Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development

Dr. Bethelhem Legesse Debela

Current Position
Senior Researcher
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen, Germany

Research Interests
Agricultural Economics, Agri-Food Systems Transformation, Food Security, Poverty, Child Health and Nutrition, Household Nutrition, Gender, Impact Assessment, Labor, Nutrition Transition, Shocks, Forest Use, Social Protection Programs

Professional Experience
  • Senior Researcher (current) - Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen, Germany
  • Stand-in (interim) professor (Apr 2022-Jul 2023) Chair of International Food Economics and Rural Development, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen
  • Senior researcher (Jan 2018-Mar 2022) Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen
  • Postdoctoral researcher (Dec 2015-Dec 2017) GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen, Germany
  • Consultant (Apr-Dec 2015, Oct-Dec 2014) School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
  • Consultant (Dec 2014-Apr 2015, Feb-Nov 2014) International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
  • Teaching Assistant (Sep 2012-Dec 2012, Sep 2009-Dec 2009) Resource and Environmental Economics, School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
  • Teaching Assistant (Sep 2010-Dec 2010) Econometric Methods, School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
  • Graduate Assistant (Sep 2006-Aug 2007) Department of Economics, Mekelle University, Ethiopia

    Education
  • PhD in Economics (2014), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
  • MSc in Development and Natural Resource Economics (2009), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
  • BA in Economics (Great Distinction) (2006), Mekelle University, Ethiopia

    Publications
    Peer Reviewed Articles
  • Mehraban, N., Debela, B.L., Kalsum, U., Qaim, M. (2022). What about her? Oil palm cultivation and intra-household gender roles. Food Policy 110, 102276, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2022.102276
  • Debela, B.L., Ruml, A., Qaim, M. (2022). Effects of contract farming on diets and nutrition in Ghana. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 44:911–929, http://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13204
  • Debela, B.L., Shively, G.E., Holden, S.T. (2021). Implications of food-for-work programs for consumption and production diversity: Evidence from the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Agriculture and Food Economics 9, 28, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-021-00189-1
  • Debela, B.L., Gehrke, E., Qaim, M. (2021). Links between maternal employment and child nutrition in rural Tanzania. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, https://doi.org/10.1111/ajae.12113
  • Debela, B. L., Demmler, K. M., Klasen, S., & Qaim, M. (2020). Supermarket food purchases and child nutrition in Kenya. Global Food Security, 25, 100341. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100341
  • Debela, B.L., Demmler, K. M., Rischke, R. and Qaim, M. (2017). Maternal Nutrition Knowledge and Child Nutritional Outcomes in Urban Kenya. Appetite 116, 518-526.
  • Debela, B.L. (2017). Factors Affecting Differences in Livestock Ownership between Male and Female-headed Households in Northern Ethiopia. European Journal of Development Research, 29: 328-347.
  • Debela, B.L., Shively, G. and Holden, S. (2015). Does Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program Improve Child Nutrition? Food Security, 7(6), 1273-1289.
  • Debela, B., Shively, G., Angelsen, A. and Wik, M. (2012). Economic Shocks, Diversification and Forest Use in Uganda. Land Economics, 88(1): 139-154.

    Working papers and other publications
  • Homma, K., Saiful Islam, A. H., Matsuura, M., and Debela, B. L. (2024). Weather shocks and child nutritional status in rural households in Bangladesh: Does labor allocation have a role to play? IDE Discussion Paper No. 907, Institute of Developing Economies, Chiba, Japan, January 2024.
  • Melaku, A.B, Qaim, M. and Debela, B. L. (2023). Maternal employment in high-value agriculture and child nutrition: Evidence from the Ethiopian cut-flower industry. ZEF – Discussion Papers on Development Policy No. 336, Center for Development Research, Bonn, December 2023, pp. 31.
  • Debela, B.L., Gehrke, E., Qaim, M. (2019). Links between maternal employment and child nutrition in rural Tanzania. GlobalFood Discussion Paper 132, University of Goettingen.
  • Abro, Z.A., Debela, B.L., Kassie, M. (2019). The joint impact of improved maize seeds on productivity and efficiency: implications for policy. GlobalFood Discussion Paper 128, University of Goettingen.
  • Debela, B. L., Shively, G., Holden, S. T. (2017). Food for Work and Diet Diversity in Ethiopia. GlobalFood Discussion Paper 111, University of Goettingen. http://www.unigoettingen.de/de/213486.html.
  • Debela, B. L., Holden, S. T. (2014). How Does Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program Affect Livestock Accumulation and Children’s Education? CLTS Working Paper No. 8/2014. Centre for Land Tenure Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
  • Debela, B. L., Shively, G., Holden, S. T. (2014). Does Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program Improve Child Nutrition? CLTS Working Paper No. 1/2014. Centre for Land Tenure Studies, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
  • Debela, B. L., Demmler, K. M., Rischke, R., Qaim, M. (2017). “Maternal nutrition knowledge and child nutritional outcomes in urban Kenya.” Agrar Aktuell. Newsletter der Fakultat fur Agrarwissenschaften, 19:16-17.

    Ph.D. Thesis
    Debela, Bethelhem Legesse (2014). Attaining Secure Rural Livelihoods: The Role of Household Strategies and Public Interventions. Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Thesis number 2014:93

    Fundraising/Third-Party Funding
    German Research Foundation (DFG) Project -Individual research grant for implementing a research project on high value chain employment in Ethiopia. Project active since January 2021. (Project number-DE3315/1)

    Teaching
  • Participating Lecturer (Apr 2022-present), Introduction to Tropical and International Agriculture (Interdisciplinary Bachelor Level Course), University of Goettingen, (Economics part)
  • Co-lecturer (Apr 2022-present), Socioeconomics of Rural Development and Food Security (Master Level Course), Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen.
  • Lecturer (Jan 2018- Jul 2023) – Quantitative Research Methods in Rural Development Economics (Master Level Course), Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen.
  • Lecturer (Apr 2022-Jul 2023), Evaluation of Rural Development Projects and Policies (Master Level Course), Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen.
  • Teaching assistant (Sep-Dec 2012, Sep-Dec 2009) Resource and Environmental Economics, School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
  • Teaching assistant (Sep-Dec 2012, Sep-Dec 2010 and Sep-Dec 2009) – Econometric Methods, School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
  • Graduate Assistant (Sep 2006-Aug 2007) Linear Algebra, Microeconomics, International Economics, Urban and Regional Economics, Department of Economics, Mekelle Univercity

    Awards and Honors
  • Teaching Prize for Outstanding Teaching Performance in 2023 from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Goettingen, Germany
  • Award for Best Course in 2019, “Quantitative Research Methods in Rural Development Economics” in the Degree Program “MSc. Sustainable International Agriculture”, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Goettingen, Germany
  • 3rd Best Poster Prize, 3rd International Congress on Hidden Hunger, Mar 20-22, 2017, Stuttgart, Germany
  • Norwegian Quota Scholarship Scheme for developing countries-PhD study (2009-2013), Norway
  • NOMA (NORAD’s Program for Master Studies) Scholarship under the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)-MSc study (2007-2009)
  • Award for graduating with Great Distinction (Jul. 2006), Mekelle University, Ethiopia
  • Award for being the highest female achiever in the Department of Economics (Apr 2006, May 2005), Women’s Affairs Office, Mekelle University, Ethiopia

    Languages
    Amharic (Mother tongue), English (Fluent), German (Intermediate)



    Curriculum Vitae