IUC with Mekelle University (Ethiopia)

The programme started in 2003 and was designed on the basis of a demand formulated by MU staff. The IUC programme had been preceded by other cooperation projects with Flemish universities and with the experience gathered a coherent programme was set up consisting of a core of six research driven projects and two support projects. Subjects of the research programmes were i) enhanced crop production, ii) socio-economic research, iii) hydrogeology for water resources management, iv) aquatic ecology, v) land management and vi) farm technology. The supporting projects addressed the enhancement and optimization of ICT usage and the upgrading of library services. The programme for the second phase was equal content wise but envisaged a shift in focus from discipline oriented to inter/multi-disciplinary research, more emphasis on extension and outreach and enhanced ownership by the Ethiopian partner.