Atalay Azene, a researcher from Arba Minch University (AMU) Biodiversity Research and Conservation Center, won ETB 245,000 for his project startup on organic fertilizer production from invasive plants such as Eichhornia crassipes (commonly known as water hyacinth) and Parthenium hysterophorus (parthenium weed) in a competition organized by Sustainable Employment through Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (SEED) program, Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Orbit Innovation Hub, MasterCard Foundation, Ethiopian Aviation University, and others. Mr. Atalay, along with 16 winners selected in different business ideas among 30 contestants, got trained for three months on basics of business training and consultation, product development and masterclass. Click here to see more photos.
Mr. Atalay noted that his project will be linked to AMU’s Entrepreneurship Development and Incubation Center, AMU-IUC and other projects to sustain AMU's dedication to sustainable agriculture and restoring aquatic ecology to Abaya and Chamo lakes by removing Eichhornia crassipes (commonly known as water hyacinth) for fertilizer production in his efforts of addressing pressing community challenges through research and innovation.
Mr. Atalay Azene aspires to establish an enterprise producing fertilizer from these invasive plants (weeds) to benefit the community turning the real existence threat to an opportunity.
All the 16 selected winners are awarded certificates after effectively completing the training in Arba Minch, on April 5, 2025.
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