Mosaab El Zayyat is a researcher focused on political ecology, pastoralism, and indigenous knowledge systems in North Africa. He has conducted extensive ethnographic fieldwork with pastoral communities in Egypt’s Southern Red Sea region (Hala’ib and Shalateen) and Siwa Oasis. His research explores how nomadic groups navigate ecological uncertainty and state interventions through mobility, ritual, and intergenerational knowledge. Mosaab is particularly interested in the role of religion and memory in shaping human-environment relationships. His work challenges Nile-centric narratives by highlighting the agency of desert communities and their ecological expertise. He combines qualitative methods with environmental data to inform more inclusive development perspectives. Through CODESRIA’s MRI program, Mosaab seeks to amplify African-centered approaches to ecology, resilience, and knowledge-making.
