Menale Kassie Berresaw

I am a productive and result-oriented researcher with 16 years of experience and skills on impact assessment, leadership, and project management. I am amongst the most cited scholars globally for improving the understanding of agricultural technologies adoption and their impacts on food security, income, poverty, health, and sustainability. I have received research excellence and leadership awards, including an elected fellow of the Ethiopian and African Academy of Sciences, the TWAS Siwei Cheng Award in Economic Sciences in 2022, and ranked among the world’s top 2% of scientists by the 2021 Elsevier BV–Stanford University survey.

• Published over 79 articles on technologies impact and gender (see Google scholar link in the contact section).
• Contributed to resource mobilizations of over $78 million.
• 2021-Listed as the world’s top 2% scientists in the 2021 Sandford University survey (https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/3).
• 2021-Elected for the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) fellowship.
• 2020- Received the 2022 TWAS Siwei Cheng Award in Economic Sciences.
• 2020- Elected an Associate Fellowship of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences (EAS).
• 2020-Appointed Specialty Chief Editor for Insect Economics (specialty section of Frontiers in Insect Science Journal).
• 2018-2020-Rated as outstanding staff in the annual performance evaluation of icipe.
• 2019-Led the development of icipe’s historical first in being awarded a USD 55.6 million grant from Mastercard Foundation to create decent jobs for 100,000 young people in Ethiopia.
• 2019-Listed on Elsevier as a most cited researcher (Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics).
• 2019-2021-Listed on Elsevier as a most cited researcher (Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Journal of Agricultural Economics, PLOS ONE).
• 2019-Listed as one of the top 500 authors (publisher) in Kenya.
• 2019-Outstanding Professional staff of the year, icipe.
• 2017-Co-recipient of an award for the best paper on gender at the 91st Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society.
• 2018-2022-Elected twice as a research committee member of the Environment for Development (EfD) initiative (https://efdinitiative.org/), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), covering 15 countries.
• 2013-2015-Outstanding publisher, socioeconomic program, CIMMYT.

Selected publications

1. Asale, A., Kassie, M., Abro, Z., Enchalew, B., Belay, A., Sangoro, P. O., Tchouassi, D., Mutero, C. M. (2022). Combined evaluation of long-lasting insecticidal nets, house screening and push-pull technology as appropriate interventions for integrated management of malaria vectors and cereal pests in Ethiopia: study protocol for a household randomized controlled trial. PMC Public Health, 22:2-14.

2. Diiro, G., Fisher,M., Kassie, M., Muriithi, B., and Muricho, G. (2021). How Does Adoption of Labor-Saving Agricultural Technologies Affect Intrahousehold Resource Allocations? The Case of Push-Pull Technology in Western Kenya. Food Policy 102 (2021) 102114.

3. Huss, M., Brander, M., Kassie, M., Ehlert, U., and Bernauer, T. (2021) Improved storage mitigates vulnerability to food-supply shocks in smallholder agriculture during the COVID-19 pandemic. Global Food Security. 28, 100468.

4. Abro Z, Kimathi E, De Groote H, Tefera T, Sevgan S, Niassy S, and Kassie M. (2021) Socioeconomic and health impacts of fall armyworm in Ethiopia. PLoS ONE 16(11): e0257736.

5. Abro Z, Kassie M, Muriithi B, Okal M, Masiga D, Wanda G, et al. (2021) The potential economic benefits of controlling trypanosomiasis using waterbuck repellent blend in sub-Saharan Africa. PLoS ONE 16(7): e0254558.

6. Beesigamukama, D., Mochoge, B., Korir, N., Kassie, M. Muriithi, B. et al. (2021) Economic and ecological values of frass fertiliser from black soldier fly agro-industrial waste processing. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed.

7. Diiro, G., Kassie, M., Muriithi, B., Gathogo, N. et al. (2020). Are Individuals Willing to Pay for Community-Based Eco-Friendly Malaria Vector Control Strategies? A Case of Mosquito Larviciding Using Plant-Based Biopesticides in Kenya. Sustainability, 12, 8552.

8. Kassie, M., Fisher, M., Muricho, G., and Diiro, G. (2020). Women’s Empowerment Boosts the Gains in Dietary Diversity from Agricultural Technology Adoption in Rural Kenya. Food Policy, 95, 101957.

9. Abro, Z., http://invalid.uri/Kassie, M., Chrysantus, T., Beesigamukama, D., and Diiro, G. (2020). Socioeconomic and environmental implications of replacing conventional poultry feed with insect-based feed in Kenya. Journal of Cleaner Production, 265, 121871.

10. Kassie, M., Abro, Z., Tesfamichael, W., Ledermann, S.T., Diiro, G., Ballo, S., and Belayhun, L. (2020). Integrated Health Interventions for Improved Livelihoods: A Case Study in Ethiopia. Sustainability, 12(6), 2284.

11. Kassie, M., Tesfamichael, W., De Groote, H., Tefera, T., Sevgan, S. and Balew, S. (2020) Economic impacts of fall armyworm and its management strategies in Southern Ethiopia. European Review of Agricultural Economics. pp. 47(4): 1473-1501.

12. Midingoyi, S-K, G., Kassie, M., Muriithi, B., Diiro, G. and Ekesi, S. (2019). Do farmers and the environment benefit from adopting integrated pest management practices? Evidence from Kenya. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 70(2): pp. 452-470.

13. Diiro, G., Seymour, G., Kassie, M., Muricho, G. and Muriithi, B. (2018). Women’s empowerment in agriculture and agricultural productivity: Evidence from rural maize farmer households in western Kenya. PLoS ONE 13(5): e0197995.

14. Kassie, M., Marenya, P., Tessema, Y, Jaleta, M., Zeng, D., Erenstein, O., Rahut, D. (2018) Measuring farm and market level economic impacts of improved maize production technologies in Ethiopia: Evidence from panel data. Journal of Agricultural Economics 69(1), pp. 76-95.

15. Stefan, K., Kassie, M. and Qaim, M. (2017) The influence of farm input subsidies on the adoption of natural resource management technologies. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 61, pp 1-18.

16. Stefan, K. Kassie, M., and Qaim, M. (2016). Farm production, market access, and dietary diversity in Malawi. Public Health Nutrition, 20(2), pp 325-335.

17. Muluwa, R., Marenya, P, Rhaut, D and Kassie, M. (2017) Response to Climate Risks among Smallholder Farmers in Malawi: A Multivariate Probit Assessment of the Role of Information, Household Demographics, and Farm Characteristics. Climate Risk Management, 16, pp 234-245.

18. Frelat R, Lopez-Ridaura S, Giller KE, Herrero M, Douxchamps S, Djurfeldt AA, Erenstein O, Henderson B, Kassie M, Paul BK, Rigolot C, Ritzema RS, Rodriguez D, van Asten PJ, van Wijk MT (2016). Drivers of household food availability in sub-Saharan Africa based on big data from small farms. Proceeding of the National Academy Science of the United States of America(PNAS), 113(2):458-63.

19. Kassie, M., Stage, J., Teklewold, H.; and Erenstein, O. (2015). Gendered food security in rural Malawi: Why is women’s food security status lower? Food Security, 7:1299-1320.

20. Shiferaw, B, Aragie, T, Kassie., M. and Fisher, M (2015). Market Imperfections, Access to Information and Technology Adoption in Uganda: Challenges of Overcoming Multiple Constraints. Agriculture Economics, 46: 1-13.

21. Kassie, M., Teklewold, H., Marenya, P. Jaleta, M. and Erenstein, O. (2015) Production risk and food security under alternative technology choices in Malawi. Application of a multinomial endogenous switching regression. Journal of Agricultural Economics. 66(3): 640-659.

22. Kassie, M., Teklewold, H., Moti, J., Marenya, P. and Erenstein, O. (2015) Understanding the adoption of a portfolio of sustainable intensification practices in eastern and southern Africa. Land use Policy, 42: 400-411.

23. Wagura, S.; Kassie, M. and Shiferaw, B. (2014). Are there systematic gender differences in the adoption of sustainable agricultural intensification practices? Evidence from Kenya. Food Policy, 49:117-127.

24. Kassie, M, Simon, W., and Jesper, S. (2014) What determines gender inequality in Household Food security in Kenya? Application of exogenous switching regression. World Development, 56: 153-171.

25. Shiferaw, B., Kassie, M.; Jaleta, M., and Yirga, C. (2014) Adoption of improved wheat varieties and impacts on household food security in Ethiopia. Food Policy, 44: 272-284.

26. Teklewold, H. Kassie, M., Bekele, S. and Kholin, G (2013) Cropping Systems Diversification, Conservation Tillage and Modern Seed Adoption in Ethiopia: Impacts on Household Income, Agrochemical Use and Demand for Labor. Ecological Economics, 93: 85-93.

27. Kassie, M., B. Shiferaw and Geoffrey, M. (2011). Agricultural Technology, Crop Income, and Poverty Alleviation in Uganda. World Development, 39(10) pp: 1784-1795.

28. Kassie, M., P. Zikahli, J. Pender and Kohlin, G (2010) The Economics of Sustainable Land Management Practices in the Ethiopian Highlands, Journal of Agricultural Economics 61(3), 605-627.

29. Kassie, M., P. Zikhali, K. Manjur, S. Edwards (2009) Adoption of Organic Farming Technologies: Evidence from Semi-Arid Regions of Ethiopia, Natural Resources Forum 33, 189–198.

30. Kassie, M., J. Pender, M. Yesuf, G. Kohlin, R.A. Bluffstone and E. Mulugeta (2008) Estimating Returns to Soil Conservation Adoption in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands, Agricultural Economics 38, 213 – 232.

31. Kassie, M., and S.T. Holden (2007) Sharecropping Efficiency in Ethiopia: Threats of Eviction and Kinship, Agricultural economics 37, 179-188.

1. 2021- AgriPath- Empowering farmers’ transition to sustainable agriculture through effective and efficient digital pathways (USD 1.3 million of the total $7.4 million). Funded by SDC, PI for the impact component.

2. 2019-MOre Young Entrepreneurs in Silk and Honey (MOYESH) program in Ethiopia. Funded by Mastercard Foundation (USD 55.6 million). Led the development of the programme and played an instrumental role in its implementation. Co-PI.

3. 2019-Scaling-up Climate-Smart Pest Management Approaches for Enhanced Maize and Tomato Systems Productivity in Eastern Africa, funded by BMZ (USD 1.3 million): 2020-2023. Substantially contribute to the development of the project and lead the socioeconomic component. Co-PI.

4. 2019- Identification of virus transmission networks to control key arboviral diseases in Kenya (USD 745,000)-Co-PI

5. 2018- A Crowd-Sourcing Approach to Large Scale Monitoring of Pests by Smallholder farmers (USD 100,000)-BMGF. PI

6. 2018-Strengthening “Out-grower” Models to Sustainably Produce Commercial insect-based Protein for Poultry and Fish Feed for Improved Livelihoods in Kenya- Rockefeller Foundation (USD 600, 000)- Co-PI.

7. 2018-Combating Arthropod Pests for Better Health, Food, and Resilience to Climate Change-NORAD (USD 4 million)-2018-2022. Co-PI .

8. 2018-INSFEED2: Insect feed for poultry, fish and pig production in Sub-Saharan-Phase II (USD 1.1 million)-IDRC + ACIAR- Co-PI.

9. 2018-Improving food and nutritional security through integrated control of tsetse and tick-borne livestock diseases-BMZ- (USD 1.4 million)-2018-2021. Co-PI.

10. 2018-Alien invasive fruit flies in Southern Africa: Implementation of a sustainable IPM program to combat their menaces- IDRC (USD 1.5 million)-2018-2021. Co-PI.

11. 2018- Welfare, Nutritional, and Human Health Impacts of Post-Harvest Loss Prevention: A Large-Scale Field Experiment in Kenya-ETH-Zurich (USD 54,000). Co-PI.

12. 2015- IPM for Rice, Maize, and Chickpea in East Africa-(USD 2.3 million). IPM Innovation lab. Co-PI.

13. 2012-Identifying socioeconomic constraints to and incentives for faster technology adoption: Pathways to sustainable intensification in Eastern and Southern Africa-ACIAR (USD 4 million). Contribute to the development of the proposal and led the implementation project (2012-2016)- PI.

14. 2011-Conservation Agriculture and Smallholder Farmers in Eastern and Southern Africa – Leveraging Institutional Innovations and Policies for Sustainable Intensification and Food Security-BMZ (UD1.5 million)- Co-PI

15. 2010-SIMLESA[1] expansion project in Ethiopia-ACIAR (USD 2 million). Contribute to the project’s development and Lead the development of and coordinate the Socioeconomic component of the project.

16. 2010-Community- based solutions for agricultural risk mitigation and transfer to enhance-Development Fund of Norway (USD 350,000). Lead the development of the proposal and PI of the project.

17. 2007-Natural resource accounting in Ethiopia (USD 27, 000)- Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa (CEEPA), University of Pretoria- PI .

18. 2006-Evaluate the benefits-costs of the Humbo Community Managed Natural Regeneration Carbon Project in Ethiopia (USD 9,000)- World Bank and World Vision Ethiopia and Australia-PI

[1] SIMLESA- Sustainable Intensification of Maize-legume Cropping System for Food Security in Eastern and Southern Africa.