Mizan-Aman, 20 August 2026 — The Bench Sheko Zone Administration Office and Finance Office have awarded a certificate of appreciation to Professor Adrian Wood and the University of Huddersfield in recognition of their longstanding contribution to development, environmental conservation and community livelihoods in Bench Sheko Zone and the wider Southwest Ethiopia Peoples’ Regional State.
The certificate was presented today at the conclusion of a two-day TRANSFORM Project review and next-phase planning meeting.
Representing the University of Huddersfield, Matthew Snell (PhD) received the certificate and Professor Adrian Wood for his lifetime dedications. The recognition highlighted the university’s long-term engagement in Southwest Ethiopia and its collaboration with local institutions and communities on forest conservation, participatory forest management and sustainable forest-based livelihoods.
University of Huddersfield research has made a significant contribution to the development of Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and forest-based enterprises in Southwest Ethiopia, working closely with EWNRA and local communities. Research and action-research activities have supported community forest management, sustainable value chains and livelihood opportunities linked to products including wild coffee, forest honey, spices and other non-timber forest products.
The University’s long-term work in the region includes the involvement of Professor Adrian Wood, who has been associated with the University of Huddersfield since 1986, and Matthew Snell, who joined the university in 2015 and has managed conservation and livelihood projects in Southwest Ethiopia in partnership with EWNRA and other organizations.
Receiving the recognition, they expressed their appreciation and noted that such acknowledgment provides renewed energy and encouragement to continue and strengthen the work already undertaken in partnership with local communities and government institutions.
The recognition also reflects the broader partnership behind the TRANSFORM initiative, involving EWNRA, Bees for Development UK and Ethiopia, and the University of Huddersfield, with support from Jersey Overseas Aid, while working closely with forest management groups and local government departments in Bench Sheko and Anderacha.
The award comes at an important moment as project partners conclude the current three-year implementation period and look toward a new phase of collaboration aimed at expanding successful approaches, strengthening forest governance, protecting biodiversity and improving sustainable livelihood opportunities for forest-dependent communities across Southwest Ethiopia.
