Dr. Habtemariam Kassa, new scientist from the Forests and Livelihood Programme starts his appointment with CIFOR on January 3, 2005. Habte is based in Addis Ababa located at ILRI office. Previously before joining CIFOR Habte was employed by the Virginia Tech Consortium as an extension associate for a USAID funded project. The project focuses about paradigm shift in agricultural research and extension in Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. Habte obtained his PhD in Rural Development Studies in 2003 from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. He also obtained his MSc in Rural Development Studies from the same University as well as MSc in Agriculture from Ecole Nationale Superieure Agronomique de Montpellier, France. His BSc is in Agriculture from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He will be mostly doing his research in Africa.