Arba Minch University held a kick-off meeting on July 22, 2023 to officially launch a 2.3 million ETB collaborative Project with the theme of “Production, Popularization, and Commercialization of Value added Enset-Based Food Products through the Adoption of Proven Processing -Technologies". Click here to see more pictures.

Dean for College of Natural and Computational Sciences Dr. Tewodros Birhanu, in his welcoming remark said that such a meeting gives a critical opportunity for stakeholders to learn about and discuss the project details, inspire the team and stakeholders and help and facilitate the proper implementation of the project. He underlined that since the issue of implementing a project is a crucial task, we need to join hands and work together to implement the project as planned.

Dr. Tesfaye Habtemariam, Executive Director for Research and Delegate for Research and Community Engagement Vice President in his opening remark noted that Enset feeds millions of people in Ethiopia, but it has never got the attention it deserves. AMU has recognized the potential of Enset long ago with coming of the Christensen fund, and currently our effort, innovative ideas and technologies, and research has influenced the nation and policy makers. Dr. Tesfaye further explained that along with promoting Enset processing technologies and value added foods, AMU has been making several efforts to the protection of the crop which puts the university at complete circle of providing instrumental solutions to this valuable crop.

Coordinator for Enset Project, Dr. Addisu Fekadu, giving an overview about the project said that the project is intended to introduce and adapt innovative Enset processing technologies to the community and commercialize value-added Enset foods to the market. Furthermore, conducting additional research on Enset, mainly on the enrichment of new value - added foods from the crop is also another goal of the project, he noted. Adding more, he said that the initiative will be implemented in two districts of Gamo Highlands; Local farmers and unemployed youth of the areas will get benefited.

In his closing remark, the Director of Community Engagement Directorate, Dr. Teklu Wogayehu, stated that the process of Enset production rests entirely on the shoulders of women and requires a lot of labor and time. He said that the university has allocated 2.3 million ETB through the Community Engagement Directorate to disseminate processing technologies developed by the university to the community and is carrying out multiplication of disease and pest free seedlings/suckers to boost productivity of the crop. The director also complimented Dr. Addisu and his team for their continued success in securing such kinds of collaborative Enset projects benefiting the society significantly. The efforts and achievements so far can be a great learning opportunity and an inspiring initiative for the entire AMU staff to think outside the scope of government funding, he stressed.

It was learnt that the project is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, managed by Bio and Emerging Technology Institute, BETi, and will last in two years.

AMU officials, research and academic staff of college of agricultural sciences and natural and computational sciences and other stakeholders were in attendance.

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