Amit Kumar Basukala holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of Hamburg, where his doctoral research focused on modelling-based sustainable cropland management for food security under climate change. He earned his MSc in Agricultural Science and Resource Management from the University of Bonn, with specialization in remote sensing–based land use mapping, and a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from Tribhuvan University. Amit is a geospatial and agricultural systems specialist with over a decade of experience in applied development projects, focusing on Earth observation, land use mapping, crop modelling, irrigation management, and climate impact assessment. His PhD research explored the role of irrigation efficiency and fertilizer management in improving agricultural productivity and sustainability in Nepal under changing climatic conditions.
He has worked with renowned German institutions, including KfW Development Bank, the Center for Development Research (ZEF), and the University of Cologne. Currently, he serves as a Geospatial Data Analyst (consultant) at KfW, where he contributes to projects on deforestation monitoring, irrigation assessment using satellite data, and global geospatial data systems for development planning. Amit’s research integrates remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and data science (R, Python, Google Earth Engine) to analyze environmental change and support evidence-based decision-making. His expertise includes satellite-based crop classification, time-series analysis, and machine learning applications for climate resilience and food security. His broader research interests lie in sustainable agricultural systems, climate-resilient land use, irrigation efficiency, and Earth observation–driven environmental monitoring. Geographically, his work has focused on Nepal and other regions in the Global South, with an emphasis on linking spatial data analytics to policy and development practice.
Before pursuing his master and doctoral studies, he had worked extensively as an agricultural engineer and consultant in Nepal with four consulting firms in Nepal East Consult Pvt. Ltd., IDRS Pvt. Ltd., CMS Nepal Pvt. Ltd. and Nepal Consult Pvt. Ltd. contributing to agriculture systems, irrigation design, water resource management, and rural development projects. His past experience includes involvement in major irrigation and agricultural development projects in Nepal, including the Rani Jamara Kulariya and Sikta Irrigation Projects, where I worked on irrigation planning, canal design, geospatial analysis, and water management. His professional work bridges engineering, geospatial science, and development practice, aiming to translate complex environmental data into actionable insights for sustainable development.
Selected Publications:
Basukala, A. K., Eschenbach, A., & Rasche, L. 2024. “Effect of irrigation canal conveyance efficiency enhancement on crop productivity under climate change in Nepal.” Environ Monit Assess 196, 1282 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-13405-4.
Basukala, A. K. 2024. “Towards sustainable agricultural land use in Nepal under climate change: The role of efficient irrigation and fertilizer application.” PhD Thesis, Universität of Hamburg, Germany, 146 pp.
Basukala, A. K., & Rasche, L. 2022. “Model-Based Yield Gap Assessment in Nepal’s Diverse Agricultural Landscape.” Land 11, no. 8: 1355. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081355.
Biber-Freudenberger, L., Basukala, A. K., Bruckner, M., & Börner, J. 2018. “Sustainability performance of national bio-economies”. Sustainability, 10(8), 2705. Doi:10.3390/su10082705.
Basukala, A. K., Oldenburg, C., Schellberg, J., Menz, G., Sultanov, M., & Dubovyk, O. 2017. “Towards improved land use mapping of irrigated croplands: performance assessment of different image classification algorithms and approaches.” European Journal of Remote Sensing, 50(1), 187-201. Doi:10.1080/22797254.2017.1308235.
Basukala, A. K. 2016. “Comparison of different image classification methods for improved agricultural land use maps in Northern irrigated area of Uzbekistan”. Master Thesis, Universität of Bonn, Germany, 56 pp.
Basukala, A. K. and Aryal, N. 2007. “Performance Evaluation of Bioengineering Measures for Landslides and MassWasting; (A Case study on mitigation measures on Krishna Bhir, Churia Box Cut, Daunne, and Naghdhunga)”. Bachelor Thesis, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan Univesity, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Basukala, A. K., Vehrs, H.P., Bollig, M., Greiner, C. and Thonfeld, F. 2019.“Spatialtemporal analysis of land-use and land-cover change in East Pokot Kenya.” https://doi.org/10.5880/TRR228DB.2, https://doi.org/10.5880/TRR228DB.1 (Dataset).
Basukala Amit Kumar, Hauke-Peter Vehrs, Michael Bollig, Clemens Greiner, and Frank Thonfeld. 2019. “Spatial-temporal analysis of land-use and land-cover change in East Pokot Kenya. ” https://doi.org/10.5880/TRR228DB.2