Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies
Germany
fellow
Kflay Gebrehiwot Yaynemsa
2026-2027
Home institution
Samara University
Country of origin (home institution)
Ethiopia
Discipline(s)
Biology; Earth, environmental and climate sciences
Theme(s)
Environment, Sustainability & Biodiversity
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Dr. Kflay Gebrehiwot Yaynesma is an Associate Professor of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management. With over 15 years of teaching experience in higher education and more than 10 years of research experience, He led thematic research projects, supervised MSc and PhD students, and published more than 25 scientific papers, including a book. He has been serving as an Editor-in-Chief and editor for four peer-reviewed journals. Beyond academia, He contributed to university leadership as the President’s Strategic Advisor and as a member of the committee that developed Samara University’s transition to University of Applied Sciences roadmap and 5-year strategic plan. A member of several professional societies, including the International Association for Vegetation Science, his research focuses on plant ecology and biodiversity conservation, with current work addressing invasive plant species in the Horn of Africa through spatial and functional trait analyses to develop an open-access regional database. He has advanced skills of ArcGIS, QGIS and R for ecological and spatial data analysis.
Research Project
Climate Resilient Green Economy and Green Legacy Initiative: A Political Ecology of Ethiopia’s Mass Plantations.
Since the launch of Ethiopia’s Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) initiative in 2011, and the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) in 2019, the government has reported planting billions of tree seedlings. However, these claims remain largely unverified, and recent studies suggest a continuing decline in forest cover. This project aims to critically assess the environmental impact, accuracy, and sustainability of these large-scale plantation efforts. Using high-resolution satellite imagery and land cover data, the study will estimate the actual area available and used for plantations, comparing it against official planting figures. In addition, data on species composition will be collected to evaluate the prevalence of invasive and potentially invasive species such as Acacia mearnsii and Acacia saligna, which pose significant threats to Ethiopia’s native biodiversity. Field observations and expert analysis
will support a broader assessment of the political ecology behind these campaigns. The findings will contribute to evidence-based policymaking and support more sustainable reforestation strategies.
Keywords: Climate-resilient Green Economy, Green Legacy Initiative, Political ecology, Forest cover, Mass plantation
Research Interests:
Ecology and environment; biodiversity; ecology; botany; physiology