Regional Environment Office for East Africa (REO), US Embassy, Ethiopia

Education and Experience-Synopsis

Moges Worku holds B.Sc. Degree in Agriculture (Agricultural Engineering) and M.Sc. Degree in Agricultural Engineering (Soil and Water Engineering) from Universities of Addis Ababa and Nairobi, respectively. He has nearly two decades of experience in the conception, formulation, implementation, supervision, monitoring, evaluation and management of rural development projects in environment and natural resources management (integrated watershed management, soil and water conservation, forestry, water resources, rural infrastructure and agricultural development). His experience spans from small-scale grass roots level labour-intensive rural community development projects to multi-million US dollars regional projects involving tens of thousands of people as direct and indirect beneficiaries, and with significant natural resources management and environmental implications.

Moges has basic research background, particularly in erosion control research under both natural and simulated rainfall conditions, and research methodologies employing community participatory approaches. He has designed, constructed and used a manually operated field rainfall simulator.

Moges has presented papers addressing environmental and natural resources management issues in national and international conferences and has been involved in various natural resources and environmental policy formulation dialogues. He has also participated in several other works of significant importance which among others include: preparation of a soil and water conservation bibliography (in Kenya), programmatic environmental assessment of Small Scale Irrigation schemes; development of guideline for the design of environment friendly Small Scale Irrigation Projects; mid-term evaluation of rural development projects, and evaluation and design of NGO operated area development programs.

Moges has served in both Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, and currently works as an environmental specialist and advisor at the Regional Environment Office for East Africa (covers 14 countries of Eastern Africa and Western Indian Ocean) of the US Department of State based in Embassy Addis Ababa. His current position exposes him to various trans-boundary environmental issues of regional importance among which include shared water resources, other natural resources management and conservation issues, and various Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) including CBD, CITES, CCD, Climate Change, Ramsar, etc.

Having worked with various stakeholders at different levels, Moges, over the years, has developed close relationships with key partners at national, regional and international levels, and in private participates in a number of professional societies and environmental groups at different capacities. With his present job, Moges enjoys an opportunity of extensive international travel and linking closely with various institutions active in community outreach programs, policy regulation, research and academic works of national, regional and international environmental significance.