Asrat Mulat Asegie holds a master's degree in Rural Development Management from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia, and a bachelor's degree in Rural Development from Debre Markos University, Ethiopia, awarded in 2019 and 2011, respectively. Since October 2014, he has held graduate assistant and lecturer positions at Wollo University, Ethiopia. Besides teaching, Asrat has served as the principal investigator on various research projects funded by Wollo University and international donors, including the European Union, the Institute for Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD), and Sustainable Development (ISD). Additionally, he has provided consultancy services in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and other private consultants, focusing on flood impact, migration, and agricultural value chain analysis. His research interests encompass the analysis of agricultural technologies and innovation, rural livelihoods and food security, rural institutions, gender and youth studies, land administration, and sustainable food systems. He has authored over eight research articles published in reputable journals, employing mixed research design approaches with due consideration of the research context. Asrat has been awarded more than 10 scholarships and research grants from diverse national and international organizations.
In 2024, Asrat was selected as PhD candidate in the GROW programme.

PhD Project ‘Frugality and Frugal Innovation in the Farming Systems of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Monasteries’

Asrat is planning to conduct research on heuristics of frugality and frugal innovation in the farming practices of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) monasteries in Ethiopia. The growing body of literature on frugal innovation has inspired him to investigate frugal innovations at the monasteries of the EOTC, which has extensive ‘wisdom’ and indigenous knowledge of disease control, postharvest management, and land fertility management in confined environments. Research on heuristics of frugal innovation in the EOTC monasteries' farming systems is motivated by cultural significance, environmental challenges, indigenous knowledge preservation, livelihood enhancement, and academic contribution to sustainable food systems. By exploring frugality and frugal innovation in farming systems of EOTC monasteries, he is motivated to navigate into practical insights on the agricultural activities practiced in the monasteries.

The research aims to contribute to the academic field, filling existing research gaps, and promoting sustainable food systems. The study explores the link between religious beliefs, sustainable agriculture, and community development through the lens of frugality, frugal innovation and ecotheology, providing a unique perspective on local livelihoods and food production.

Key objectives

Specifically, this research intends to:

1. analyse how heuristics underlying frugality manifests in agricultural practices of EOTC monasteries
2. examine the existence and role of theologically informed ecological perspectives that could contribute to sustainable agricultural practices in and outside EOTC monasteries
3. investigate existing social networks and their influence on the heuristics of frugality in the farming practices of EOTC monasteries
4. investigate intersections between indigenous knowledge and religious thought induced frugal practices among monastic community and local farmers.

The study will select five monasteries in Amhara and Southern Nations regions in Ethiopia, using purposive sampling based on their experience in monastic agricultural practices. The study will involve 225 in-depth interviews, 35 key informant interviews, 15 focus group discussions, and 10 case studies in households engaged in farming activities around case monasteries. The research will use a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data on agricultural productivity and income generation with qualitative data on perceived impacts of heuristic frugality and frugal innovations in EOTC monastery farming systems. Thematic coding and content analysis will identify patterns, themes, and key findings, while comparative analysis will assess policy frameworks and recommend sustainable farming practices. Moreover, social network analysis will be used to investigate existing social networks in the operations of monastic farming systems.