Dr Okia Clement Akais joined World Agroforestry in 2012 as a Scientist and Uganda Country Representative under the Eastern and Southern Africa regional program. Clement holds a PhD in agroforestry from Bangor University, UK and MSc and BSc in Forestry from Makerere University, Uganda. His research interests are in sustainable natural resource management, tree domestication and breeding, landscape restoration and livelihoods. Prior to joining ICRAF, Clement worked as a lecturer in Makerere University, Uganda.
He also worked for the Uganda Agroforestry Development Network a Development Facilitator and as a lecturer and head of environmental forestry in Nyabyeya Forestry College, Uganda. Clement has provided leadership to various regional and national projects, including; Value Chain Innovation Platforms, sustainable use of natural resources in the refugee context in Uganda, Farmer Managed natural regeneration, Priority Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Drylands of Eastern Africa, Dissemination and scaling-up of demand-driven agroforestry technologies and innovations in the East and Central Africa, Makerere-Bangor Universities strengthening institutional capacity for teaching, research and outreach in agroforestry and eco-agriculture, and unlocking the potential of edible insects in the Lake Victoria Basin among others.
Clement has provided consultancy services to various national and international agencies, including the World Bank, GEF, Eco-agriculture Partners, DFID, National Forestry Authority, National Agricultural Research Organisation, Lafarge and DANIDA, among others. He is a member of various professional bodies including the Commonwealth Forestry Association, African Forest Forum, East African Soil Science Society, Nature Uganda and Uganda Forestry Working Group. Clement has published several scientific articles, books and book chapters and has supervised several PhD and MSc students.