Biography

Dr. Oliver Vivian Wasonga is an Ecologist with a specialization in Dryland Resource Management and Pastoral Production Systems and over 20 years of experience in work related to Sustainable Rangeland Management, Climate Change Adaptation, and Pastoral Livelihoods. He is currently a Senior Lecturer and Head of Range Management in the Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology (LARMAT) at the University of Nairobi . During 2011- 2014, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the German Institute for Tropical and Sub-Tropical Agriculture (DITSL) at the University of Kassel in Witzenhausen, Germany.

Academic Positions

  • Present2016

    Senior Lecturer and Head of Range Management Section

    University of Nairobi, Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology (LARMAT).

  • 20152011

    Lecturer

    University of Nairobi, Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, Range Management Section

  • 20132011

    Post-Doctoral Scientist

    German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), GrassNet Programmme at the German Institute for Tropical and Sub-Tropical Agriculture (DITSL) at University of Kassel, Witzenhausen, Germany

  • 20112008

    Tutorial Fellow

    University of Nairobi, Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology

  • 20082006

    Part-time lecturer

    University of Nairobi, Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology

Education & Training

  • Ph.D. 2009

    Doctor of Philosophy, Rangeland Ecology and Pastoral Livelihoods

    University of Nairobi

  • M.Sc. 2001

    Master of Science, Range Management | Range Ecology

    University of Nairobi

  • B.Sc. 1996

    Bachelor of Science, Range Management

    University of Nairobi, Kenya

Honors, Awards and Grants

  • 2018
    Grants for Local Adaptation Support (GLAS
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    Grants for Local Adaptation Support (GLAS), a competitive small grant awarded by Global System Change for Analysis Research and Training (START)
  • 2016 – 2017
    The Christensen Fund
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    The Christensen Fund, USA for Promotion of Pastoral Indigenous Knowlege
  • 2015 – 2017
    RUFORUM Research Grant
    The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) Graduate Research Grants (GRG)
  • 2012
    German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) GrassNet post-doctoral scholarship award.
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    German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) GrassNet post-doctoral scholarship award. Undertaken at German Institute for Tropical and Sub-Tropical Agriculture (DITSL), Germany
  • 2009
    Open Society Institute (OSI)/International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
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    Open Society Institute (OSI)/International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), bursary award to build awareness on adaptation to climate change in African Universities
  • 2009
    United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Agency (MASHAV)
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    United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Agency (MASHAV) award for training on ‘the Role of Native and Desert-Adapted Species for the purpose of Slowing Desertification
  • 2002
    International Programme for Arid Lands Crops (IPALAC) and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Agency (MASHAV)
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    International Programme for Arid Lands Crops (IPALAC) and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Agency (MASHAV) award for training on ‘Trees for arid lands
  • 2003 - 2004
    Environmental Policy and Society (EPOS)/PINEP, an interactive course fellowship
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    Environmental Policy and Society (EPOS)/PINEP, an interactive course fellowship, Linköping University, Sweden
  • 2004-2006
    Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)/PINEP
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    Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)/PINEP PhD Scholarship Award
  • 1998
    University of Nairobi Scholarship
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    University of Nairobi, M.Sc. Scholarship award
  • 1992
    University of Nairobi Scholarship
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    University of Nairobi, B.Sc. Scholarship award
facultywplk
College of Agriculture & Veterinary Science, University of Nairobi
African Dryland Institute for Sustainability , University of Nairobi