Biotechnology in Ethiopia: EIAR experience

Agricultural Biotechnology Research in Ethiopia: Status, opportunities and challenges

Belayneh Admassu, Adefris Teklewold, Solomon Assefa

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research

 

Agriculture in Ethiopia

• Mainstay of Ethiopian economy

            — Accounting for 60% of the national income

            — Employing 80% of the work force

            — Earning 60% of the total export income

• Characterized by low production & productivity

            — Only 15% of the arable land is currently utilized

            — Only 1% of the irrigable land is currently utilized

            — Low productivity of agricultural produce

                        eg. wheat = 2 tons/ha vs. 8 tons/ha

• Under permanent shortage of food and raw materials
• An increasing population pressure

             — Natural resource degradation, desertification

             — Total collapse of the ecosystem

• Limited overall economic development

Therefore, it is essential to integrate modern technologies in agriculture R&D shift from resource-based to knowledge-based production.

Govt Policies & Strategy Favouring Agriculture & Biotechnology

• The Agric. Dev’t Led Industrialization (ADLI)
• GTP
• Policy document on use and application of biotechnology
• Patent law for intellectual property
• National biosafety regulations law & guidelines
• National policy on biodiversity conservation
• Draft science and technology policy 

History of Agricultural Biotechnology Research in Ethiopia

1980s:

• Plant tissue culture – micropropagation
• Indigenous forest and crop spp. (endod, tef)
• Application of bovine embryo transfer in Ethiopian Zebu cattle (ILCA, Debre Zeit)

Since 1999 - Draft biotechnology research strategy at EIAR

Since 2000 - Concerted efforts by EIAR

•  Protocol optimization for mass propagation
•  Disease cleaning and in vitro conservation

Since 2001 – Biotechnology organized at programme level in EIAR

• Plant Biotechnology
• Animal Biotechnology
• Microbial Biotechnology

Agricultural Biotech Research Strategy of EIAR

The focus of the EARS had been to improve production, productivity and quality of plants and animals

• EIAR has designed a new strategy
• Reorganized the NARS in a new form

Biotechnology

• to improve research efficiency, production, productivity, and product quality in agriculture.
• to create new high quality products in agriculture   

Ø  Short term strategy

• Capacity Building (human and facilities)
• Establish centers of excellence
• Set organizational structure
• Assist establishment of policy frame work (Bio-safety, IPR, MTA)
• Establishment of networking and linkage systems
• In-vitro propagation & plant improvement
• Estrus control, super ovulation, semen production and conservation
• Production of inocula

Ø  Medium term strategy

• Employ recombinant DNA technology to improve crops, animals and microorganisms
• Utilize transformation techniques to improve high-value crops.

Vision and Goals of Agricultural Biotechnology Research and Development in NARS

Vision

• To see improved livelihood of all Ethiopians engaged in agriculture through market competitive agricultural technologies.
• To change this vision into reality: Technology transfer, adoption and capacity building.

Goals

• Enhancement of agricultural research efficiency through application of biotechnology tools.
• Improve production, productivity and quality of plant, animal and microbial and their products.
• Support agricultural development led industrialization (ADLI) of the country.

Milestones & Achievements

1.    Capacity Building

         ARTP & RCBP- 6 million USD

Laboratories

Central Biotech Lab Built at Holetta

•      Molecular Biology lab

•      Plant Biotech Lab

•      Livestock Biotech Lab

•      Microbial Biotech Lab

Central Biotech Lab Built at Holetta

•      Molecular Biology lab

•      Plant Biotech Lab

Guest houses

•      Livestock Biotech Lab

•      Microbial Biotech Lab

Office

 

• Generator
• Water pupmps
• Satellite labs at Jimma ARC, 
• Melkassa ARC & Debre Zeit ARC

Lab Facilities

Plant Biotech and Molecular Labs Equiped with:

Acclimatization tunnels (USAID –

MASHAV Project

Fully automated greenhouse (temp, RH, light, water regulation)

• Genetic Analyzer
• Flow cytometry
• PCR machines
• Hoods
• Gel electrophoresis apparatus
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  Human Power Development (biotechnology)

• Center	Plant			Livestock			Microbial
  	PhD	MSc	BSc	PhD	MSc/ MVSC	BSc	PhD	MSc	BSc
  Holetta	2	6	1	0	1	0	1	2	0
  Debre Zeit	-	1	0	0	3	1	0	0	0
  Melkassa	-	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
  Jimma	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
  Total	3	11	4	0	4	1	1	2	0

    Milestones & Achievements

Over 50,000 pineapple seedlingshave been  multiplied and distributed to users

2. Technology: In-vitro micropropagation

Banana tissue culture

Enset tissue culture

         Conventional technique produce sucker in 2-3 years

         (30-50 plantlets per sucker)

                                                                   Tissue Culture technique produce sucker in 1–2 months

                                                                  (40 plantlets per sucker)

Virus Cleaning by TC: Sweet potato

• FMV highly distructive
• Distribution of potato cuttings halted
• Virus cleaning protocol developed
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In-vitro regenerated cardamon, sugarcane, vanilla and endod

Molecular Biology research

• Molecular marker assisted breeding

• Virus indexing using molecular markers

• Supporting Biotechnology training in HLI

Bio-fertilizers 

Ethiopia imports 800,000 tons of inorganic fertilizers 

Bio-fertilizers research aims at reducing importation by half 

Support organic farming

TAL-378: imported strain from the USA

Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer

The first Bovine embryo transfer calf grown to bull

 

Over 10 calves were born at Adami Tullu and Holetta

 

Future Directions

Adoption, generation and promotion of demand driven agric. technologies in an efficient way and shorter time period.

Create a consortium among private institutions, Univ. and RCs to advance biotechnological research and development.

Create a center of excellence that can lead the future science based agricultural development.

Challenges

•Limited experience in cutting edge biotechnological research

•Difficulty to attract and maintain skilled manpower

•Capacity to install, fix and maintain scientific equipment

•Problems associated with foreign procurement of supplies (chemical, enzymes, hormones, etc.)

•Building better alliances, partnerships and linkage among sectors (agric., medicine, industry)

African orphan crops: research & development

Orphan crops are also known as underutilized-, lost- or disadvantaged-crops. Most of these understudied crops are staple food and play key role in the economy of developing world due to their suitability to the agro-ecology and socio-economic conditions. Some of the most important orphan crops belong to cereals [e.g., finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and tef (Eragrostis tef)], legumes [cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea)], root crops [cassava (Manihot esculenta), and yam (Dioscorea sp.)], fruit crops [banana and plantain (Musa spp. L)], and many vegetables. These crops grow better than major crops such as maize and wheat under extreme environmental conditions. However, due to lack of genetic improvement, these crops produce inferior yield in terms of both quality and quantity. The major bottlenecks affecting the productivity of orphan crops are genetic traits such as low yield (for example, in finger millet and tef), poor in nutrition [cassava and enset (Ensete ventricosum)], and production of toxic substances [cassava and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus)]. In order to boost food production in Africa emphasis should be given, not only to the major crops but also, to the orphan crops.

ATDF (African Technology Development Forum) Journal has dedicated its special issue to the Orphan Crops of Africa. All articles in the issue are available at this link.

Biotechnology in Ethiopia: review

Adane Abraham published in 2009 a review article on the research and development of biotechnology in Ethiopia. The abstract of the article is posted below. The whole manuscript is available at the link indicated here.

 

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 8 (25), pp. 7196-7204, 29 December, 2009

Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2009 Academic Journals

Review

Agricultural biotechnology research and development in Ethiopia

Adane Abraham

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Agricultural Biotechnology Program, P. O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

E-mail: adaneabraham@yahoo.com. Tel: 251 112362036, 251 911896135. Fax: 0112362325.

Accepted 30 January, 2009

Ethiopia is an agrarian country that can have enormous benefit from the applications of biotechnology for increasing its agricultural productivity. The country is at initial stages of research and development in agricultural biotechnology with scattered efforts underway in various public institutions. Research efforts and applications in crop production include plant tissue culture, biofertilizers and biopesticides, molecular markers for disease diagnosis and genetic diversity. Livestock related applications include artificial insemination, molecular diagnostics, vaccine production and molecular genetic analysis. Infrastructure and skills in recombinant DNA and other cutting edge technologies such as proteomics and bioinformatics are still limited and need to be strengthened. A number of crop production constraints can be solved by using advanced biotechnology tools/products including genetically modified organisms. Cognizant of this, Ethiopia has recently given a due emphasis for capacity building in agricultural biotechnology extending from promoting research, development and education in various public institutions to setting up of an independent agricultural biotechnology research center. The constraints holding back progress in agricultural biotechnology are numerous ranging from poor technical and regulatory capacity to lack of appreciation of opportunities provided by agrobiotechnology by the public and decision makers.

Key words: Ethiopia, biotechnology, tissue culture, molecular markers, diagnostics, GMOs.

Ethiopian biosafety law

Ethiopia has approved its biosafety law two years ago. Many researchers consider that the approved law is too restrictive to perform studies related to genetically modified organisms. You can find reactions of scientists towards the law at different sites. At the African biotechnology conference held last month in Addis Ababa, when the speaker from USA was asked how to collaborate with his institute in order to obtain bt-cotton for research. He said that the current law in Ethiopia does not allow him to provide these improved seeds. Many of us, including myself did not read this biosafety law. Can some one post for us or inform us the article(s) that restrict research collaboration.

Discussion Forum

Link to discussion forum

Links

• Status of biotech crops

• Weekly update on global crop biotech

• Information about science and technology in developing world

Feedback

Based on the email (pasted below) sent to about 70 Ethiopian scientists regarding the need to form discussion forum on biotechnology, a number of feedbacks were received.

We have been discussing at various forums with most of you how biotechnological research in Ethiopia benefits from scientific discussions among fellow Ethiopians. The latest informal discussion we have made was during the African Biotechnology conference held two weeks ago (13-15 May) in Addis Ababa. At this conference organized by Addis Ababa University, I was pleased to see many participants (biotechnologists) who came from research institutes and universities located at various parts of Ethiopia.

As already witnessed in different parts of the world, new biotechnological tools played key role in the improvement of crops and livestock. These biotechnological tools are not only limited to transgenics, but also to others including marker-assisted breeding and high-throughput techniques (eg. TILLING).

Although recently many research institutes and universities in Ethiopia are becoming interested in biotechnological research, enough awareness was not made to the research community regarding the benefits of the technique and safety issues. In order to facilitate discussions among researchers in Ethiopia and abroad, we need to establish a web-based discussion forum: FEBIO (Forum for Ethiopian Biotechnologists). The forum will have the following functions (objectives):

·         To facilitate a platform for experience sharing where by queries related to particular technique or method is presented and replies are given accordingly.

·         To organize a one week online discussion forum every six-months on a particular topic of biotechnology.

·         To organize a one-day discussion forum in Ethiopia on a pertinent topic of biotechnology.

I have the feeling that through this type of forum or network we can increase the awareness of biotechnology first to the researchers and then to the public. This email has been sent to over 70 Ethiopian scientists who are in my list. Please send me your views regarding the proposal of establishing FEBIO.

Zerihun Tadele

Leader, Tef Improvement Project

University of Bern, Switzerland

31 May 2011

The following feedbacks were received within 24 hours after the call:

Thank you very much. What you have suggested is great idea. Let's proceed on that line.

Kebebew Assefa

National Tef Research Coordinator

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit

Good idea! I'm behind it.

Woldeyesus Sinebo

Crops Research Director

Southern Institute of Agricultural Research, Hawasa

I would like to express my appreciation for your novel idea.

Alganesh Tessema

Institute of Biodiversity Conservation, Addis Ababa

Excellent idea. I am for it, but we need to structure it properly.

Azage Tegegne

International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa

Thank you so much for the valuable idea. I really support the idea.

Solomon Chanyalew

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit

First of all, I thank you for including me in the list. The idea is wonderful, I will learn more from such networking and also I can support our country! The idea is really great. I assure you my readiness for such great idea! God bless your effort. By the way, I submitted my thesis I am waiting the defense. Please extend my greetings to your beloved family!

Dereje Beyene

Addis Ababa University

Thanks for your e-mail and commitment. Really your proposal, establishing FEBIO, is very essential and thanks to you by taking the initiative. If it is possible, it would be nice to coin the abbreviation to give simple memorable meaningful term.

Getachew Alemayehu

Bahir Dar University

An interesting initiative. Mekelle University is glad to be partner in this.

Mitiku Haile

President, Mekelle University

This is a good initiative and I fully support the idea of having a forum to exchange pertinent information, views, discussion; etc. on how to promote and make use of biotechnological applications in Ethiopia and in Africa at large. This is particularly useful for the universities and national research institutes engaged in research, development and training in biotechnology. The forum may not be limited to Ethiopian scientists engaged in biotechnology as useful ideas and expertise may also can come in to support the forum’s agenda. This is a good start and needs to be pushed further. Thank you very much for taking the initiative.

Seyoum Leta

Manager, Biosciences Innovation Network for Eastern Africa (Bio-Innovate) Program

Nairobi, Kenya

Thank you very much for sending the email. It is a great idea to establish FEBIO. It not only helps exchange of information among Ethiopian Biotechnology scientists and students on biotechnological developments, can also have its own contribution to the improvement of Ethiopia’s capability in application and utilization of biotechnological tools by engaging compatriot experts like you all over the world.

Girum Azmach

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Nigeria

Thank you very much for your initiative. I hope that the forum, in addition to creating the necessary awareness in the national biotech issues, will be a means for "isolated" national scientists somewhere there to exchange ideas, questions and hints on the real time practical day to day problems they face in their research, development and teaching activities.

Let us move forward!

Adane Abraham

Humboldt Fellow, Germany

I appreciated this idea when you first mentioned it to a few of us during the recent biotechnology conference in Addis Ababa. Now I must thank you very much for taking it further to make it practical and from now on all of us must contribute one way or the other to keep the momentum.

I would like to share some more information in relation to the recent biotechnology conference held in Addis. After the conference it was agreed by the organizers, Addis Ababa University, and many of our colleagues who came from different parts of Africa and outside of Africa that the Biotech conference to take place annually in Addis Ababa with further improvement in its organization. This I believe will create a good opportunity for all of us to meet annually in Addis and we can perhaps plan a one day separate event for Ethiopians alone (before or after the actual conference). This, in addition to the cyber contact we shall establish, could perhaps create a golden opportunity for all Ethiopians working in the area of biotechnology (inside and outside Ethiopia) to meet face to face, share ideas, debate on issues, discuss and plan on how our country benefit from this technology, etc. The preparation for next year’s conference shall start soon and all of you will be contacted. We are sure all of you will contribute in one way another for the realization of this annual event.

Amare Gessesse

Biotechnology Program Unit

Addis Ababa University

This is a great opportunity to know what is going on in the world and help to improve our self. Please keep it up. You can also tell us our responsibility to make this golden opportunity more effective. The very important thing we need to work on day and night is convincing of Decision makers especially politicians in Ethiopia as well as other African countries. The media should take an important role in dissemination of biotechnology related issue. We have to think in that line also. Let GOD Help us.

Addissu Gebre

Mekelle University

Thanks and let's do it.

Dejene Girma

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research

Biotechnology Lab, Holetta

It is a blessed Idea. We can have our own web page for free from goolge for the time being. I will check that and come to you soon.

Gizaw Metaferia

Rothamsted International, UK

It so nice of you to take the initiative for raising the issue. It is a very nice idea. My colleagues me at Jimma Agricultural Research Center are with you.

Wondyifraw Tefera

Director, Jimma Agricultural Research Center

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research

Thanks so much for taking the initiative as we have discussed informally during the meeting. This is great start and we are very happy to work hand in hand to strengthen the biotechnology research in Ethiopia. I could realize that Ethiopian Biotechnologists from all angles of the world have been responding fast to this initiative. This indicates that they are very happy about the idea and hopefully willing to contribute to this initiative. I hope all of us will work on it to make it fruitful.

I think it would be good if; 1) Ethiopian biotechnologists both in the country and abroad can be involved on the forum. For this purpose, it is important to inform the uninformed about the forum; 2) As has been raised by you and discussed during the meeting, Amare also mentioned this, there will be one annual African Biotechnology conference in Ethiopia. During this meeting, Ethiopian biotechnologists can arrange a meeting of one day; 3) I think we need data base of Ethiopian biotechnologists that includes their names, institutions, addresses and the research areas they are currently conducting; 4) We have to give priorities to develop biotechnology in Ethiopia based on solving the problems of the country. Of course, advanced international standard research is also needed, and 5) We have to use this forum to create international and national biotechnology network for training and research. This is extremely important to create collaborative research.

Tileye Feyissa

Addis Ababa University

I’m with you. In addition to exchanging ideas on specific topics and focusing on non-transgenic approaches, I personally would like to see this forum evolve as a mechanism to influence development of a sound biotechnology regulatory policy and mechanism. In my experience, one of the key impediments to biotechnology knowledge in many African countries is regulatory issues – many free funds, game-changing technologies and knowledge did not make their way through due to this hurdle. As things progress, you may want to invite and sensitize key people from other disciplines and functions in Ethiopia through this forum.

Mulu Ayele

Research Scientist

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, USA

I am very glad to hear such a very good idea. Please keep it forward and I am ready for the betterment of the discussion forum. Keep in touch

Zewdu Teshome

Punjab Agricultural University

Biotechnology Department, Ludhiana-India

Thanks for taking the initiative! I think most of the ideas have been raised by most of our countrymen, and I am impressed by the quick response from most and their enthusiasm! We need to keep the momentum. With this respect, we may start the online discussion soon, and may pick one topic. Members may suggest a topic, and you may invite for that. I have my own idea, and will raise that when the invitation is sent.

I agree with the idea of Dr. Amare (holding a day of meeting as a side event to the African forum). Here, I want to say that a week before (on May 23) there was a meeting of researchers working on tissue culture in Ethiopia, and during this meeting plant biotechnology society of Ethiopian was established comprising EC members from research centers and universities, hence, this society can mobilize local participants and organize the side event. I believe that the society will in time evolve to include other fields of biotechnology. One of the focuses of the forum may be supporting the national biotech center at Holetta in its effort to stand on its feet! I will send you the database of Ethiopian biotechnologists that is with me. Some are in your e-mail list, but there are also some new, and you may include them in your list. It is good if everyone can send potential members to Zerihun so that we can have a comprehensive list.

Belayneh Admassu

Coordinator, National Agric. Biotech. Research Program

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Holetta

Thanks a lot for the initiative you took. It is very important and helpful to have such a forum. By the way I'm no more Vice President of Adama University, as I've told you last time. I'm now free from any administrative position and I will not be back again to that. I wish I get the opportunity to work in biotechnology and if possible my ambition is to establish a small lab here at Adama and get involved in research. Meanwhile I'll look for any collaborative work, particularly advising students (MSc or PhD). Please look for me for that and other who get this mail can also contact me. Top of the day!

Bekele Abebie

Adama Univerity

Thank you indeed! – for the initiative & efforts. Finally, you come up with a platform that most of us were dreaming and wishing to have on that land. Beside to the general goal/objective, I do hope & wish that the immediate objective of the forum will be to be a platform where currently existing practical problems and challenges (particularly at the National Biotech Center and in very few labs), during the designing &/or implementation of different BioScience/Biotech R&D activities, will be raised and channeled and the members of this forum will come up with ideas/ advices/ suggestions/ solutions, and share the skills and experiences to address the problems. I hope you have seen and know the reality on the ground and even I heard that you are contributing your part to solve that – thank you for your efforts!! I also like to suggest that this information should reach other scholars at home and abroad so as to be part of it from the beginning. What can we learn from The Asian Scholars? How are they serving their home-land by being in and/or part of the modern Western’s BioScience labs?? – I do hope this forum will have answers for these!!

Girma Bedada

Uppsala BioCenter, SLU, Sweden

Thank you for taking this important initiative. This really is a big step forward. The platform will help bring together diverse experiences and views to a common goal. I am in full support for its realization! Bless you for putting some energy in this.

Endale Gebre

University of Pretoria, South Africa

I really appreciate your novel idea and taking this initiative to link all Ethiopian Biotechnologists at home and abroad. This is the right way in which different issues related to biotechnology can be discussed and experiences can be shared among expertise to advance this technology in our country.

Berhanu Dagnaw

University of Agricultural Sciences

Bangalore, India