The project consisted of two top management staff (the Chief of Party and his Deputy), four technical experts and 11 supportive staff. The project utilized collaboration with national institutions at Federal, regional and woreda levels as the main strategy in implementing its activities.

The Directors and contact persons in the USA

Dr Freddie Richards
Prairie View A&M University
International Goat Research Center
P.O. BOX 4079
Cameron Road and E>EW O’ Banion Street
Prairie View, TX 77446, USA

Dr Tilahun Sahlu
Langston University
American Institute for Goat Research
P.O. Box 730
Agriculture Education, Research, and Extension Complex
Langston, OK 73050, USA

Desta Hamito (BSc, MSc, PhD)

Professor Desta Hamito was the Chief of Party of the program. Desta Hamito obtained his Bachelor’s degree in plant sciences from the Alemaya College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, Haile Sellassie 1st University, Masters in Agronomy and PhD in statistics both from Kansas State University. Desta Hamito has taught quantitative course and research methods for many years in different Universities both in Ethiopia and the United States. He has served as a major professor of a number of graduate students whose research addressed aspects of biometrics or econometrics. He has been an external examiner of post graduate students in country and abroad. He has also served in different institutions as a planner, researcher, and research manager, general manager of a development corporation and as president of the Haramaya University. He was a member of the Boards of Alemaya University, Institute of biodiversity conservation & research, and the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization and member of the editorial board of the Ethiopian Journal of Agricultural Sciences. He is the founding member and chairman of the board of directors of the Classic Education and Training Multimedia Network. Professor Desta is an honorary member of Kappa Sigma Phi and foreign member of Kappa Sigma Chi and Fulbright fellow in 2005 hosted by Oklahoma State University.

Teffera Gebremeskel (BSc, MSC)

Teffera Gebremeskel was the Deputy Chief of Party of the ESGPIP. He completed his early agricultural education at the Ambo Agricultural High school. Teffera obtained his B.Sc in Animal Science from the Alemaya College of Agriculture of the Haile Selassie I University (HSIU) and his M.Sc. from the University of Florida, USA. His background covers a service of over thirty years in agricultural extension, education and development in general and livestock development in particular. He worked as a lecturer at the Jimma Junior Agricultural College and later at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Debreziet. He was an extension supervisor who broke new ground for the livestock extension program under the Extension and Project Implementation Department (EPID) of the Ministry of Agriculture. The promotion of “livestock” from a unit to a division and finally to a Department of the Ministry of Agriculture was during his period of leadership. Teffera has played key roles in the development of and in leading national livestock development programs/projects, managing the Addis Ababa Dairy enterprise, Dairy Goat project and directing the livestock production and marketing enterprise. He has also produced several technical papers and was an organizing committee member for the first three National Livestock Improvement Conferences (later changed to the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP)) held in 1987, 1988 and 1989 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Alemu Yami (BSc, MSc, PhD)

Alemu Yami worked as training program officer of the ESGPIP. Alemu obtained his BSc degree in Animal Science and MSc in Animal Production from the Addis Ababa University’s Alemaya College of Agriculture. He completed his PhD in Animal Nutrition and Physiology from the University of Goettingen, Germany. Alemu has extensive experience in University level teaching, research and development for more than 25 years. He has authored more than 110 publications in the form of scientific journal articles, conference proceeding articles, books, book chapters, technical bulletins and manuals. Alemu has advised about 40 post graduate students from local and foreign universities. He has served the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP) in the capacities of vice president and Secretary. He has also served as a member of the editorial board of the Ethiopian Journal of Animal Production (EJAP). Moreover, Alemu has served at various administrative capacities including head of department, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies of the Haramaya University and program leader at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR). Alemu has traveled extensively to different countries including the USA, UK, Germany, China, Israel, and Botswana.

Girma Abebe (BSc, MSc, PhD)

Girma Abebe holds a PhD degree from Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany in animal sciences. Prior to joining the ESGPIP as a production program officer, he worked for the University of Hawassa for over 20 years and has extensive teaching, research and livestock development experience. His teaching responsibilities involved lecturing in both graduate and undergraduate programs and advising graduate students. He has guided over 20 students on their MSc thesis research as well as serving as a local advisor for Ph.D students. Since the early nineties, Girma was engaged in small ruminant research and development working directly with farmers and collaborating with governmental and non-governmental organizations having similar interest. His research focused on evaluating indigenous as well as crossbred goats and developing husbandry practices appropriate for various systems. Apart from teaching, research and extension, Girma held different positions in university administration such as head of the Research and Extension wing of the university and Registrar and coordinator of continuing education program of the Awassa College of Agriculture. While leading the Research and Extension Office, he coordinated, monitored and evaluated national as well as international research projects.

Kassahun Awgichew (BSc, MSc, PhD)

Kassahun Awgicheew has a BSc in Animal Sciences from the former Alemaya College of Agriculture (Addis Ababa University) and an MSc in Sheep Production from the University College of North Wales in the UK. He completed his PhD studies in sheep breeding at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. He has over 20 years experience in research, development and animal genetic resources conservation activities. Kassahun has authored/co-authored over 20 scientific and professional articles in the areas of small ruminant breeding, production, management and conservation in peer reviewed journals, conference proceedings and book chapters. He served as small ruminant research coordinator in the former Institute of Agricultural Research now the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), as Manager of the former Sheno Agricultural Research Center and as Head of the Animal Genetic Resources Department at the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC). He has also served as National Coordinator for the FAO-sponsored animal genetic resources (AnGR) Country Report process and was a member of the steering committee for the East African AnGR Focal Point which was based in Nairobi, Kenya. He worked as a Genotype Program Officer of the Ethiopia Sheep and Goat Productivity Improvement Program (ESGPIP).

Sileshi Zewdie (DVM, Mphil)

Sileshi Zewdie worked as Animal Health Program Officer of the ESGPIP. Sileshi graduated from the Ukraine Agricultural Academy, Kiev receiving a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1982. He also completed his Mphil in Veterinary Epidemiology from the University of Massey, New Zealand. Sileshi has extensive experience in planning, coordinating and monitoring of animal disease prevention and control activities for more than 25 years. He spent four years working as a provincial Veterinary Officer in the then Eritrea Province. He has also worked for three years as Head of Animal Health Services at the Southern Rangeland Development Project (SORDU), Yabello. He has also worked as an epidemiologist in the Fourth Livestock Development (FLDP) and Pan African Rinderpest Control (PARC) projects of the Ministry of Agriculture. He then served for four years as national coordinator of the Pan African Control of Epizootics (PACE) project, Animal Health Team Leader and when the team was uplifted to the Department level, Dr. Sileshi served as head until he joined the ESGPIP.