Initiative Afrique Podcast
Members of the Initiative Afrique community at the University of Bern introduce themselves in a series of podcasts.
Initiative Afrique Podcast
Initiative Afrique - Cornelius Okello
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“There should be a recognition of indigenous knowledge, not just as an addition, but as a co-knowledge system”.
Recording date: 24.11.2025
Moderator: Djouroukoro Diallo. Production: Patricia Teixidor. Music: Intro and outro: "Yadina" (xylophone duet). CD 1. MBUDI MBUDI NA MHANGA-NYMBO ZA WADODO. The Musical Universe of the Wagogo Children from Tanzania ©PoloVallejo. Musical pauses: Funkorama, by Kevin MacLeod; One Night in Africa, by John Bartmann; Cool Reggae Party, by Juanitos. Free Music Archive, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Cornelius Okello was born in Kenia. He is a Senior Research Assistant at the Wyss Academy for Nature, in the Integrative Biodiversity Conservation Science research team. He is currently working on a project that seeks to future-proof water resources against climate change and land use change through nature-based solutions (NbS). Cornelius holds a doctorate in Marine and Coastal Management from University of Cadiz and the University of Bologna. His doctoral research focused on freshwater resource management in coastal areas, a topic he has previously explored pursuing his master's degree in Water and Coastal Management at the University of Cadiz and University of Plymouth.
He shared with us the positive aspects he has found as a researcher living in Bern. He thinks that the University of Bern could actively collaborate with African science getting into partnerships with African scientists not as “superiors” but working together. As a Kenyan researcher he creates a “community of practice” in local areas, working together and learning from each other.
At the last Africa-Bern Research Partnership Day (2025) Cornelius Okello won the prize for the best presentation with his talk about monitoring the impact of water bunds, a restoration approach on biodiversity conservation, in Lower Naibunga Community Conservancy in Laikipia County, Kenya.
Members of the Initiative Afrique community at the University of Bern (Switzerland) introduce themselves in a series of podcasts.