Eng. Tigabie Setu Birhan

Professional Summary

Ethiopian Water Resources and Irrigation Engineer, university lecturer, and researcher specializing in irrigation and drainage engineering, agricultural water management, hydrology, GIS, flood modelling, climate-change impact assessment, crop-water productivity, and sustainable water-resources management. Since 2018, he has served at Wollo University, Kombolcha Institute of Technology, combining undergraduate teaching with applied research and project work. His professional experience covers deficit and furrow irrigation, AquaCrop and crop-growth modelling, flood-inundation assessment, hydrological and hydraulic modelling, rainfall and streamflow analysis, soil erosion, water accounting, GIS and remote sensing, field data collection, and capacity building for irrigation professionals and Water User Associations. His research and publications demonstrate a strong connection between scientific modelling, agricultural productivity, climate resilience, and practical water-management challenges in Ethiopia.

Key Expertise

Major Projects and Contributions

• Lecturer and Researcher – Wollo University
  Serves as a Lecturer and Researcher at Wollo University, Kombolcha Institute of Technology, with academic and applied research responsibilities in Water Resources and Irrigation Engineering, irrigation and drainage, agricultural water management, hydrology, GIS, modelling, and sustainable water-resources management.
• Flood Inundation Mapping under Future Climate Change – Cheleka and Borkena Rivers
  Co-investigator in Wollo University research on mapping flood-inundation areas under future climate-change conditions along the Cheleka and Borkena Rivers in the Awash Basin, Ethiopia. The work applies ArcGIS, HEC-GeoHMS, HEC-HMS, HEC-GeoRAS, HEC-RAS, GIS, SWAT, field data collection, and collaborative research methods.
• Deficit Irrigation, Maize Yield and Water-Use Efficiency Research
  Conducted graduate research evaluating deficit irrigation effects on maize yield and water-use efficiency under furrow irrigation in Arba Minch, southern Ethiopia. The research supports improved irrigation scheduling, agricultural water productivity, and efficient use of limited water resources.
• Irrigation Capacity Building for Experts and Water User Associations
  Led and contributed to targeted capacity-building activities for irrigation experts and Water User Associations in Albuko Woreda, South Wollo, with the objective of improving agricultural productivity, irrigation management, technical capacity, and sustainable water use.
• Holistic Circular Economy Model for Food and Nutrition Security
  Project-lead experience in a holistic circular-economy initiative promoting food and nutrition security through environmentally resilient technology adoption in different parts of South Wollo, Ethiopia.
• Wetland and Water-Resources Field Data Collection
  Conducts quantitative and qualitative field-data collection using KoboToolbox, including household surveys, focus-group discussions, and key-informant interviews. Experience includes flood-risk research and wetland-related data collection in Ardibo, Chirity, and Borumeda wetlands.
• Research on Irrigation Water Productivity and Crop Modelling
  Published and contributed to research on AquaCrop simulation of maize yield and water productivity, furrow-irrigation systems and irrigation levels, onion water productivity, and deficit irrigation and mulching effects on watermelon. This work integrates crop modelling, irrigation management, agronomy, and agricultural water-use efficiency.
• Hydrological, Rainfall and Soil-Erosion Modelling Research
  Contributes to applied research on rainfall bias correction, CHIRP rainfall estimates, streamflow simulation, climate and hydrological modelling, and soil-erosion trends in Ethiopian watersheds, strengthening evidence-based watershed and water-resources management.