Azaiez Ouled Belgacem

Dr. Azaiez Ouled Belgacem has re-joined ICARDA effective 16 July 2023 as Senior Scientist Rangeland Ecology and Management. He is based at ICARDA office in Tunis. Dr. Belgacem holds a PhD in Biological Sciences, MSc in Natural Resources Management and MSc in Plant Ecology.

His experience extends to about thirty years in Range Ecology and Management as well as arid and desert ecosystems in the MENA region. His most recent assignment was serving as Technical Adviser (sustainable rangeland management expert) at Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Saudi Arabia during the period 2020-2023. From 2013 to 2020, he was serving as the Rangeland Senior Scientist cum Regional Coordinator of the ICARDA program in the Arabian Peninsula Regional Program (Dubai Office) and Rangeland and Forage Expert at ICARDA-APRP 2011-2013. In 2013 he served as an Expert in the Desert Ecosystems Management at the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) in Tunisia. Before that, he was the Director of plant resources and Head of the Rangeland Program at the Arab Center for the Studies in Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), Damascus and Head of the Rangeland Ecosystems Unit in the Institute of Arid Areas (IRA), Tunisia where he coordinated several research projects with FAO, ICARDA, GIZ, European Union, IFAD, AFESD, ACSAD, OSS and GCC on natural resources management, biodiversity conservation, combating desertification and adaptation to climate change, rehabilitation and management of rangelands. He published more than 120 scientific articles.