Wondo Genet College of Forestry & Natural Resources Organizes at Hawassa University conducted a staff awareness creation workshop on the recently established Forestry Knowledge Management Center (FKMC) bringing together university leaders, experts, and academic staff to discuss the center’s role in strengthening forestry data management, knowledge sharing, forest monitoring, and carbon market initiatives in Ethiopia.
Opening the workshop, Dr. Samuel Jilo, Vice President for administration & Development at HU, underlined the center's significance in improving forestry management data systems and pledged the university's support and commitment to ensure its efficiency and sustainability as a forestry center of excellence.
Dr. Teshale W/Amanuel, Deanof WGCFNR, also explained that the FKMC reinforces the college’s commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiatives by collecting, organizing, archiving, managing, and sharing forestry-related data and information. He added that the center will also create platforms for exchanging experiences and best practices among forestry professionals while serving as a potential source of income generation through carbon market initiatives.
Dr. Zerihun Asrat, an establishing committee member of the FKMC spoke about the rationales for establishing the Forestry Knowledge Management Center. He pointed out that the absence and inaccessibility of reliable research data and information on forestry remain major challenges in Ethiopia due to fragmented systems, limited institutional coordination, and lack of updated databases, so it was very important to establish this center.
Prof. Tsegaye Bekele, Director of the FKMC, also said that the FKMC aims to become a national hub for forestry knowledge generation, data archiving, retrieval, analysis, and dissemination.
The center is expected to support evidence-based policymaking, strengthen forest monitoring and MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) systems, facilitate near real-time forest monitoring, and contribute to the digital transformation of forestry education and training in Ethiopia.
Prof. Tsegaye added that Wondo Genet College was selected to establish the center because of its long-standing contribution to forestry education, research, community service, and national forest monitoring initiatives, as well as its strong collaboration with national and international institutions.
The college’s existing facilities, including GIS and MRV laboratories, digital learning platforms, forest demonstration sites, and research infrastructure were identified as major advantages for the successful operation of the center.
The workshop also featured experience-sharing presentations by Mr. Taye Dugasa, Landscape tracking coordinator at Oromia regional state, on third-party verification and carbon market initiatives.
The workshop concluded with an interactive discussion among participants and calls for continued support and collaboration from Hawassa University, development partners, government institutions, and stakeholders to ensure the FKMC become a leading national and regional center for forestry knowledge management and sustainable forest development.
