Rahel Deribe Bekele

Rahel D. Bekele is a Research Scientist at the Stanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. By training, she is an economist, specialized in agriculture, environment and natural resource. Her prior and ongoing research work focuses on agricultural water management, irrigation, energy, climate change, gender in agriculture, poverty, and environment in sub-Saharan Africa. Methodologically, she focuses on agricultural household models and non-market valuation techniques. At Duke, Rahel’s work will include evaluating the impact of solar mini-grid-powered irrigation projects on resilience and sustainability for farm enterprises and households. She completed her PhD from Center for Development Research (ZEF), Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-University of Bonn. She received her MSc and BA degrees in Economics from Addis Ababa University.

Recent publications

• Bekele, R.D (2021). The Economics of Irrigation Systems in Ethiopia Technological and Institutional Analysis, PhD Dissertation, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11811/9471
• Theis, Sophie; Bekele, Rahel Deribe; Lefore, Nicole; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela; Ringler, Claudia; and Larkin, Emily. (2021). Intégrer la dimension genre dans le développement de l’irrigation à petite échelle: Recommandations en vue d’un développement inclusif. IFPRI-REACH Project Note September 2021. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134571
• Bekele, R.D., Mirzabaev, A. and Mekonnen, D. (2021), Adoption of Multiple Sustainable Land Management Practices among Irrigator Rural Farm Households of Ethiopia. Land Degrad Dev. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.4091
• Bekele R. D, and Mekonnen D. (2021) “Local Empowerment and Irrigation Devolution in Ethiopia”, International Journal of Water Resources Development  https:/doi.org/ 10.1080/07900627.2021.1936465
• Gebreegziabher, Z., Mekonnen A., Bekele R.D., Zewdie S.A., Kassahun M.M. (2020) “Crop-Livestock Inter-linkages and Climate Change Implications for Ethiopia’s Agriculture: A Ricardian Approach.” In: Leal Filho W., Nagy G., Borga M., Chávez Muñoz P., Magnuszewski A. (eds) Climate Change, Hazards and Adaptation Options. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37425-9_31
• Beyene A. B., Mekonnen A., Bluffstone R. and & Bekele R.D (2019) “Household Level Determinants of Agroforestry Practices Adoption in Rural Ethiopia”, Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 28:3, 194-213, DOI: 10.1080/14728028.2019.1620137
• Theis, S., Bekele, R. D., Lefore, N., Meinzen-Dick, R., and Ringler, C. (2018). “Considering gender when promoting small-scale irrigation technologies: Guidance for inclusive irrigation interventions”. IFPRI-REACH Project Note. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
• Gebreegziabher, Z., Mekonnen, A., Bekele R.D; Bane, J., Zewdie, S. A. (2018) “Mapping Vulnerability to Climate Change of the Farming Sector in the Nile Basin of Ethiopia: A Micro-level Perspective.”, in Cyndi Spindell Berck, Peter Berck and Salvatore Di Falco, ed., Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa: Food Security in Changing Environment , pp. 28-54(27), ROUTLEDGE in association with GSE Research
• Mekonnen, A., Beyene A. B and Bekele R.D, (2015). “The Impact of Natural Resources Scarcity on Agriculture in Ethiopia.” EfD Discussion Paper Series EfD DP 15-13 Gothenburg, Sweden, Environment for Development and Washington, DC, Resource for the Future