Mekides Gardi | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Cimmyt | Ethiopia

Dr. Mekides Woldegiorgis Gardi, an Ethiopian system agronomist and crop modeler, is currently serving as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), based at the ILRI campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, where her research focused on the impacts of climate change and variability on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). With over a decade of research and project coordination experience, Dr. Gardi has developed strong expertise in crop simulation modeling using DSSAT and APSIM, climate change impact assessment, and climate-resilient agriculture. Her professional journey includes research roles at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, ICARDA, and DAB Development Research and Training, where she contributed to field data collection, climate-crop interaction studies, and multi-country agricultural projects. At CIMMYT, she leads modeling efforts to evaluate climate change effects on maize and wheat, supports digital agriculture initiatives, and develops adaptation strategies to strengthen climate-resilient breeding and food security systems in Africa. Dr. Gardi is highly skilled in data management, scientific writing, and interdisciplinary collaboration, with a focus on developing sustainable, data-driven agricultural solutions. Her work integrates advanced modeling with on-ground agricultural development to guide policy and improve farming resilience under changing climatic conditions.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

• Gardi, M. W., Memic, E., Zewdu, E., & Graeff‐Hönninger, S. (2022). Simulating the effect of climate change on barley yield in Ethiopia with the DSSAT‐CERES‐Barley model. Agronomy Journal, 114(2), 1128–1145.

• Gardi, M. W., Haussmann, B. I. G., Malik, W. A., & Högy, P. (2022). Effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ and its interaction with temperature and nitrogen on yield of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.): A meta-analysis. Plant and Soil, 475(1), 535–550.

• Wamatu, J., Alkhtib, A., & Woldegiorgis, M. G. (2019). Leveraging traditional crops for food and feed: A case of hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare) landraces in Ethiopia. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences, 7(1), 42–50.

• Gardi, M. W., Malik, W. A., & Haussmann, B. I. G. (2021). Impacts of carbon dioxide enrichment on landrace and released Ethiopian barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars. Plants, 10(12), 2691.

• Gardi, M. W., Zewdu, E., & Sida, T. S. (2021). Modeling sorghum yield response to climate change in the semi-arid environment of Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, Article 102143.