Prof. Josiah Z. Katani is currently the Principal of Mizengo Pinda Campus College of Sokoine University of Agriculture in Katavi region. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest Resources Assessment and Management in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Tourism. He has been involved in several research and consultancies related to forest resources assessment and management. More specifically he has focused on issues related to forest resources condition, biodiversity, forest governance and institutions, impact of climate change on resources and communities, forest and land tenure, capacity needs assessment, gender in natural resource use and management, indigenous knowledge in resource management, development of forest management and harvesting plans, biomass energy, natural resources policy analysis and project evaluations. Apart from conducting research and consultancies under government institutions, he has conducted several assignments supported by international organizations including SDC, NORAD, BTC, FINNIDA, IFS, FAO, WWF, UNEP/UNDP, IUCN, World Bank and GEF.

Katani graduated in 1995 with a degree in BSc. Forestry from Sokoine University of Agriculture and in 1999 he was awarded a Master in Forestry focusing on gender and indigenous knowledge in forest management at the same University. Also he has a PhD in Multiple Natural Resources Management awarded in 2010 from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He was promoted to the Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in 2012 and 2020, respectively. He has served different administrative positions in the University including Head of Department of Forest Resources Assessment and Management (2014 t0 2017 and 2020 to 2021) and Principal of Mizengo Pinda Campus College (2021 to date). Apart from the University, he has worked with different institutions/organizations including Government Bureau, CARE International and Vi Agroforestry Project.

Research Interests

Natural resources assessment and management

Specifically looking at

• resource condition,
• biodiversity,
• governance and institutional issues,
• impact of climate change on resource and communities,
• gender issues and indigenous knowledge in resource management.

Research projects

He has participated in about 12 research projects as team member and team leader. The recently completed researches are:

1. Strengthened capacity and collaboration of public forestry organizations (TFS and research institutions such as TAFORI and SUA) to manage and use available data of forest resources aiming at sustainable forest management and use (INFORES-Tanzania). Funded by FINIDA (2016-2018) – Team member
2. Contribution of beekeeping to household income among rural communities living adjacent to Udzungwa forests in Kilombero District. Funded by Eastern Arc Mountains Conservation Endowment Fund (EAMCEF) (January 2016 June 2016) – Team Leader
3. Restoration of forests, carbon and livelihoods in Tanzania (2013-2015) – Team Member
4. Norwegian Government under CCIAM Programme (2012-2015) – Team Member
5. Enhancing the measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) of forests in Tanzania through the application of advanced remote sensing techniques (May 2011-May 2015) – Team Member

He has published more than 50 scientific articles in peer reviewed journals, book chapters, proceedings, extension materials, newsletters, and thesis.

Citations of the published articles can be found on this link

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=NQd6Q6gAAAAJ

He is a member of different professional associations including the Tanzania Association of Foresters (TAF) – President (from December 2020 to Date) and African Forest Forum (AFF) – Member.

Sokoine University of Agriculture,

Mizengo Pinda Campus College,

34 Barabara ya Sitalike,

50318 Kibaoni, Mlele, Katavi, Tanzania.

P.O. Box 82, Mpanda, Katavi.

Email: katani@sua.ac.tz/josiahkatani@yahoo.com

Alternative Contacts

Department of Forest Resources Assessment and Management,

Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA),

P.O. Box 3013, Chuo Kikuu, MOROGORO – TANZANIA.

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=NQd6Q6gAAAAJ

Website: http://mizengopinda.sua.ac.tz