Akyala Abraham

Expert Summary

Akyala is a distinguished senior environment and climate expert with over 10 years of experience in research, policy development and program design, implementation and impact evaluation. He studies a Ph.D. in Environmental Science at the University of Reading, United Kingdom.

His career spans international consulting services, where he has made significant contributions to the environment, water, energy, agriculture, migration, health, education, rural and urban development, transportation, and economic sector.

He has led and supported numerous projects focused on achieving sustainable development in developed and developing countries. His work involves developing and implementing strategies, designing and implementing, and evaluating the impacts of projects that address the intersectional impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities.

He has a keen interest in ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based and natural climate solutions that promote the sustainable management of natural resources to reduce vulnerability to climate hazards and increase adaptive capacity and resilience.

Recognising the critical role of gender in environmental sustainability, Akyala has been at the forefront of advocating for and integrating gender perspectives into environmental policies and programs.

He has developed gender and climate-sensitive frameworks that ensure women and marginalised gender and social groups are included in decision-making processes related to environmental management and climate action.

He is an expert in designing and implementing robust M&E systems to track the progress and impact of environmental and climate projects. His methodologies emphasize the importance of collecting gender-disaggregated data to assess how different gender and social groups are affected by and benefit from these projects. His M&E work ensures accountability, learning, and continuous improvement in program delivery.

A significant part of Akyala’s career has been dedicated to capacity building and training of stakeholders at various levels. He has developed and facilitated training programs for government officials, community leaders, NGOs, academia, media, and international agencies. His training sessions are known for their participatory approach, which empowers participants to apply their learning effectively in their contexts.