Dr. Hussien Mohammed Beshir, who has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor of Horticultural Sciences, is an outstanding scholar serving at the School of Plant and Horticultural Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University.
Prof. Hussein obtained his PhD in Plant Science (Horticulture) from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada in 2015, MSc in Horticulture (Floriculture and Landscaping) from Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, India in 2008, and BSc degree in Horticulture (2004) from Jimma University, an extension of his Diploma in General Agriculture (1996) from Jimma College of Agriculture.
His research and academic expertise focuses on plant physiology, horticultural agronomy, crop improvement, plant nutrition, crop water relations, and sustainable horticultural production systems.
Professor Hussien has more than 25 years of academic and research experience in higher education, crop research, agricultural development and academic leadership. Throughout his academic career, Professor Hussien has taught a wide range of undergraduate, MSc, and PhD courses in horticulture and plant sciences. In addition, he provided professional short-term trainings in fruit crops propagation, fruit production, vegetable production, landscape planning and management, scientific writing, and data analysis techniques for students, researchers, and agricultural professionals.
Prof. Hussein's research contributions include horticultural crop improvement, drought and stress physiology, nutrient management, crop productivity, and climate-resilient agricultural production. He has been leading and participating in several competitive research projects, including SoilChain (EU funded international project to be launched in October 2026). He was actively involved in conducting adaptation trials for different vegetable crops with different companies for local registration.
Professor Hussien supervised and co-supervised more than 46 postgraduate students (8 PhD and more than 38 MSc candidates) and contributed to curriculum development, external thesis examination, and academic reviews at different Ethiopian universities; published more than 35 peer-reviewed scientific articles in international journals; and presented research findings at several international conferences, including conferences in Canada on food security, legume research, and agricultural sciences.
Prof. Hussein's experience spans international exposure where he received several academic awards, including graduate scholarships from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, such as the Departmental Graduate Scholarship, Rene Vandeveld Postgraduate Scholarships, and O.M. Elviss Postgraduate Scholarship. He has also completed professional training in project management and planning at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, scientific writing, and scientific information management. Through his teaching, research, supervision, and institutional leadership, Professor Hussien has made significant contributions to horticultural science education, research capacity building, and sustainable crop production in Ethiopia.