1. General Background

Humera Begaite Animal Research Center, was founded as a center in July, 2020. The center was established to conduct research on Begaite animal with the objective of conserving, improving, multiplying and delivering improved Begaite animal species (cattle, Sheep & Goat) for sustainable utilization in quality and quantity. It is located at 14^o15′ N and 36^o37′ E, with an elevation of 609 meter sea level at Humera town which is found at the boarder of Sudan and Eritrea. Its mandate area covers three districts namely:- Kafta Humera, Tsegede and Welkayt with agro-ecological zones of SA1-1, M1-7 and M2-5 respectively. The area is well known for the untouched potential for Begaite Cattle, Sheep and Goat. The center owns about 2000 ha in May-weiny, which uses mainly for conserving, improving and multiplying of Begaite Cattle, Sheep and Goat breeds. In addition, it uses as forage seed multiplication & production site, and execution of different experiments.  

The center has 6 core processes.
Genetic & Reproductive Improvement Research
Feed, Nutrition and Grazing management Research
Animal Health research
Socio-economic and Extension Research
Farm Management
Supportive staff

2. Research capacity
Human capacity: The center has comprising a total of 72 employees (13 researchers, 5 research technicians, and 54 are supportive staffs). Among the 18 scientific research team, the center has 9 MSc, 5 BSc and 4 Diploma.
Physical capacity: The center has one conserving, improving, multiplying and delivering improved Begaite animal site, named Mayweiny ranch, which equipped with more than 10 barns, with a total area of 2000 hectare.  It has also a site in Humera with 3 barns serving as experimental site for dairy cow and small ruminant research. It has also 50 ha research sites in Humera which is serving as experimental site for forage research activities.

3. Achievements
Released Seven forages varieties
Published more than 60 scientific papers
Generated 10 improved technologies   
2017 National Award from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the noteworthy contribution to raising agricultural productivity and production.   
2016 regional award from the Tigray Bureau of Planning and Finance for the outstanding contribution in the second Growth and Transformation Plan.

Vision and Missions
Vision: To be one of the most important livestock research centers in Ethiopia as well as in Africa and to see improved livelihood of the society in the region as a whole through the use of technologies generated and proven by the research center
Mission: To generate livestock technologies that improves Livelihood of the farming community in particular and the region at large; and to improve the welfare of people in Tigray through effective supply of animal products, and high-quality development of animal husbandry.

5. Duties and Responsibilities
The Center carries out research in the field of Begaite animal Breed genetic resources and breeding, animal nutrition and feed, veterinary medicine, and animal product quality and safety. It emphasizes on phonotypical characterization and reproductive performance of Begaite Cattle, Sheep and Goat breeds.  Community-based genetic improvement through selection also one of the core activity of the center.

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.