Language:
AE African Expert Database
Eng. Zenebe Amele Sahile
Expert Profile

Eng. Zenebe Amele Sahile

Water Supply and Sanitation Engineer | Environmental Engineering Lecturer, Researcher & Biogas/GHG Emissions Specialist
📍 Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
Verified ExpertContributorReviewedSeniorFeatured
Available for Projects

Professional Summary

Ethiopian Water Supply, Sanitation, and Environmental Engineering professional with more than 12 years of academic, research, leadership, consulting, and field project experience. He is a PhD Candidate in Water and Environmental Engineering at Arba Minch University, with doctoral research focusing on the multidimensional impacts of farm-scale biogas digester adoption on rural livelihoods and environmental dynamics in East Africa, especially Ethiopia and Kenya. His work brings together WASH, clean energy, biogas technology, greenhouse gas emission reduction, environmental sustainability, sanitation assessment, waste management, bioslurry use, household energy transitions, indoor air quality, and rural livelihood improvement. He has served as Doctoral Research Fellow at Arba Minch University, PhD Research Fellow with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), CLIFF-GRADS Graduate Fellow at ILRI Mazingira Centre in Nairobi, Dean of the Faculty of Water Supply and Environmental Engineering, WASH Consultant, Environmentalist, Resettlement Action Plan Specialist, Lecturer, project coordinator, and community water supply engineer. His professional path shows a rare combination of teaching, research, scientific measurement, environmental assessment, institutional leadership, and practical community service. He has contributed to projects related to dam and irrigation development, sanitary landfill and abattoir feasibility and design, rural community water supply, household biodigester restoration, WASH assessment in Gambella, greenhouse gas measurement, bioslurry research, and biogas technology adoption. His publications and conference outputs also demonstrate his contribution to water quality assessment, indoor air quality, bioslurry use, greenhouse gas reduction, and biogas technology in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Key Expertise

Water Supply and Sanitation Engineering WASH Assessment and Monitoring Environmental Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental and Social Management Plans Biogas Technology Greenhouse Gas Emission Measurement Clean Energy Adoption Bioslurry Use Indoor Air Pollution Assessment Rural Livelihood Assessment Household Survey Design Water Quality Assessment Sanitary Landfill Feasibility and Design Abattoir Environmental Assessment Resettlement Action Planning Waste Management Nutrient Recovery Sustainable Resource Management Community Water Supply Academic Teaching and Research Supervision Faculty Leadership

Major Projects and Contributions

  • Doctoral Research on Farm-Scale Biogas Digesters in East Africa
    Conducts PhD research on the multidimensional impacts of farm-scale biogas digester adoption on rural livelihoods and environmental dynamics in East Africa, with focus on Ethiopia and Kenya. The research addresses biogas adoption, household energy use, farm productivity, gender and socioeconomic impacts, environmental outcomes, and rural transformation.
  • CLIFF-GRADS Graduate Fellowship at ILRI Mazingira Centre, Nairobi
    Served as CLIFF-GRADS Graduate Fellow at the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, working on forage plots, bioslurry and fertilizer application, soil sampling, biomass measurement, and greenhouse gas emission measurement of CH4, N2O, and CO2 using static chamber methods.
  • ILRI Ethiopia Research on Biogas, Indoor Air Quality and Rural Livelihoods
    Worked as PhD Research Fellow with ILRI in Ethiopia, designing and conducting household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to evaluate environmental, gender, socioeconomic, household energy, indoor air quality, and farm productivity impacts of farm-scale biogas technology.
  • Dean, Faculty of Water Supply and Environmental Engineering – Arba Minch University
    Served as Dean of the Faculty of Water Supply and Environmental Engineering, coordinating more than 50 academic staff and more than 300 students, supporting teaching, research planning, annual reporting, community initiatives, academic collaboration, and institutional leadership.
  • Sawla Town Sanitary Landfill and Abattoir Feasibility and Design Project
    Worked as Environmentalist for the feasibility and detailed design of sanitary landfill and abattoir infrastructure for Sawla Town Administration, preparing environmental and social impact analysis according to international and national requirements.
  • Yista Dam and Irrigation Development Project
    Worked as Resettlement Action Plan Specialist and Environmentalist for the Yista Dam and Irrigation Development Project in Gofa Zone, Melokoza Woreda, including stakeholder consultation, environmental and social management planning, asset valuation, and technical and institutional implementation planning.
  • Kolla Shara Community Water Supply Project
    Worked as Water Supply Engineer for the Kolla Shara community water supply project, contributing to distribution layout selection, construction of water points, rising mains, and community water infrastructure development.
  • Restoration of Household Biodigesters for the Shara Community
    Served as project coordinator for a community engagement initiative that restored more than 35 damaged household biodigesters to functional service, supporting clean energy access, rural livelihoods, environmental protection, and practical community resilience.
  • S.M.A.R.T. Integrated WASH and Sanitation Marketing Project in Gambella
    Worked as WASH Consultant under HYDROAID / Water for Development Organisation, conducting detailed water supply, sanitation, wastewater, and solid waste management assessments and identifying implementable best practices for the Gambella region.
  • Scientific Publications and Climate-Linked Environmental Research
    Contributed to scientific publications and conference outputs on water quality assessment, bioslurry use as fertilizer, greenhouse gas emissions, indoor air quality and health among biogas digester users, and biogas technology opportunities and challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa.