Oli Bachie is UCCE San Diego's New County Director

UCCE San Diego Welcomes Oli Bachie as it's new County Director

Oli G. Bachie is now the new County Director of the University of California Cooperative Extension San Diego (UCCE). He is also the Agronomy Advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties. His research focus is primarily, but not limited to crops such as alfalfa, wheat, sudangrass, Bermudagrass, Kleingrass, cotton, sugar beets, and bioenergy crops, new alternative crops and their cropping systems.

Bachie earned his Ph.D. in Plant Biology at University of California Riverside (UCR) and has worked as an Assistant Research Specialist in the UCR Department of Nematology before coming to the San Diego office. His dissertation research explored Interdisciplinary pest management (insects, nematodes and weeds) potentials of cover cropping systems. He has also earned a Master’s degree in Forestry (MScF) from the University of Toronto, a Master’s degree in Agronomy (MSc) from the University of the Philippines and a Bachelor degree in Plant Sciences (BSc) from Haromaya University (Ethiopia).

Bachie worked as an adjunct professor of network administration and Computer Architecture at National University and American University in San Diego, as research specialist at San Diego State University and as an adjunct professor of Biology at the Victor Valley College (VVC) for over six years. He also taught (part time) plant science and environmental science courses at the Imperial Valley College. He served as chairperson for the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) for the Desert Research and Extension Center (DREC) and a co-chair for the UCANR Desert Workgroup.

Prior to moving to North America, Bachie worked at the Ministry of Agriculture in Ethiopia as an expert in crop protection, crop production and weed management. 

His goal is to provide clientele with research based technical and educational services and support their needs, including crop productivity, sustainability, alternative resource efficient crops, best resource and pest management practices and economic benefits with due consideration for environmental and ecological compatibility. "Grower and farm industry needs assessment is at the core of my assignment upon which I prioritize my research and extension activities." 

Clientele needs assessments are collected through direct visit to growers or conducting a survey through questionnaires sent to them. Oli works very closely with the county Farm Bureau, Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association, Imperial county agricultural commissioner, California beets growers association, PCAs, and various county departments. 

As ongoing County Director of UC Cooperative Extension, Imperial Valley, Oli is excited to bring his knowledge and experience to the San Diego office. "In my administrative role, my goal is to strengthen and nourish the partnership of UC ANR and the County of San Diego, nourish the development and growth of academic advisors, the staff, and create visibility of UC ANR missions for sustainable food production, management of invasive species, youth development and healthy families and communities."