Habtamu Alem

Forsker

(+47) 993 67 513
habtamu.alem@nibio.no

Sted
Ås - Bygg O43

Besøksadresse
Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås (Varelevering: Elizabeth Stephansens vei 21)

Vedlegg

CV

Biografi

Alem har doktorgrad og MSc. i økonomi fra Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet (NMBU) ved Handelshøyskolen. Han er forsker ved Norsk Institutt for bioøkonomi (NIBIO), avdeling for økonomi og samfunn. Alem har god kunnskap om miljø og ressursøkonomi som er basen for sirkulærøkonomi og virkemiddelvurderinger. Han koordinerer for tiden det EU-baserte samarbeidsprosjektet SYSTEMIC. I dette prosjektet er en av hovedoppgavene å gjennomføre sirkulære økonomier i 8 EU-land (Belgia, Frankrike, Tyskland, Italia, Latvia, Norge, Portugal og Spania). Alem spiller en nøkkelrolle for OECD-nettverk for økonomisk analyse.

Hans forskningsinteresse er mat og ernæringssikkerhet; Miljø- og produksjonsøkonomi; Klima forandringer; Økonometri; konsekvensutredning; sirkulær økonomi; kostnads-nytte-analyse; forbruker økonomi; Risikoanalyse; og topis relatert til utviklingsøkonomi (utviklingsland og utviklede land).

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Sammendrag

Abstract Water hyacinth is among the world’s most damaging aquatic invasive plants, forming dense mats that disrupt ecosystem functioning, fisheries, navigation, and livelihoods across tropical and subtropical freshwater systems. Its rapid spread is driven by clonal propagation, short life cycles, and prolific seed production, particularly under nutrient-enriched conditions. Although mechanical, chemical, and biological control methods are widely applied, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain when underlying eutrophication persists. Here, we present a large-scale, one-time water hyacinth removal campaign in Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, as a representative nutrient-rich tropical freshwater system. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, we quantified coverage one month before removal, one month after removal, and one year later. We integrated SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis with a socio-ecological system map to assess mitigation mechanisms and identify sustainable management pathways capable of providing long-term solutions to halt water hyacinth proliferation in freshwater bodies. The campaign removed over 75% (~1271 ha) of water hyacinth, yet within one year the plant resurged to levels ~18% higher than pre-removal. This rebound highlights the ecological resilience of water hyacinth and the limitations of short term, noncontinuous control strategies. Our analysis identifies unmanaged catchment nutrient inputs as the primary driver of proliferation. Lake Tana serves as a model system demonstrating that water hyacinth functions less as a traditional invader and more as a bioindicator of eutrophication. We propose a transferable conceptual and methodological framework combining continuous removal, catchment-based nutrient management, and circular bioeconomy approaches, offering globally relevant lessons for sustainable management of nutrient-enriched tropical freshwater systems.

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Divisjon for matproduksjon og samfunn

FoodsecURe: Food security through better sanitation: the case of urine recycling


Human urine contains essential plant nutrients. Hence, urine can serve as a “free” and locally available fertiliser. Successful, low-cost urine-diverting toilets (UDTs) that separately collect urine have been developed in Scandinavia and Europe and manufactured at large scale in Africa. A solution for stabilising urine into a solid fertiliser has also been developed. 

But why can't we recycle urine at scale?

In Sweden UDTs are used in some cottages, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU) has developed a method to stabilise and dry urine into a fertiliser product, urine-based fertiliser (UBF). FoodSecure aims to implement this technology at a medium scale in Ethiopia.

Active Updated: 07.10.2026
End: juni 2027
Start: juli 2023