Yilma Tadesse Tena

I was born and grown in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. I have successfully completed my MSc degree in Livestock production and Pastoral Development in Ethiopia, Mekelle University. I have been working in higher Institutes both in Ethiopia (7 years) and Saudi Arabia (9 years) for the last 16 years and now as general manager of Yilma, Wendwosen and Freinds Beekeeping P/S in Addis Ababa. The majority of my experience is highly related to Beekeeping/Apiculture, particularly A. M. jemenitica, hybrid bees imported to Saudi Arabia, A. M. scutellata and other Africanized bee subspecies. Mizan ATVET College in Ethiopia; Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Assosa Center; King Saud University and Al-Baha Beekeepers Cooperative Association in Saudi Arabia were my working institutions. In these work exposures, I’m confident that I have developed a great knowledge and skill in the following areas: Training of trainers and beekeepers; honey bee mass queen rearing and productive colony production; drone rearing, bee breeding and selection, demonstration of modern beekeeping (nutrition, health and management), project development (both research and development), honey bee product value addition and business ideas; researching, data management and analysis; scientific report writing and publication; scaling up of technologies; use of digital technology; implementation of proven beekeeping technologies and systems.

Now I’m 41 years old and highly aspiring to engage myself in development works so as to realize my vision, “seeing my knowledge and skill helping communities to have sustained income and improve their livelihoods” come true through improved agricultural production systems. By the way, I have a great ambition of the apicultural sector development in Ethiopia, a country giving high normative and cultural value to the beekeeping sub-sector and its products. The country can easily advance the subsector by following different strategies like improved beekeeping (nutrition, health and management); apicultural landscape/ resource base development; honeybee queen rearing and colony multiplication; and product management and value addition along the bee product value chains, which I’m skilled in. Hence, it will be a pleasure to work and see my ambitions come true by working with private and development organizations, that provides a unique platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. My previous academic and work experience achievements including other details are stated on my updated CV. Given the current work opportunity, I promise I can serve the organization and the country to the best of my knowledge and experience!