Meda Theodory | Agricultural Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Meda Theodory | Agricultural Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Lecturer | Moshi Co-operative University | Tanzania

Dr. Meda Theodory is a highly dedicated academic and researcher in the field of agricultural economics, with particular expertise in post-harvest loss reduction, bio-processing, technology adoption, and econometric analysis. As a Lecturer at Moshi Co-operative University, he has made substantial contributions to advancing knowledge and practice in agricultural value chains, focusing on enhancing efficiency and profitability for smallholder farmers. His research integrates economic modelling tools such as cost-benefit analysis, net present value, and benefit-cost ratio to assess the economic performance of post-harvest and processing technologies for key crops like rice and cassava. He has led and participated in research projects that address critical agricultural challenges in Tanzania, including post-harvest loss quantification and evaluation of indigenous versus modern technologies. Through his work, he provides evidence-based policy recommendations that support sustainable agricultural development and food security. In addition to his academic contributions, he has been actively involved in consultancy assignments related to agricultural value chains, grain management, and technology dissemination. His leadership as Head of the Department of Economics and Statistics at Moshi Co-operative University has been instrumental in strengthening academic programs, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentoring students and early-career researchers. He maintains active collaborations with national and international institutions, such as Sokoine University of Agriculture, and contributes to peer review for journals in agricultural economics and post-harvest technology. Dr. Theodory’s commitment to research excellence, applied economics, and innovation continues to have a meaningful impact on agricultural sustainability and rural development in Tanzania.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

Theodory, M. (2025). Typology of technical options employed in postharvest grain management along rice value chain in Kilombero and Mbarali Districts, Tanzania. Sustainable Futures.

Satyam saxena | Agriculture Economics | Young Researcher Award

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Mr. Satyam saxena | Agriculture Economics | Young Researcher Award

Research Associate | International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center- CIMMYT | India

Mr. Satyam Saxena is an economist specializing in food system economics, sustainability, and empirical economic analysis, with extensive experience in bridging critical research gaps through data-driven approaches. His work focuses on the intersections of climate change, food insecurity, and rural development, critically evaluating policies to promote sustainable and equitable outcomes. He has contributed to high-impact projects at institutions such as CIMMYT-India and IIM Ahmedabad, working on themes including climate change impact assessment, sustainable food and land-use transitions, integrated assessment modeling, and food systems economics. At CIMMYT, he led drought impact assessments, developed large-scale datasets, and applied advanced statistical and econometric methods to inform agricultural policy. In collaboration with international organizations, he has contributed to the FABLE-FOLU project, designing strategic models for food systems and land-use transitions, applying partial equilibrium models, and conducting comparative analyses of dietary recommendations for sustainable nutrition pathways. Beyond research, he has experience teaching at the university level, delivering courses on agribusiness management, operational management, and international trade policy, reflecting his commitment to fostering the next generation of changemakers. His publications span peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, policy briefs, and reports, addressing topics from drought impacts and biofuels to sustainable food and land-use transitions. Through his interdisciplinary work, which integrates theory and applied research, Saxena has advanced both national and global conversations on sustainable food systems, contributing to evidence-based policymaking, open-access data initiatives, and the dissemination of actionable insights for climate-resilient agricultural and rural development.

Profile: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

1. Saxena, S. (2024, September 15). Drought impact assessment in Bihar – August 2024 [Report]. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.

2. Das, P., Jha, C. K., Saxena, S., & Ghosh, R. K. (2024). Can biofuels help achieve sustainable development goals in India? A systematic review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 204, 114246.

3. Saxena, S. (2024, February 12). Data on assessment of impacts of drought in Bihar during 2022 [Dataset]. CIMMYT Research Data & Software Repository Network.

4. Jha, C. K., Ghosh, R. K., Saxena, S., Singh, V., Mosnier, A., Pérez Guzman, K., Stevanović, M., Popp, A., Lotze-Campen, H., & Saxena, S. (2023). Pathway to achieve a sustainable food and land-use transition in India. Sustainability Science, 18(1), 123–140.

5. Poncet, J., Mosnier, A., Schmidt-Traub, G., Obersteiner, M., DeClerck, F., Jones, S., Pérez-Guzmán, K., Douzal, C., & François, C. (2020). Pathways to sustainable land-use and food systems: 2020 report of the FABLE Consortium [Report]. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) & Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

Leila Jafari | Sustainable Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Leila Jafari | Sustainable Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

University of Hormozgan, Iran

Dr. Leila Jafari is a distinguished agroecologist and faculty member at the Department of Agronomy, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. She holds a PhD in Agroecology from Ferdowsi University, with research focused on nitrogen efficiency in wheat and maize cultivars. Her academic background also includes an MS and BS in Agronomy from Shiraz University, where she explored allelopathy and crop rotation.

Profile:

Educational Background:

She earned her Ph.D. in Agroecology from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad with a thesis on the evolution of nitrogen efficiency indices in cereal cultivars. Prior to that, she completed both her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Agronomy at Shiraz University, focusing on crop rotation and allelopathic interactions in rice-based systems.

Professional Experience:

Dr. Jafari has held academic positions at Hormozgan University, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses, supervised student projects, and conducted field-based research. She also served as an inspector and planner at the Management and Planning Organization of Iran, overseeing agricultural and natural resource projects at the national level.

Research Interests:

Her research encompasses a broad range of agroecological topics, including nitrogen use efficiency, salinity stress mitigation, crop diversity, weed ecology, essential oil analysis, and sustainable crop management under climate change scenarios.

Scientific Publications:

Dr. Jafari has published extensively in high-impact international and national journals. Her work covers subjects such as seed priming, drought and salinity stress, allelopathy, biostimulants, and water footprint analysis. Her interdisciplinary collaborations have addressed issues in horticulture, medicinal plants, and crop physiology.

Teaching and Academic Contributions:

She has taught several courses in agronomy, agricultural ecology, weed management, and cereal production. Her teaching is complemented by hands-on research training for students, development of laboratory manuals, and the use of statistical tools such as SAS for data analysis.

Conference Participation:

Dr. Jafari has presented her research at international scientific conferences, including workshops on invasive plant species and crop-weed interactions, sharing insights from her work on allelopathy and sustainable agriculture.

Scientific and Societal Impact:

Her work contributes to the understanding and advancement of sustainable agricultural systems in Iran and beyond. Through her academic and professional engagements, she promotes ecologically sound farming practices and supports research-informed policy development in agriculture and natural resources.

Citation Metrics:

According to Google Scholar:

  • Total Citations: 639

  • Citations Since 2020: 407

  • h-index: 11

  • h-index Since 2020: 9

  • i10-index: 12

  • i10-index Since 2020: 9

Publication Top Notes:

  • Phytotoxicity and stimulatory impacts of nanosized and bulk titanium dioxide on fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill)
    2013
    Citations: 263

  • Comparison of health status and quality of life of related versus paid unrelated living kidney donors
    2013
    Citations: 50

  • Evaluation of climate change effect on agricultural production of Iran: I. Predicting the future agroclimatic conditions
    2016
    Citations: 43

  • Effect of NaCl and KNO3 priming on seed germination of canola (Brassica napus L.) under salinity conditions
    2012
    Citations: 31

  • Impacts of climate change on water footprint components of rainfed and irrigated wheat in a semi-arid environment
    2023
    Citations: 26

  • Yield responses of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) to intercropping with chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
    2014
    Citations: 22