Research Scientist, Sanford School of Public Policy

Rahel Deribe Bekele

  • Rahel  Bekele
    Rahel Bekele
    Research Scientist, Sanford School of Public Policy

Research Scientist, Sanford School of Public Policy

Contact: rahel.bekele@duke.edu

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 Devhttps://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

My Work

Bringing Water to Thirsty Fields With Help From the Sun

Bringing Water to Thirsty Fields With Help From the Sun

On the latest episode from the Sanford’s Ways & Means podcast – Marc Jeuland, Jonathan Phillips, & Rahel Bekele discusses how solar mini-grid powered irrigation can change smallholder farmers’ lives and the work EAP@Duke is doing to evaluate the effects of the DREAM project on the resilience of the farming community.

Distributed Renewable Energy-Agriculture Modalities (DREAM)

Distributed Renewable Energy-Agriculture Modalities (DREAM)

    The Distributed Renewable Energy-Agriculture Modalities (DREAM) project was launched to demonstrate the viability of solar mini-grids for delivering improved irrigation services, greater agricultural productivity and expanded rural electrification. The DREAM...

Subscribe to our mailing List