Ethiopian scientist makes urgent call for climate action to save forests ecosystems.
Climate change is affecting Africa’s natural forest ecosystems and threating the continent’s agriculture and biodiversity.
Dr Haftu Abrha Mengesha, a recent Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) PhD graduate (2024) at the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny (U-FHB) in Côte d’Ivoire, and a citizen of Ethiopia, reveals that Ethiopia’s Hugumbrda Grat-Kahsu National Forest — one of the region’s most ecologically significant but vulnerable dry montane forests, is being affected by climate change.
Africa contributes the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it remains one of the hardest-hit regions. The consequences are dire — affecting food systems, public health, and economies. However, Dr Mengesha, now an Associate Professor of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture at the Institute of Climate and Society (ICS) at Mekelle University in Ethiopia, is optimistic that conserving the natural forest ecosystem could help build resilience of farming communities against climate change.
Dr Mengesha’s work sheds light on how climate stressors are altering forest ecosystems and reveals the critical role forests play in both climate mitigation and adaptation.
His research, conducted at U-FHB in Côte d’Ivoire used climate models, satellite imagery and ground truthing to track the long-term environmental changes of the Hugumbrda Grat-Kahsu Forest in Ethiopia. He noticed that shifting rainfall patterns and rising temperatures are increasing wildfire risks and soil erosion, while also threatening the survival of key plant species. His findings show that water runoff in the forest more than tripled from 1984 to 2020, and soil loss rose sharply. Forest biodiversity also shifted, with noticeable differences in tree size and carbon storage across elevations. These findings underscore the urgency of rethinking conservation strategies to respond to the effects of climate change in Africa natural forest ecosystems.
Dr Mengesha has published 18 peer-reviewed papers. He serves as a reviewer for global journals, and is actively engages with policymakers seeking to build climate resilience.
The PASET Rsif invests in Africa’s brightest like Dr Mengesha, giving them an opportunity to grow as independent scientists and skilled professionals in their field of interest for the development of the continent. Supported by African governments, the World Bank, and development partners, Rsif builds world-class research capacity by funding PhD scholars in applied science, engineering, and technology fields. Rsif is helping African universities produce solutions to the continent’s biggest challenges — from food security to energy, ICT, and climate adaptation.