Dr Wegayehu Fitawek is an Agricultural Economist and a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She holds both an MSc and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from the same institution. Dr Fitawek has been actively involved in numerous projects addressing food and nutrition security, as well as broader food systems challenges.

She is currently involved in the FABI project on the management of pests and diseases affecting forest crops in Ethiopia. She mainly focuses on assessing the socio-economic impacts of pests and diseases on various forest crops.