AEAS / ESAPP / SLM Eritrea Joint Report Innovative Agricultural Approaches of Promoting Food Security in Eritrea: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth Proceedings of the Workshop of the Association of Eritreans in Agricultural Sciences (AEAS) 2 – 3 March 2006 Asmara, Eritrea | downloaded: 13.3.2017 Editors: Bissrat Ghebru and Tadesse Mehari 2007 https://doi.org/10.7892/boris.71045 source: A ESAPP E A S Innovative Agricultural Approaches of Promoting Food Security in Eritrea: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth Innovative Agricultural Approaches of Promoting Food Security in Eritrea: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth Proceedings of the Workshop of the Association of Eritreans in Agricultural Sciences (AEAS) 2-3 March 2006 Asmara, Eritrea Editors: Bissrat Ghebru and Tadesse Mehari Publisher: Geographica Bernensia Bern, 2007 Citation: Bissrat Ghebru and Tadesse Mehari (Editors) 2007 Innovative Agricultural Approaches of Promoting Food Security in Eritrea: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth. Proceedings of the Workshop of the Association of Eritreans in Agricultural Sciences (AEAS), 2-3 March, Asmara, Eritrea Bern, Geographica Bernensia, 169pp. SLM Eritrea, and ESAPP, Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, and Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, 2007 Publisher: Geographica Bernensia Printed by: Varicolor, Switzerland Copyright© 2007 by: Association of Eritreans in Agricultural Sciences (AEAS) This publication was prepared with support from: Eastern and Southern Africa Partnership Programme (ESAPP), a programme funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); SLM Eritrea, a programme funded by Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture; and funds from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) English language editing: Bissrat Ghebru and Tadesse Mehari Layout: Simone Kummer, Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern Cover photos: Woldeselassie Ogbazghi, Bissrat Ghebru and Paul Roden Copies of this report can be obtained from: The Association of Eritreans in Agricultural Sciences (AEAS), Tel ++291 1 18 10 77 P.O. Box 4826, Asmara Eritrea Fax ++291 1 18 14 15 E-mail: [email protected] Eastern and Southern Africa Partnership Programme (ESAPP) Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) University of Bern Tel ++41 31 631 88 22 Steigerhubelstrasse 3 Fax ++41 31 631 85 44 CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland E-mail [email protected] www.cde.unibe.ch ISBN 978-3-906151-97-7 Table of contents Table of contents i List of figures iii List of tables iv List of abbreviations v Acknowledgement vii Preface viii Executive summary ix Opening of the workshop 1 Introductory remarks by the organising committee 1 Remarks by the AEAS chairperson 2 Opening speech 5 Keynote speech 1: Key elements for achieving food security in Eritrea 7 Keynote speech 2: Address by UNDP Resident Representative 9 Paper presentations 11 The role of biotechnology in promoting agricultural production and attaining food security 11 Tadesse Mehari Impact of integrated food security project implemented in Northern Red Sea Zone, Eritrea 21 Mussie Fessehaye, Tesfalem Tekeste, Eyob Negusse, Aron Arefaine, and Tseggai Gherezghiher The contribution of non-wood forest products to food security in Gash-Barka 29 Woldeselassie Ogbazghi and Estifanos Bein The case for animal genetic resource management plan in Eritrea 43 Tecle Abraham Spate irrigation system: A boon to agricultural production and food security in Eritrea 53 Mehreteab Tesfai Effect of growth regulators and waxing on the shelf life and quality attributes of Banana 64 Biniam Mesfin Women, agriculture and food security: The Eritrean perspective 73 Bissrat Ghebru and Woldeselassie Ogbazghi New paradigms in technology development: Exploring innovative approaches to linking agricultural research and practice 82 Ingrid Nyborg, Trygve Berg, and Jens Aune Rural institutions and food security in Eritrea: Preliminary findings from the central highlands and western lowlands 93 Sirak Mehari, Melake Tewolde, Kiflemariam Abraham, Greg Cameron i Integrated watershed management: Socio-economic factors of water harvesting projects 106 Fetsumberhan Ghebreyohannes Dairy constraint analysis in Eritrea, with special emphasis on Asmara and surrounding dairy farms 114 Ignatius Nsahlail and Alemseged Moges Recommendations of the working group discussions 124 Annex 1 Workshop programme 131 Day 1: March 2, 2006 Annex 2 List of participants 133 Ministries and organisations which participated in the workshop Annex 3 Tigrigna translation of abstracts 139 Pictures from the workshop 151 ii List of figures Figure 1 Pesticide usage, Bt and non-Bt cotton 14 Figure 2 Global area (million hectares) of transgenic crops in industrial and developing countries, 1996 to 2005. (Source: James, 2005) 15 Figure 3 The wells have been used as a source of drinking water for human and domestic animals (Selselet, Nakfa sub-zone) 24 Figure 4 Established vegetable gardens and harvested vegetables at different project sites and periods (a) Kamchewa, Afaabet sub-zone during the project period, (b) One year after the project phased out, (c) Hiday, Nakfa sub-zone during the project period and (d) One year after the project phased out 25 Figure 5 Nutritional training using descriptive manuals and hands-on training in methods of food preparation and preservation 26 Figure 6 The vegetation map of Eritrea (White, 1983) 30 Figure 7 Mean monthly rainfall and ETo (mm) in Sheeb area (Tesfai, 2001) 55 Figure 8 Percentage weight loss of banana fruits during storage as affected by storage conditions at 12ºC (A) and at 15ºC (B). Data points are means of six replicates. Co=control, G= GA3, W=waxing, I= IBA 66 Figure 9 Firmness changes of banana fruits during storage as affected by storage conditions at 22 ºC (A) and at 15ºC (B). Data points are means of six replicates. Co=control, G= GA3, W=waxing, I= IBA 68 Figure 10 Colour changes of banana during storage as affected by storage conditions at 12ºC (A) and at 22 ºC (B). Co=control, G= GA3, W=waxing, I= IBA 69 Figure 11 Respiration rate of banana fruits during storage as affected by storage conditions at 15ºC (A) and at 22ºC (B). Data points are means of six replicates. Co=control, G= GA3, W=waxing, I= IBA 70 Figure 12 Annual cereal food deficits in Eritrea (1991-2003) NB: Food deficit was extrapolated based on the requirement of 145 kg of cereals per person per year (FAO, 1994) 75 Figure 13 The components of food security where women are vital 76 Figure 14 Linear model of technology transfer 83 Figure 15 Linear model of technology transfer, with a ‘touch’ of farmer input 84 Figure 16 Conceptualizing technology generation in a farmer-focused paradigm (FAO/World Bank, 2002) 90 iii List of tables Table 1 Global area of biotech crops (Modified after: James, 2005) 14 Table 2 Global status of biotech crops in 2005 15 Table 3 Commodities that dominate global biotech market 15 Table 4 Number of project sites and the beneficiaries in 6 sub-zones of the NRSZ 23 Table 5 End line survey of vegetable production (in around 100 m2) of a beneficiary farmer for one growing season (about three months). 25 Table 6 Post project assessment of vegetable production (in around 400 m2) of a beneficiary farmer for one growing season. 26 Table 7 Basic information on altitude and rainfall ranges in the study areas. 32 Table 8 Relative proportion of the occupation of the respondents (%) of the various ethnic groups, in Gash-Barka. 33 Table 9 Proportion (%) of traditional uses of NFWP producing species and ranking (N=110) 34 Table 10 Constraints and possible solutions to NWFP producing plants species in Gash-Barka region (n=92 households) 36 Table 11 Average annual income (in Nakfa) from sales of various farming and off-farm activities in Gash-Barka in 2003 and their contribution (%). 37 Table 12 List of species used as sources of NWFP in the Gash Barka region of Eritrea 41 Table 13 Livestock population size in Eritrea 46 Table 14 Breeds of livestock popularly identified in Eritrea 47 Table 15 Spate-irrigated areas and potential land in the Northern Red Sea Zone of Eritrea 54 Table 16 Average values of mass, thickness and volume of sediments deposited on spate irrigated fields in Sheeb area (1998 and 1999) (Adapted from Tesfai and Sterk, 2002). 56 Table 17 Average soil properties in the top 0.25 m inside versus outside spate irrigated fields in Sheeb area (Adapted from Tesfai, 2001) 57 Table 18 Estimates of cereal food production and requirements in Sheeb area vs. national level (Adapted from Tesfai, 2001). 58 Table 19 Coping strategies to adjust food shortage in Sheeb area (n =53) 59 Table 20 Average physio-chemical change of Banana fruit after storage and as affected by different treatments 67 Table 21 Average age group distribution per household from the four villages studied. 96 Table 22 Average farm sizes per household. 97 Table 23 Number of months and % of households that depend on own production in good rains. 97 Table 24 Average yield (tons) per household both from rainfed and irrigated crop production. 98 Table 25 Village access to credit. 100 Table 26 Percent of the respondents who received training. 100 iv List of abbreviations AEAS Association of Eritreans in Agricultural Sciences ADP Asmara Dairy Plant AKIS/RD Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems for Rural Development AnGR Animal Genetic Resources ARD Animal Resources Department ASARECA Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa ASMDFC