AMU researcher, Mr Betewulign Eshetu, as a part of his ethno-biological research has launched a plant gene bank at Kulfo Campus to discover wild edible vegetable and fruit plants with an adequate nutritional value that can be added to the depleting list of cuisine in Ethiopia. Click here to see the pictures.
Rationalizing his research, he said, in the wake of mushrooming population in the country, available vegetables and other food items may not be adequate hence, it’s imperative to look for traditional or wild edible vegetables and fruits being consumed by rustic folks and get them propagated among public. It can’t be done overnight and this plant gene bank is a preliminary stage to realize this ambitious goal.
Adding further, he informed, we have many conventional crops, but at the moment, I am focusing on edible pods, tubers and leaves, which are evolved and well adapted to the tropical climatic zone. To mention few, Mulkaya, wild tomato and paqpaqa found at Arba Minch. Beans (Leucaena leucocephala) at Konso; cow pea (Vigna unguiculata), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan- legume), Taro (Colocasia Esculenta) and Portulaka (Portulaka quadrifolia) – invasive flowering plants) found at Mirab Abaya area being grown at the field gene bank.
The researcher is likely to introduce 60 such species but in the first phase he will go for 30, to study longevity and response of plants at multi locations and varying climatic conditions. Then he will facilitate laboratory analysis to know phytochemical composition of the plants. Thereafter, such crops will be promoted through school, public feeding programs, and ‘not-for-sale’ market demonstration, etc. followed by adaptation trial and breeding.
He further stated the scientific findings will be disseminated across the board via research papers and key recommendations will be made available for policy makers. He expect it to be part of food security program wherein any NGO can develop sustainable projects.
Clarifying stand, he said, actually, I am not finding these plants but conducting retrospective study. When we have found these plants were already there and consumed by rustic folks, who had no adverse impact, that’s why we want these crops to be mainstreamed.
This initiative, which is a part of project called ‘Traditional edible plants in Brazil, Mozambique and Ethiopia,’ is now AMU venture, which has allocated ETB 500,000 for the same. And university is committed to take it forward to make a difference in the lives of people, he quipped.
Mr.Betewulign duly acknowledges that Brazilian professors including aveteran researcher of Sao Paulo University, Prof. Lin Chau Ming, Prof Nuno R Madeira of Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation and Prof. Ari de Freitas of Amazon Federal University were instrumental in identifying and naming these species. He revealed, soon a book on traditional edible plants of Ethiopia, Brazil and Mozambique will be jointly published in association with these erudite scholars.
On modus operandi, he said, some crops are propagated by roots, seeds and cutting, so, I generally collect them from forest and plant them in field gene bank. Among few species like Conyza canadensis, Canna indica, Kigelia africana, Xanthosoma sagittifolium, Amaranthus lividus, Galinsoga parviflora, Bidens alba, Musa paradisiaca, Ipomoea batatas (wild type), Manihot eschulenta available in Arba Minch Zuria; Dioscorea spp and Rosa spp at Konso and Tamarindus indica, Apium leptophyllum, Opuntia Ficus indica, etc. from Addis Ababa will find their way in his field gene bank in the next two years.
(Corporate Communication Directorate)