Dr. Patricia Masikati is an Agroforestry Systems Scientist at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) based in Zambia; she joined the organization in October 2014. Her current responsibilities include conceptualizing, designing and conducting research on the integration of trees within farming systems at field, farm and landscape scales. She also contributes to the development of tree-crop-livestock modelling and undertakes system analyses, systematic reviews and syntheses of the benefits, risks and tradeoffs of changing tree cover on farm land and other agricultural improvement options.
Patricia is involved in several projects including ACIAR-funded initiatives in East and Southern Africa which mainly focus on agroforestry and value chain innovation platforms for improved livelihoods, and DFID- and SIDA-funded projects on sustainable agriculture intensification and integrated land management. All these aim to promote participatory multi-stakeholder approaches coupled with computer-based tools to develop sustainable agricultural practices in smallholder farming systems.
Prior to joining ICRAF, she worked with ICRISAT in Zimbabwe as a Post-Doctoral Fellow (Crop-Livestock Systems Modeller) mainly focusing on development of agricultural management options aimed at promoting water-efficient farm enterprises and risk management in semi-arid areas.
Patricia holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Agriculture from the University of Bonn, Germany and a Master of Philosophy Degree in Agriculture from the University of Zimbabwe.
She enjoys working with smallholder farmers and a wide range of other stakeholders to address the challenges faced along the value chains.