30 years of professional experience from assignments in natural resources management and rural development in Ethiopia and Sub-Saharan Africa on both action research and innovative development works. His current research focusses on landscape transformation, hydro-sedimentology and sustainable landscape management. He developed the concept of Learning Watershed (Landscape) approach to demonstrate innovations for upscaling and out-scaling and successfully implemented them on a pilot-basis. He developed the concept of an inbuilt exit strategy and a guideline to ensure sustainability of investments on natural resources. He has also solid experience on leadership in leading national and international programs and organizations, such as: 04/2011 – todate Director General, Water and Land Resource Centre, Addis Ababa University (AAU) 04/2011 – todate Regional Representative Horn of Africa (HOA) for CDE of University of Bern, Switzerland 06/2006 - 08/2010 African Coordinator of the RUL Theme of the Global Mountain Programme (GMP) of the CGIAR Centers, Addis Ababa 09/2000 – 10/2004 The founder and Director General of Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI), Bahir Dar Ethiopia