Arba Minch University (AMU), in collaboration with the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, held a BiotechNet Project II awareness workshop at AMU’s Abaya Campus on January 26, 2026. Click here to see more photos.
Dr. Teklu Wegayehu, Vice President for Research and Cooperation at AMU, welcomed participants and officially opened the workshop, noting that AMU highly values its long-standing and growing partnership with ICGEB, which began with the first Ethiopian Collaborative Research Programme (CRP) award granted to AMU researcher Dr. Addisu Fekadu in 2020. He commended Dr. Addisu Fekadu for translating scientific research into innovations that enhance food security and climate resilience, and Dr. Ashenafi Hailu for advancing bio-inoculant technology under the ICGEB B-INOC program from laboratory research to practical application in farmers’ fields. Dr. Teklu added that the workshop serves as both an experience-sharing platform and a strategic capacity-building forum, where the ICGEB team will guide AMU researchers on BiotechNet II funding mechanisms, proposal development requirements, and strategies for preparing competitive submissions.
AMU Research Affairs Director, Dr. Tesfaye Habtemariam, noted that the visit of the two ICGEB delegates to Arba Minch reflects the deepening partnership between AMU and ICGEB, as such targeted information sessions are a distinctive feature of ICGEB engagement. He emphasized that the BiotechNet Project II information session was highly supportive for AMU applicants within the specified thematic areas and advised staff to be well organized and strategically prepare proposals aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while taking advantage of advanced genetic-level research opportunities, East African and ICGEB laboratory mobility, and long- and short-term fellowships, including PhD training and international conference participation.
Elena Benedetti, ICGEB Head of Fundraising, Technology Transfer and Innovation, explained that ICGEB is an independent international organization committed to strengthening capacity in life sciences for sustainable development, fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She highlighted that ICGEB supports its member states through fellowships, research grants, South–South mobility, and technology transfer initiatives. She noted AMU’s consistent and active engagement as a key reason for the deepening AMU–ICGEB partnership. Ms. Benedetti further emphasized that BiotechNet Project II seeks to enhance biotechnology capacity in Eastern Africa by promoting researcher mobility through fellowships, enabling participants to gain skills and return to contribute to their home institutions, with a strong focus on empowering young women to ensure their meaningful participation in science, economy, and beyond.
Claire Marie Poletto, BiotechNet Project Manager at ICGEB, delivered a presentation on proposal writing and application procedures, advising prospective applicants to carefully observe application deadlines and schedules for research grants, fellowships, and South–South mobility opportunities. She also emphasized the importance of closely following all guidelines and updates published on the ICGEB website to ensure complete and competitive submissions.
Dr. Addisu Fekadu and Dr. Ashenafi Hailu, from AMU, presented progress on collaborative research with ICGEB, highlighting the advancements in enset innovation and technologies aimed at enhancing food security and climate resilience and the bio-inoculant technology development from laboratory trials to farmers’ field applications.
Closing the session, the Dean of the College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Dr. Mulugeta Habte, noted that the workshop highlighted the achievements realized through the AMU–ICGEB partnership and expressed his appreciation for the ICGEB team’s presence and engagement at AMU. He confirmed that the team’s informative guidance would be highly supportive for staff during the application and proposal-writing process.
The workshop brought together Elena Benedetti, Head of Technology Transfer, Cooperation and Innovation at ICGEB, Claire Marie Poletto, BiotechNet Project Manager at ICGEB, Dr. Addis Fekadu, Senior Enset Researcher and Innovator and Dr. Ashenafi Hailu, Project Coordinator and Principal Investigator of bio-fertilizer and bio-inoculant technology at AMU, along with research and academic staff from agricultural, health, and natural and computational science disciplines.
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