Arba Minch University (AMU) and Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture (ETA) held a two day multi-stakeholders workshop on enset processing and its way forward at Haile Resort – Arba Minch, on February 05, 2026. Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture (ETA), Intellectual Property Authority (IPA), Ethiopian Standards Agency (ESA), Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration (EFDA), Ethiopian Conformity Assessment Enterprise (ECAE) and other invited institutions graced the meeting. Click here to see more photos.
Welcoming the workshop participants, Dr. Teklu Wegayehu, AMU Vice President for Research and Cooperation, highlighted the inspiring scientific journey of Dr. Addisu Fekadu, noting his PhD training at KU Leuven, Belgium, and his receipt of the 2020 Josef G. Knoll European Science Award. He emphasized that Dr. Addisu and his team have since achieved significant milestones, including securing more than five patents, earning international recognition from FAO, Japan, and African institutions, and translating research into innovation through the biotechnology startup Lucy Enset. Dr. Teklu underscored that these achievements demonstrate how scientific research can drive food security and climate resilience, and he called for collective efforts to modernize Ethiopia’s traditional enset-based food system by improving productivity, processing, quality, safety, and value addition through collaboration and shared learning.
Abdella Negash, CEO of the Horticulture Department at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and delegate of the Minister, stated that Ethiopia’s national policy prioritizes agriculture as a key driver of economic growth due to its significant contribution to GDP and livelihoods. He noted that the Ministry is leading nationwide efforts to formulate and implement agricultural policies, strategies, and programs aimed at enhancing productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness, while promoting private-sector engagement and improving rural financial access for farmers and pastoralists. He further explained that MoA is strengthening agricultural extension and advisory services, managing input supply systems such as seeds and veterinary services, and advancing natural resource and forest development. According to Abdella, the Ministry is also focusing on mechanization, food and nutrition security, agroecology, and value-chain development, alongside initiatives including contract farming, urban agriculture, and digital transformation of agricultural planning and reporting, all with the goal of ensuring food security, climate resilience, improved livelihoods, and the structural transformation of Ethiopia’s agricultural economy.
Dr. Tebeje Nigussie Kibru, Deputy Chief of Party for the Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture Activity, briefing on workshop objectives and expected outcomes noted that discussions on enset are often underestimated, despite the crop serving nearly 25 million people, equivalent to the population of some European countries. He commended Dr. Addisu Fekadu for effectively promoting his ideas and showcasing the University’s research and innovation potential. He emphasized that key expected outcomes of the workshop include improving enset processing machines with affordability, improving food safety and women’s health, ensuring food quality and standards, scaling up enset products to industrial-level production, consolidating and expanding existing enterprises, and creating stronger linkages to global markets.
Five presentations from different sectors were delivered during the workshop. Dr. Addisu Fekadu of Arba Minch University (AMU) presented on Enset Processing Practices, Ground-Level Challenges and Opportunities, Technology, Gender Roles, and Market Access. Abdella Negash from the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) discussed the Enset Flagship Program and Government Initiatives, focusing on the national strategy, support mechanisms, and alignment with food security and export goals. Sintayehu Tadesse from the Intellectual Property Authority (IPA) addressed Intellectual Property Laws and the Registration of IP Rights, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Representatives from the Ethiopian Standards Agency (ESA) and the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) presented on the Regulatory Framework and Quality Standards for Enset Processing, covering food safety, labeling, certification, and export compliance. The final presentation was delivered by the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECAE).
Following the presentations, participants engaged in plenary discussions and practical group work, complemented by field visits to key facilities. These included the laboratory and showroom at AMU’s Abaya Campus, the Enset Processing Facility at AMU, and an enset processing machinery manufacturing site. Participants also visited Lucy Enset in Dorze, where they observed value-added enset products and processing technologies, including hygiene practices, gender-based labor division, packaging, and waste management systems. The workshop concluded with continued group work focused on co-designing scalable and inclusive models, validation and feedback sessions, and the development of concrete action plans.
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