Our Research Centers


History (Information is incomplete): Humera Agricultural Research Center, was established in 1995 as one of the five agro-ecology based research centers established under TARI. It was established to conduct research on oil crops (sesame and sunflower), sorghum, cotton, and lowland pulses with the objective of supporting and promoting mechanized agriculture in the Western and northwestern lowland plains of Tigray. Currently, Humera Agricultural Research Center is serving as national center of excellence for sesame crop which was previously under Werer Agricultural Research Center.

 

 

 

 

Information to be added soon

1. Background

Abergelle Agricultural Research Center (AbARC), established in 1995 E.C. (2002 G.C.), is one of the research centers under Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI). The mandate areas are the lowland (kolla) part of Seharti and Samre districts from the south-eastern zone, and Tanqua Mlash, Abergelle Yechila, Kolla Tembien, and Keyh Tekli districts from the central zone of Tigray. The center has five core processes: crop and horticulture research, small ruminant and fish research, natural resources management research, agricultural extension and socio-economic research, and support staff. The center is conducting various demand- and problem-based research activities on livestock, crops, natural resources, socio-economics, and extension. Moreover, the center is regionally mandated to lead and collaborate on the research conducted on small ruminants and fish.

2. Research capacity

Human capacity: The center has a total of 27 researchers (2 PhDs, 3 PhD candidates, 15 MScs, and 7 MScs), 25 support staff, and 14 data collectors.

Physical capacity: There is one experimental farm for small-ruminant at Abergelle Yechila district, four community-based goat breeding programs, two experimental and seed multiplication sites. The center owns a totaling of 29.5 ha being used for research activities on crops, forages, and natural resources, as well as technology multiplication. it has also about 0.5 ha of land which is serving as experimental site for research activies on fish. There is access for all weather road which crosses all the districts under the mandate of the center.

3. Major Research thematic areas

  • Small ruminant breeding research
  • Feed resources and feeding systems research
  • Animal health improvement research
  • Fish production and productivity improvements research
  • Crop production and productivity improvement research
  • Horticulture production and productivity improvement research
  • Forestry and agroforestry research
  • Irrigation and drainage systems research
  • Soil and water conservation research
  • Socio-economic and agricultural extension research

4. Brief research achievements so far 

The center has carried out different research programs and activities on small-ruminant, feed resources and feeding system, animal health, fish, crop (anual crops and horticulture), forestry and agro-forestry, irrigation and drainage, soil and water management, as well as soxcio-economics and extension research. Some of the achievements are breifly presented as follows.

Small ruminant breeding

  • Phonotypical characterization of indigenous sheep and Abergelle goat breeds
  • Reproductive performance of Abergelle goats and growth rate of their crosses with Boer goats
  • Community-based Abergelle goat genetic improvement through selection
  • Comparative growth and production performance evaluation of indigenous Begait and Abergelle goat breeds under a farmer’s management practice
  • Perceptions of goat milk and patterns of consumption in Abergelle district, Ethiopia

Feed resources and feeding systems

  • Assessment of feed resource bases and livestock feeding systems
  • Management and utilization of browse species as livestock feed
  • Evaluation of improved forage varieties and accessions (cowpea, lablab, and pigeon pea)
  • Performance of browsing goats and grazing sheep with different supplemental diets
  • Effect of intercropping cow pea and lablab with maize on forage and maize grain yields

Animal health improvement

  • General disease survey on major ruminant diseases
  • Identification of serotypes of pasteurella in small ruminants
  • Identification of small ruminant ectoparasites and their impact on skin quality
  • Animal health intervention at community-based breeding sites

Fish production and productivity improvements

  • Identification of the Nile tilapia breeding season in Tekeze reservoir
  • Characteristics and status of the highland lake Hashenge fishery
  • Assessment of fishery activities for enhanced management and improved fish production
  • Seasonal variation in physico-chemical parameters of the Tekeze reservoir,
  • Proximate and mineral composition of some commercially important fish species in Tekeze reservoir and Lake Hashenge
  • Evaluation of solar dryers on the drying and sensory properties of salted Tilapia filets
  • Nutritional and sensory acceptability of wheat bread made from fish flour
  • Gill net size determination for Nile tilapia (Niloticus)
  • Analysis of the diet and biochemical composition of Nile tilapia

Improvement of crop production and productivity

  • Distribution and abundance of striga infestations in Tigray
  • Integrated striga management options in striga-prone areas
  • Adaptation and scaling out of the groundnut (Sedi) variety
  • Response of groundnut genotypes to the combined application of phosphorus and foliar zinc fertilizers
  • Interaction of phosphorus and foliar zinc on seed quality and aspergillus infection in groundnut genotypes in dry land areas
  • Evaluation of sorghum, maize, groundnut, mung bean, cowpea, and haricot bean varieties
  • Select and popularize improved sorgum (Charie and Melkam) varieties in moisture-stressed areas.
  • Validation of NPSZnB fertilizer on maize, sorghum, and groundnuts
  • Seed multiplication of improved varieties

Improvement of horticultural production and productivity

  • Identification of insects and diseases associated with citrus
  • Evaluation of chemical, botanical, and cultural management options for termites on vegetable seedlings
  • Evaluation of NPS fertilizer on the yield and economic performance of a new variety of hot pepper
  • Adaptation and distribution of the evaluation of onion, tomato, and papaya varieties
  • Validation of NPSZnB fertilizer for onion, pepper, and tomato varieties

Forestry and agro forestry

  • Management of Ziziphus spina Christi on cultivated land for sustainable agricultural production
  • Screening of tree seedlings survival rate under natural selection
  • Indigenous knowledge based identification of medicinal plants
  • Adaptation trial of lowland bamboo for income diversification of irrigation schemes
  • Identification and documentation of wild edible trees and shrubs
  • Demonstration and popularization of Moringa stenoptella tree for human food

Irrigation and drainage systems

  • Hydraulic performance assessment of Tahtay Tsalit small scale irrigation scheme, Tigray
  • Performance evaluation of alternate, fixed and conventional furrow irrigation systems for pepper production
  • Estimation of crop water requirements and scheduling irrigation time for major vegetables
  • Improving irrigation water management through irrigation scheduling technologies and efficient fertilization for irrigated crops
  • Demonstration of drip irrigation for sweet potato production

Soil and water conservation

  • Growth performance evaluation of biological soil and water conservation measures at physically treated gullies
  • Evaluation of conservation farming practices for improving sorghum yield
  • GIS and USLE-based estimation of annual soil loss at the Tekeze model watershed
  • Demonstration of conservation farming practices

Socio economic and agricultural extension

  • Analysis of goat value chains in Tanqua Abergelle district
  • Analysis of opportunities and challenges of fish and tomato harvesting and marketing
  • Demonstration of improved sorghum varieties (Charie and Melkam), improved maize varieties (Melkassa-2), improved groundnut varieties, improved haricot bean varieties (Awashmelka), improved cow pea varieties (Bekur), and improved hot pepper varieties (Melkashote), integrated striga management technologies, and popularization of Koekoek

5. Partnership

The center has been closely working with different partner institutions of both governmental and non governmental. Currently, the world bank funded program known as Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the District Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development (BoARD), Mekelle University, and Aksum University are active partners of the research center.

Contact address: Abergelle Agricultural Research Center (AbARC)

Phone: +25134460741

Fax: +251344461057

P.O.Box:44, Abi-Adi, Tigray, Ethiopia

Introduction

Increased crop production is mainly achieved through the management of the soil in a sustainable way. A fertile soil is needed to boost crop production. Soil research is an essential tool for sustainable land management, formulation of judicial fertilizer recommendations, advisory services as well as designing appropriate soil management and agronomic practices.

Mekelle Soil Research Center was established on February 2013 based on the development urgency and need in soil science research to increase soil and crop productivity. It is one of the research centers of Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI). It consists of five case teams: Soil Fertility Research, Soil Microbiology Research, Soil Resources Survey and Mapping Research, Analytical Soil Laboratory and Administration & Finance.

Mission: “To conduct scientific research on soil resources that enables sustainably higher crop and forage production and provide analytical services in the required quality and quantity to give  soil, plant and water analytical and management recommendations

 Vision:“To become the center of excellence in soil research and to generate soil resources management technologies and enable farmers to use a soil and crop specific fertilizer recommendations by 2037”

 Mandate : Southern Zone of Tigray, South Eastern Zone of Tigray, Eastern Zone of Tigray and some parts of Central Zone of Tigray (K.Tebben and T.Abergelle)

Thematic areas

Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Research

  • Site/Context Specific fertilizer recommendation
  • Soil Properties and their effect on nutrient availability and plant nutrition
  • Organic farming and environmental sustainability
  • Integrated Soil Fertility Management Research, ISFM
  • Nutrient Use Efficiency and interaction effect of nutrients
  • Research on Soil pollution and its impact on soil fertility and environment
  • Micronutrients and nutrition research
  • Management of soil chemical properties & climate change

Soil Biology Research

  • Bio-fertilizer Research
  • Soil mycorrhiza and plant nutrition research
  • Research on earthworms and vermicomposting
  • Microbial Biodiversity research on different soil types and agricultural land use systems

Soil Resource Survey and Land Evaluation research

  • Soil characterization and classification
  • Soil diagnostic approach and application of pedometrics
  • Geochemical process and soil landscape modelling
  • Mapping and generating geospatial soil information
  • Geo database development
  • Land use system and land suitability classification

Analytical Laboratory Research and Testing Services

  • Soil chemical and physical properties analysis
  • Plant and water chemical analysis
  • Soil micro-biology lab analysis
  • Laboratory Quality Management System, Assurance and Control

Some achievements of MSRC: Since its establishment and before, the soil related best practices generated are:

  1. Through the support of the Regional Agricultural Research Fund (RARF), the center was able to assess soil fertility status in major soils, agro-ecology and crops of Tigray region. Based on the assessment survey it was able to identify soil and crops deficient nutrients in the different agro-ecologies of Tigray.
  2. Through the support of Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) and participation of Mekelle Soil Research Center researchers in soil fertility survey, soil fertility map of Tigray region for each district was developed. Deficient nutrients in each district and proposed formulas for the use of blend fertilizers were developed
  3. Site specific fertilizer rate and response mainly for wheat and barley for the major nutrients (Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur) were developed. Besides nitrogen rate requirement of wheat and barley after leguminous precursor crops were determined. 
  4. Soil test based phosphorus fertilization for wheat, barley and teff were developed
  5. Acidic soil management options were developed for the acidic soils found in Tsegede district
  6. Bio-fertilizers production using Rhizobia strains for the major legume crops (Faba bean, Field pea, Lentil and Chick pea)
  7. The center has introduced earth worm for the production of vermi-compost. Vermi-compost was produced from the introduced earth worm. Experiments are under way as vermi-compost is a new technology of soil fertility amendment in Tigray. Shade for mass production for vermi-compost was constructed.
  8. Indicative results on the use of other soil fertility management practices such as Biochar, Compost Tea and Bio-slurry were obtained as a bench mark for further research endeavors
  9. The center is rigorously working on the assessment of high pH soil in the Raya azebo district. The endeavor will continue in other likely districts so as to develop management strategies for high pH soils. 
  10.  Our Soil Laboratory is Accredited in ISO/IEC 17025:2005 in five parameters (N, P, OC, CEC and soil moisture content) by Ethiopian National Accreditation Office (ENAO)

General Background

Agricultural Mechanization and Rural Energy Research Directorate is one of the five research Directorates under Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI). The research directorate is mainly engaged in development-oriented research activities of different agricultural machineries and implements, post-harvest and feed processing technologies, renewable and biomass energy appliances.

Thematic (research) areas

  • Pre harvest and harvest agricultural implements
  • Post-harvest machineries and agro processing  sciences
  •  Rural transportation
  • Irrigation and water pump
  • Biomass and renewable energy

Research pillar of the directorate

  • Improve land and labor productivity
  • Reduce post-harvest loss and human drudgery
  • Reduce deforestation
  • Import substitution
  • Transforming conventional agricultural practices
  • Create new job for land less youths
  • Empower women

General Background

The Mekelle Bee Research and Training center (MBRC) was officially launched as center in July, 2020. The center is temporary based in the compound of Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI). It is located North-east of Mekelle at an elevation of 1970 meters at 250 51’N latitude and 390 61’ longitudes. MBRTC has one testing and demonstration site adjacent to its main office.  In addition, it has six demonstration sites located in different agro-ecologies of the region having good potential for beekeeping.

The center has 6 core processes.

  • Beekeeping management and genetic improvement which includes colony multiplication and management for better productivity
  • Honey Bee products quality improvement and value addition
  • Honey bee forage and pollination ecology
  • Honey bee healthy
  • Apiculture research and extension socio-economic
  • Support staff

Research Focus / Thematic Area

  1. Honey bee biology and breeding:-To improve the trait of beekeeping production and productivity products. This focuses on beekeeping and breeding research, bee biology and reproduction, bee colony management and bee feed.
  2. Honey Bee Health:-This focuses on research to identify and control the damage caused by bee diseases and pests to bees and bee products.
  3. Honey Bee forage and pollination ecology:- This research activity conducts research on honey bee flora based on different location and climate characteristics/ environment to answer various questions raised by various stakeholders regarding honey bee flora.
  4. Honey Bee products quality improvement and value addition:-This research practice conducts various researches on improving the quality and value addition of beekeeping products, especially focusing on post-harvest quality of honey bee products, for example, improving the handling of honey and candles, preserving honey bee products for a long time, and honey bee products from traditional hives by improving and conducting research to promote our culture at home and abroad and generate income.
  5. Socioeconomic and extension:-
  • Problem appraisal & prioritization
  • Demonstration & popularization
  • Cross cutting & Gender studies
  • Adoption and impact studies 

Manpower

The center has a total of 28 staff members.

  • Researchers=15 (PhD= 0, MSc=9 , BSc= 6)
  • Technicians =3
  • Support  staff=10

Achievements

Although Tigray has immense beekeeping potentials, the benefits from the sector are often poorly utilized which lead to its low production and productivity. Regardless of the fact that the MBRC is at its infant stage, so far, it has conducted different research activities and provide valuable recommendation and direction to improve the apiculture sector in the region. It has been working to generate/develop valuable technologies /hard and soft/ in areas of;

  • Bee forage identification and propagation techniques
  • Identification of honeybee enemies and diseases,
  • Colony multiplication /grafting and splitting/
  • Assessment of honey bee and beeswax quality
  • Honeybee behavior and
  • Alternative low cost technologies (Bamboo hive and Cement made casting mould….)
  • Providing trainings (2023) for 250 farmers and 40 experts of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) beneficiary at Wukro, Enderta and Shire districts.

Contact Address:

Mekelle Bee Research and Training center (MBRC)

Fax: (+251) 344-416122

P.O.Box:1070

Mekele, Tigray, Ethiopia

General Background (information is not complete)

Establishment of research in Tigray goes back to the 1970s. In 1972 there was severe meteorological and agricultural drought which resulted in crop failure, lack of feed and overall famine as well as death for several people and livestock. To visit the situation and seek possible assistance UN-FAO mission was sent to Northern Ethiopia (Tigray, Wollo, and Eritrea at that time) is 1973. After analyzing the situation the UN-FAO mission recommended establishment of research center in Tigray with possible testing sites in the drier areas of Ethiopia (Wollo, Tigray, Eritrea, Gonder, Godie, Werer… etc). then the then Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) extended its varietal screening research at Illala-Mekelle as a site for Holeta Research Center.

The UN-FAO Mission came back in early 1974 and assessed what has been done at Illala site and study reports of the Tigray Rural Developmen Study (TRDS) carried out by Hunting. The mission concluded that the northern region needs integrated natural resources management research beyond varietal screening. The mission recommended that UN-UNDP shall provide fund and UN_FAO should solicit scientists in different fields of profession.

With the recommendation of UN-FAO mission Mekelle research center was established in 1974. Up to 1976 multidisciplinary team from FAO (Dry land Farming Agronomist, Soil and Water Conservationist, Ecologist and appropriate implements Engineer) carried out integrated NRM Research and showed excellent start. Unfortunately because of the policy of the military Government at that time they were forced to leave Mekele and the country. the program was transferred to Nazreth Research Center and Mekelle remained merely as political symbol without meaningful activities. Finally, mekele Research Center was abandoned during the fall of the Military Government in 1990.

Mekelle Research Center was again rehabilitated in 1993 and staged with the then IAR-EARO up to 1998. Starting from 1998, following decentralization of research system in to regional Mekelle Research Center was decentralized as an independent region’s research institute. In 1999 Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) was established through Negarit Gazeta proclsmation No. 36/1999. Since the establishment of TARI, Mekelle Agricultural Research Center became one of the six agro-ecology based research centers under the institute that focused on dry land research activities.