AMU Launches a 2.

3 Million ETB Project to Scale up Enset Technologies in Gamo Highlands

Arba Minch University has held kick-off meeting at Abaya Campus, 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."

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 24 months.

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’s details, inspire the team and stakeholders and helps to 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 this project as it was planned.

Dr. Tesfaye Habtemariam, Executive Director for Research and Delegate for Research and Community
Engagement V/president in his opening remark noted Enset feeds millions of people in Ethiopia but 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. Additionally, he remarked that the initiative will be implemented in two districts of
Gamo Highlands and Local farmers and the unemployed youth of the areas will get benefited.

In his closing remark, the Director of Community Engagement Directorate, Dr. Teklu Wagayehu, stated
that the process of Enset production rests entirely on the shoulders of women and requires a lot of labor
and time. He noted that the university has allocated 2.3 million Birr 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 seedling/suckers to boost productivity of the crop. The
director expressed his appreciation and happiness to Dr. Addisu and his team for their continued success
in securing these kinds of collaborative projects that benefits society. In fact, what the team has
accomplished 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.

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