EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2012- 2013: University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy.
MA. Human Development and Food Security
2003-2008: Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Nigeria.
Bachelor of Agriculture. (Agricultural Economics).
Nov. 2015: International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan
Gender Training in Mechanical Weed Management Trials for Cassava
Nov. 2015: International Society for Tropical Root Crops African Branch (ISTRC-AB)
Introduction to Writing Winning-Grant Research Proposals for Early Career Root and Tuber Crops Scientists.
Jan. 2013: European Union Erasmus Programme with Universita Delgi Studi di Roma Tre University-Italy, Montpellier University, (SupAgro) France and Università Politecnica di Valencia, Spain. Global Food Governance in United Nations Organizations.
Nov. 2012: United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Geneva, Switzerland.
Economic Report on Africa: Unleashing Africa’s Potential as a Pole of Global Growth.
Dec. 2012: United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Geneva, Switzerland
Assessing Regional Integration in Africa 2012: Towards an African Continental Free Trade Area
July 2012: African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) Nairobi, Kenya
Regulatory Compliance and Management of Confined Field Trials (CFT) for Cowpea and Rice.
May 2012: New York New Jersey Public Health Training Centre Practicing cross-cultural communications (Flood).
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2015: MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, UMUDIKE ABIA STATE, NIGERIA. Development Economist, College of Agricultural Economics Rural Sociology and Extension
Primary instructor: Statistics and Research Methodology; Agribusiness value addition technology, Agribusiness Risk and Management
Teaching Assistant: Agribusiness Communications Skills
Support: Agribusiness development specialist for small-medium scale farm business enterprise
2015: Consultant SME in Agribusiness Developed start-up business plan and feasibility appraisal. Environmental and economic evaluation of small-scaled agribusiness (Target includes; Youths, Women and Retirees).
2014: Abuja Technology Village Foundation: Lead Consultant and Facilitator, ATVF Project.
Built capacity among farmers from indigenous communities (The Kpegi‟s occupying Pykassa, Chika and Aleyita) of Abuja through the generous support of by Abuja Technology Village Foundation (ATVF) Abuja
2013-2014: EUROPEAN COMMISSION HUMANITARIAN AID AND CIVIL PROTECTION (ECHO) FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION (FAO), ROME ITALY.
Project Assistant to Global Coordinator Food Security and Nutrition: ECHO-CD Project for Horn of Africa and Sahel regions. ECHO Project is a capacity development project for better food security programming in emergency and rehabilitation contexts through better seed system security assessment (SSA), better integration of nutrition into food security interventions (FSN) and improved accountability for the affected population (AAP) in Horn of Africa (South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia) and Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad) regions.
Generated matrix of tools, manuals and resources with descriptions and applications as appropriate according to programme life cycle and web links to the resources for use by target professionals for food and nutrition security and resilience building in emergencies and rehabilitation contexts.
Elaborated communication strategies for the two regional hubs and prepared modules for the training of trainer‟s component in project implementation.
Promoted gender mainstreaming in food security and nutrition programming for Africa.
Generated matrix of tools, manuals and relevant resources with descriptions and applications as appropriate according to programme life cycle and web links to the resources for use by target professionals.
Prepared discussion paper on “strengthening the links between nutrition and food security in food agriculture” developed.
Gender mainstreaming in food security and nutrition programming on CAADP process for Africa.
Knowledge Manager, Agricultural Innovation on TECA-FAO: Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension, Natural Resources Department..
Led a global discussion online on “cassava post-harvest practices and value addition” to identify common practices across regions, map out innovative practices for scale up and gaps for better targeted extension particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Expanded TECA‟s partnership to include International Rice Research Institute-IRRI, Philippines and National Root Crops Research Institute-NRCRI, Nigeria.
Published contents on field-tested climate change adaptation good practices in Cordilleras for smallholder farmers
Generated case studies research on “Developing Efficient and Effective Linkages between Research, Extension and Agricultural Producers in Africa- A demand –led approach”.
Published contents on field tested climate change adaptation good practices for smallholder farmers.
Developed a web-based survey widely disseminated on YPARD and GFRAS in order to expand TECA repository with information that meets the needs of women and youths in agriculture.
2010-2012: AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION (AATF), WEST AFRICAN REGIONAL OFFICE, ABUJA-NIGERIA
Research Associate on development and deployment of Bt Cowpea and NEWEST Rice for Africa Project West Africa.
Accomplishments
Managed multi-location trials for pod borer resistant cowpea project and Nitrogen Efficient, Water Efficient and Salt-Tolerant (NEWEST) rice Projects in West Africa.
Played efficient technical roles on projects by providing adequate communication and compliance with statutory provisions as well as the maintenance of project effects.
Reviewed feasibility studies on development and deployment of NEWEST rice for Africa project (2011);
Led the Maruca rearing and infestation activities for CFT fields to test the efficacy of the developed lines at national agricultural research stations (NARS).
Managed AATF‟s Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) to demystify biotechnology and communicate novel research findings in agriculture.
Developed the roadmap for implementation Cassava Mechanization and Agro-Processing Project (CAMAP) in Africa.
2009-2010: RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (R.M.R.D.C), ABUJA, NIGERIA. National Youth Service Corp (N.Y.S.C). Under close supervision of the Director of Industrial Plants and Equipment Division (IPED)
Promoted RMRDC‟s collaboration with Pan-African Competitiveness Forum (PACF) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on development of cluster initiatives for small and medium scale enterprises.
2008: NATIONAL ROOT CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE (N.R.C.R.I), ABIA STATE.
Impact assessment on smallholders within the rural agricultural ecosystems.
Dissemination of research results for food security and nutrition in farming households
2007: MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABIA STATE,
Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES): Hands-on experience in arable crop farming, livestock farming and management, tree crops farming (Rubber and oil palm plantation) from seed sourcing and processing to management of plantation. Fish farming and Apiculture.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
2009: Mapping Cluster of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria; PACF, ECOWAS Nigeria.
2010: National Survey of SME‟s in HQCF Production, Nigeria; RMRDC, Abuja Nigeria.
2010-2012: Maruca Resistant Cowpea and Nitrogen Efficient Water Efficient and Salt- Tolerant (NEWEST) Rice varieties development for Africa. AATF, Abuja Nigeria.
2013-2014: EU-ECHO Humanitarian Response in Sub Saharan Africa; Food Security Nutrition and Seed System Security Assessment. FAO, Rome Italy.
2015: Gender Research in Cassava Weeding Management Trial; National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike and International Institute for Tropical Agriculture Nigeria
2015: NEXTGEN Cassava Breeding Project; Nigeria.
PUBLICATIONS
Journals and Proceedings
Onyegbulam, L. A., Ishmael, V. and Eledinmuo-Ukpebor, P.O (2016). Determinants of breadfruit (Treculia africana) seed commercialization in Umuahia South L.G.A, Abia State Nigeria. The Nigerian Agricultural Journal, 47(2):58-64.
Onyegbulam, L. A., Nwaru, J.C. and Uzuegbu, J.O (2016). Effects of variety on technical efficiency of cassava farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. The Nigerian Agricultural Journal, 47(1):326-334.
Onyegbulam, L. A., Ishmael, V. and Okoye, B. C. (2016). Profitability analysis of African breadfruit seed (Treculia africana) commercialization in Umuahia North, Abia State, Nigeria. Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference of Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists. Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State from 17th- 21st October, 2016. In press.
De Meyer, J., Blum, M., Onyegbulam, L. A. Nichterlein, K and Chuluunbaatar, D. (2013). Research and extension linkages: Institutions and concepts. First biennial conference of Rwandan Agricultural Board, Kigali on “Confronting Challenges of Food Insecurity and Poverty in the Era of Climate Change and Variability”. 21st- 23rd August, 2013
Alleluyanatha E., Onyegbulam, L. A. and Mbanaso, E.O. (2015). Effect of cassava commercialization on poverty reduction in Nigeria. In: S.I. Omeje, S.O. Emosairue, C. C. Chukwuji, L. Bratte, J.O. Isikwenu, R.A. Isiorhovoja and M.O. Agbogidi (eds.) Proceedings of the 49th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria at Delta State University, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria from 9th-13th November, 2015.
Working Paper(s)
FAO (2014). Nutrition and Resilience: “Strengthening the links between nutrition and resilience in food agriculture” A discussion paper.
Book Contribution
Aguiyi, G. C., Onyegbulam, L.A., and Nwankwo, F. O. (2011). The Comatose Nigerian Textile Sector: Impact on Food Security and Livelihoods; National Association of Nigerian Traders Secretariat (NANTS), Advocacy series 143 titled “Farm and Foods”.
CONFERENCES ATTENDED
2016: 7th African Agricultural Science Week and FARA General Assembly, Kigali Rwanda
2016: Pan-African Agribusiness Conference and Expo; Accra Ghana
2016: Agricultural Society of Nigeria Conference, Umudike Nigeria.
2013: World Policies against Hunger; Berlin Germany.
2012: Innovative Ideas to Feed the World; FAO Rome Italy
LANGUAGES AND INTERESTS
English (Advanced), Italian (Intermediate), French (basic)
REFERENCES
Nyasha Tirivayi, Ph.D.
Agricultural Economist,
United Nations University (UNU-MERIT) in Maastricht, Netherlands
Nomathemba Mhlanga,
Agribusiness Economist, Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division,
Food and Agricultural Organization Headquarters, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00153 Rome, Italy.
nomathemba.mhlanga@fao.org
Prof. Pasquale Tridico,
Masters Coordinator, Human Development and Food Security,
Faculty of Economics, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy. pasquale.tridico@uniroma3.it
Chiedozie N. Egesi Ph.D
Project Manager, NEXTGEN Cassava Project; Cornell University Ithaca, New York. cegesi@yahoo.com; cne@cornell.edu