Melkamu Girma Koricho
Project Title: An Assessment of Links Between Farmland Markets and the Environmental Sustainability of Agriculture in Ireland
Biography: Melkamu is a Ph.D. researcher at Teagasc and UCC, where he is studying the links between farmland markets and the environmental sustainability of agriculture in Ireland. His research focuses on land rental activity and the determinants of land rental markets, including the effects of major reforms in agriculture. In particular, the research aims to address significant research gaps regarding the relationship between land markets and environmental sustainability, an area that has been largely neglected in existing quantitative research, which has primarily focused on economic outcomes.
The key objectives of Melkamu’s research include examining changes in rental prices for arable farms following Ireland’s major reforms to the Nitrates Directive in 2023. This research will make an important contribution to the tillage sector, given the increasing competition for land and national targets for tillage area expansion. The study also aims to assess the impact of these reforms on farms, in other systems, and particularly on dairy farming, thereby providing improved insights into the decision-making processes for Irish farmers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers. His research employs both descriptive statistical analysis and econometric modelling, using data primarily from the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) and other institutional sources.
Melkamu holds his B.Sc. degree in Agricultural Economics from Haramaya University and M.Sc. degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Haramaya University in collaboration with University of Pretoria, South Africa. Prior to commencing his Ph.D., he served as a lecturer and researcher at the School of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at Haramaya University, Ethiopia, where he actively contributed to teaching and learning, research, and community service.
Teagasc email: Melkamu.Koricho@teagasc.ie
University email: 125130932@umail.ucc.ie
Teagasc Research Programme: Rural Economy and Development Programme
Research Location: Teagasc Athenry
University: University College Cork (UCC)
Teagasc Supervisor: Dr. Jason Loughrey
University Supervisor: Dr. Tracy Bradfield and Prof. Thia Hennessy
Funder: Teagasc