Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin | Urban Agriculture | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin | Urban Agriculture | Research Excellence Award

Technical Advisor | Aglobe Development Center | Nigeria

Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin is a researcher specializing in Agricultural and Resource Economics with strong expertise in Development Economics, currently affiliated with the Technical University of Munich. His research focuses on the economics of sustainable agriculture, agroforestry systems, Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), climate policy, and smallholder livelihood resilience, with emerging interests in gender equity, environmental incentives, and climate-smart food systems. He has held key academic and research roles through international collaborations addressing sustainability challenges in Africa and developing economies. His major contributions include influential empirical evidence on PES effectiveness, agroforestry adoption, women’s economic empowerment, and policy-relevant analyses of climate and energy transitions. Through interdisciplinary and impact-driven research, his work informs evidence-based policymaking, supports sustainable land-use strategies, and advances inclusive economic development. His impact vision centers on bridging environmental conservation with poverty alleviation by translating rigorous economic research into scalable solutions for global sustainability and climate resilience.

Featured Publications 

  1. Benjamin, E. O., Ola, O., Menapace, L., & Lang, H. (2019). Determinants of the environmental conservation and poverty alleviation objectives of payments for ecosystem services programs. Ecosystem Services, 35, 52–66.

  2. Benjamin, E. O., Ola, O., & Buchenrieder, G. (2018). Does an agroforestry scheme with payment for ecosystem services economically empower women in sub-Saharan Africa? Ecosystem Services, 31, 1–11.

  3. Benjamin, E. O., & Sauer, J. (2018). The cost effectiveness of payments for ecosystem services—Smallholders and agroforestry in Africa. Land Use Policy, 71, 293–302.

  4. Guo, Q., Ola, O., & Benjamin, E. O. (2020). Determinants of the adoption of sustainable intensification in southern African farming systems: A meta-analysis. Sustainability, 12(8), 3276.

  5. Ola, O., & Benjamin, E. O. (2019). Preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services in West African forest, watersheds, and wetlands: A review of incentives. Forests, 10(6), 479.

Prof. Sue Walker | Agrometeorology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Agri Scientist

Prof. Sue Walker | Agrometeorology | Best Researcher Award

Principal Researcher Agromet | ARC-NRE & UFS | South Africa

Prof. Sue Walker is an Affiliated Emeritus Professor of Agrometeorology at the University of the Free State and a Principal Specialist Researcher in Agrometeorology at the Agricultural Research Council, South Africa. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the University of California, Davis, and advanced diplomas in Project Management and Innovation & Design Thinking. Prof. Walker’s research focuses on the development of climate services for agricultural systems, climate-smart agriculture, crop-climate modeling, and adaptation strategies for smallholder farmers in semi-arid regions. She has authored over 131 peer-reviewed scientific articles and 40 book chapters, contributing significantly to areas like water-energy-food nexus, crop modeling, and the application of seasonal forecasts in agriculture. Her work includes notable projects such as the “Climate-Wise Women” initiative and the “Rain for Africa” project. Prof. Walker has received several prestigious awards, including a Fulbright Scholarship, a South African National Research Foundation B3-rating, a fellowship with the South African Society of Crop Production, and the Bram Fischer Oxford-South Africa Award. She has served as Chair of the World Meteorological Organization's OPAG on Agrometeorological Services and as a representative to WMO-CAgM and ICID Working Groups. Additionally, she serves on the Editorial Committee of the South African Journal of Plant and Soil. Her work emphasizes participatory rural appraisal methods, decision support tools for farmers, and the integration of climate services into agricultural development strategies. With extensive global experience from over 54 countries, she remains a leading expert in building resilience against climate variability in the agricultural sector. She has 3039 citations from 2600 documents across 115 publications, with an h-index of 30.

Profiles:  Google Scholar | ORCID | Scopus

Publications 

1. Kumssa, D. B., Joy, E. J. M., Ander, E. L., Watts, M. J., Young, S. D., Walker, S., ... (2015). Dietary calcium and zinc deficiency risks are decreasing but remain prevalent. Scientific Reports, 5(1), 10974.

2. Tsubo, M., Walker, S., & Ogindo, H. O. (2005). A simulation model of cereal–legume intercropping systems for semi-arid regions: I. Model development. Field Crops Research, 93(1), 10–22.

3. Tsubo, M., Walker, S., & Mukhala, E. (2001). Comparisons of radiation use efficiency of mono-/inter-cropping systems with different row orientations. Field Crops Research, 71(1), 17–29.

4. Gandure, S., Walker, S., & Botha, J. J. (2013). Farmers' perceptions of adaptation to climate change and water stress in a South African rural community. Environmental Development, 5, 39–53.

5. Tesfaye, K., Walker, S., & Tsubo, M. (2006). Radiation interception and radiation use efficiency of three grain legumes under water deficit conditions in a semi-arid environment. European Journal of Agronomy, 25(1), 60–70.