BSc (Tanzania) MSc (The Netherlands)

Demetrius Kweka is a consultant in natural resource management with extensive experience in the areas of forest research and assessments as well as community based forest management and capacity building. His research and professional interests are in the areas of forest management, nature conservation and ecology, the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic diversity, grasslands dynamics and disturbances and herbivore-plant interactions. He is also interested in the role of local knowledge and institutions in the conservation of biodiversity.

Demetrius has experience working with national research institutions, universities, NGOs, local and international organizations, government and the private sector. His work has included: Project planning, designing and implementation in the area of forest genetic resources conservation and management; undertaking Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRA); resource assessments and working with rural communities to develop Participatory Forest Management (PFM) programmes and with communities in East Africa to promote domestication, processing and marketing of indigenous fruit trees. He regularly delivers training to East African national partners on data collection using methods such as focus group discussions, case studies, structured questionnaires and participatory on-farm measurements. He also has extensive experience in designing of improved forest genetic resource management systems, developing conservation strategies and assessing threats and vulnerability in forest tree species of economic, social and cultural importance. Demetrius has worked for, amongst others, Bioversity International, Mpingo Conservation Project, The International Forest Resources and Institutions (IFRI) at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania and UNHCR through Kilimanyika's associates.

Demetrius holds a BSc in Forestry from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania and an MSc in Forestry and Nature Conservation from Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He is fluent in English, Swahili and the Chagga language alongside a working knowledge of French.