Biography
Dr. Likawent Yeheyis is a distinguished lead researcher and research manager specializing in animal science. Since August 2025, he has served as the Senior Director at the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute, Amhara Centre. Prior to this, he was the Deputy Director General of the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute until 2024—a regional institution mandated to conduct and coordinate research across diverse agricultural domains including crops, livestock, forestry, soil and water management, seed systems, and agricultural economics within the Amhara Region, renowned for its integrated crop-livestock production system.
Dr. Yeheyis has also held the position of Livestock Director at the Institute, where he provided technical leadership and oversight for research initiatives in ruminant production (dairy, beef, sheep, and goats), apiculture, poultry, and fisheries. He played a pivotal role in promoting the effective management and sustainable utilization of the region’s substantial livestock resources. Since 2012, he has spearheaded the promotion and scaling-up of proven livestock technologies, notably the community-based sheep and goat breeding program (CBBP).
A specialist in animal science, Dr. Yeheyis earned his MSc from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and his PhD from Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. He currently holds the rank of Lead Researcher—the highest professional designation within Ethiopia’s agricultural research system.
