Professor Petri Pellikka is the Research Director of FSAI. Having worked extensively in Africa, he now brings his experience from Kenya to Namibia – to strengthen research, collaboration, and new initiatives in Southern Africa.
What brought you to join the Institute’s work?
After establishing the infrastructure and roadmap for Taita Research Station of the University of Helsinki in Kenya and stepping down from director’s position in 2024, I was very thrilled to use the lessons learned and experiences gained in Kenya since 2003 in Southern Africa. In Namibia, we seem to the platform ready to go ahead right away. As a development geographer, I am happy if my talents can be useful in new circumstances.
What do you especially want to focus on in your new role?
Primarily, as my own research area has been land cover and land use change detection by remote sensing, and the impacts of change to climate and ecosystem services, I intend to carry on that trail. However, with my team from the University of Helsinki, we aim to study climate resilient agriculture and water harvesting in arid Namibia. Conservation and its impacts to land cover is also one of my interests and Namibia and Botswana provides good possibilities for it. In Lesotho, I am involved in large water project, which hopefully realizes in 2026. As a research director, I aim to organize networks and building a bridge between Finnish and Namibian scientists, and later on with the academic world in Southern Africa. In Finland, I am to disseminate the possibilities what Namibia and FSAI could provide for Finnish universities, research organisations, NGOs and companies.
What does intercultural cooperation or collaboration with Southern Africa mean to you personally?
It is an adventure to step in to a new country, which has fascinated me for decades, because of the fabulous landscapes, climate and nature, and also the connections what Finland has with Namibia. It is also a continuation from my earlier work in Kenya, which has linked also earlier cooperation with South African scientists. I have always worked internationally, also within my research group Earth Change Observation lab at the University of Helsinki.
What is your favorite way to relax after a workday?
I am keen on cross-country skiing, which cannot be done in Namibia, but is possible in Lesotho. If no snow, then cycling and walking in nature is very relaxing, as well as all kinds of ball games.
If you could recommend one book, film or place, what would it be and why?
My favorite films are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which is based on a book by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and also The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which is based on a book by James Thurber. I have not read the books yet. In those films and books, one goes around the world and also in time.
