Research Topics

Part of the logistic function of a Biosphere Reserve is research, providing further insights on sustainable development, ecosystem services, nature conservation, biodiversity protection and the region itself.

There is still a lot to discover around Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve and we would be happy to support any research connected to the Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve with expert knowledge, information material and/or contacts. Currently we cannot offer any financial support for research though.

Some topics which would help the LTBR administration in better addressing the challenges it is facing are for example:

  1. Soil degradation in the upper catchment of Lake Tana and the effects of sedimentation on fish spawning sites
  2. Identification of indigenous knowledge and their benefit for local communities and natural resource conservation
  3. The value chain of fish production and the economics status of fishery associations  in LTBR
  4. The local perception towards LTBR, nature conservation and the interest in greening degraded sites of the Tana Basin
  5. Product development, potential assessment, marketing etc. for specific regional products from within LTBR
  6. Strengthening and development of further, community based ecotourism activities in LTBR
  7. Challenges and opportunities of implementing the BR functions in LTBR
  8. Assessment of local crop varieties/old species and their importance for conservation of agro biodiversity
  9. Human Wildlife Conflict – the case of the hippopotamus amphibious
  10. Invasive species – the water hyacinth at Lake Tana

Please be aware that this is not a call for tender. The Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve is currently not able to finance research.

We still invite interested students and researchers to get in contact, if the intended research covers parts of the above mentioned topics.