Lemma Tiki is awarded his Ph.D. in forest science from Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania in 2025 and his M.Sc. in watershed management from Hawassa University, Ethiopia in 2012. He worked as a teaching professor and researcher at Madda Walabu University (2012–2017). In 2018, he moved to Ambo University and served as the Department Head of Natural Resource Management. His research topics mainly include watershed management, forest management, community forestry, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land use/land cover change, and REDD+. He has published more than 15 research articles in peer-reviewed journals.