The State of Eritrea

Ministry of Agriculture Newsletter

A Monthly Newsletter Prepared by the Public Relations Division, Issue No 63, September 2023

Highlights on Ministry of Agriculture’sExhibition on National Eritrean Festival 2023
National Eritrean Festival was
not held for three consecutive
years following the COVID-19
Pandemic. After a long periodof discontinuity, this festival
was again launched from 13 to20 August 2023, in Asmara at
the Expo ground. The Ministryof Agriculture (MoA), as partof its outreach activities todisseminate information onpriority areas during such events
held exhibition at the Students’RecreationandInnovation
Center. This Newsletter presents
a brief information based oninterviews conducted with therepresentatives of the ministry’sexhibitors.
Cooordinator of the Exhibition
My name is Andemeskel
Berhe. I work for the MoA’s
Public Relations Division, andI was tasked to coordinate
the Ministry’s Exhibition
inthe festival. This exhibition
displayed several activities of theMoA bodies; namely, National
Agricultural Research Institute(NARI), Agricultural Extension
Department (AED), Regulatory
Services Department (RSD),
National Agricultural Plant and
Health Laboratory (NAPHL),
Public Relations Division (PRD),
andAgriculturalStrategicInformation Systems Division(ASISD)
Traditional agricultural tools from
Eritrean nationalities in highlands
and lowlands were staged forthe first time, featuring theongoing efforts of establishingan agricultural museum. In
this connection, I would like toshare that we received highly
motivational feedbacks. Thus,
further efforts need to be exerted
in this regard, and preparations
for the next festival should takenote of this.
Among the interesting exhibits
were the appealing models
presented by the AgriculturalMr. Andemeskel Berhe

Innovations Unit of ASISD.
Important comments that couldenhance the innovative ideas forbetter performance of farmers
were delivered by most visitors.
The joint initiative of promoting
productions of organic fertilizers
and pesticides by the MoA
and the Ministry of Marine
Resources (MoMR) was also
represented in the exhibition,
while Eritrean Women in Agribusiness Association (EWAA)
displayed various agricultural
products, including that of dairy,
mushroom, eggs, spices, honey,
sweet potato and packed fooditems. This was also a corner
which won appreciation on thepart of the visitors.
***NARI Representative
My name is Samuel Bereket. I
am NARI’s staff, and tasked withcoordinating NARI’s exhibitionat the festival 2023. NARI wasinvolved in the National Festival
by portraying important research

1Mr. Samuel Bereket

outputs both physically andthrough posters. Out of morethan 6000 indigenous andadopted plant species (cereals,legumes, oil crops, fodders andherbs) that have been preservedby the Genetic Resources
Division, a total of 83 species werepacked and exhibited during theevent. Moreover, a range of soil
sampling apparatus; around 10soil types; compost and chemicalfertilizers; laboratory equipment;
as well as seeds of indigenoustrees and shrubs were part of theexhibits.
Furthermore, NARI’s current
endeavors of crop genetic
improvement were displayed by
the research outcomes thereof.
For example, sustainability ofrapeseed seed as a source ofoil was demonstrated and three
sweet potato varieties weredisplayed. Additionally, vinesof sweet potato plant weredistributed to visitors during theexhibition. Cassava plant, which
has recently been introduced inour country, was familiarized;
and a number of models of insect
species specimen were displayed
physically in this year’s NationalFestival.

and caprine species; several
feed blocks; and calf starters
were put on show. Equally worth
mentioning is the demonstrationof biotechnological researchstudies, especially those thatare based on tissue culture, andour visitors were provided withbriefings concerning the processof reproducing potato, bananaand dates. Efforts that are beingexerted to widely introduce foodtechnology were represented
in the National Festival throughvalue
addition
outcomes
pursuing sweet potato, flux seed,peanut, cassava and pumpkin.
Besides fortified complimentary
food for children which is known
as “DMK” was also presented.
***AED Representative
I am Efrem Araya, Head of Hide,
Skin and Rangeland Unit in theAED. And I was involved as thecoordinator of my department’s
participation in the National
Festival.
Our exhibition presented three
types of beehives: Traditional
beehive, modern frame beehive
and top-bar hive. These wereexhibited to demonstrate thedifferences and merits among
these hives, whereas male andfemale rabbits, and some poultry

Postersreflectingresearchoutcomes on green feed (grassesand legumes); indigenous ovine

2Mr. Efrem Araya

species were also brought at
the exhibition physically with
the intent of informing people
regarding the ministry’s plan
to distribute such animals.
Prototype of the energy-saving
improved stove, a manual ofrecipes, as well as a modelbased demonstration of theMinimum Integrated Household
Agricultural Package (MIHAP),
were also shown. Value-added
banana and sweet potato
products were also included in
the exhibited items with a viewof demonstrating breads, cakes,
juices and other types of foods
can be prepared from theseproducts.
We also, staged a model regarding
soil and water conservation;
and water catchment. We didthis to promote soil and water
conservation practice among thefarming community.
***
RSD Representative
My name is Selam Abraham. I
am Food Safety Professional who
works for the RSD; and I was tasked
with coordinating the activities
regardingourdepartment.
What we communicated at theexhibition was generally related
to raising awareness on RSD’s
overall regulatory interventions,
including the proclaimed anddraft regulatory proclamations,policies and manuals. We alsodisplayed the publications we use
to promote public awareness,in addition to short dramas andvideos.

necessarydiagnosis.

Mr. Amanuel Tekle

Videos outlining our activities,
publications on foods safety,

the exhibition that represented
NAPHL, they reflected thenationallaboratory’s
longstanding history since 1903
coupled with its role in theeradication of Rinderpest, andthe international award Eritrea
got from the World Animal HealthOrganization (OIE).

Ms. Selam Abraham

The vaccines which used to beproduces by this laboratory in1903 were presented along withthe two new types of vaccinesproduced this year; namely,
PPR and NCD vaccines. It wasexplained that the quality of bothvaccines have been approved by
the African Union Pan African
Vaccine Center (AU-PANVAC).
We further displayed specimenof plant pests and diseases,
and some equipment that areand equipment that we use
to carry out several regulatory
activities were part of the display.
Furthermore, to promote publicawareness on the precautionsof pesticide application, the useof pertinent personal protective
equipment was demonstrated.
***NAPHL Representative
I am Amanuel Tekle, Head of Seed
Laoratory Unit at the NAPHL.
With regards to the elements of3forplantdisease***ASISD RepresentativeMy
nameisAlmaz
Gebreyohannes. I am the Headof Agricultural Innovation Unitat ASISD. The unit generally
displayed three demonstrations
targetingurban
gardening,hydroponics and free energy
water pump. We displayedthese demonstrations to raise
public awareness in general,and urban people in particular.
Thedemonstrations
wereprepared with the intent to tellvisitors they should not worry
about space limitation as urban
gardening can be practiced either
vertically or horizontally using
discarded materials, for example,
plastic bottles, used car tyres,jerrycans, grain bags etc. People
can harvest nutritious foods fromtheir homes and be in a position
to meet some of their household
consumption needs.
Hydroponic fodder production
wasalsonpart of thedemonstration to inform thepublic that both human andanimal food can be produced
within a very short time without
soil. In addition to the fact thatit doesn’t demand much space,harvests can be made with less

Unit. Concerning this year’s
National Festival, our focus was
exhibiting products and methodsof production to raise publicawareness on value-addition ofbanana, citrus and sweet potato.
We have displayed green raw
banana, which is versatile sourceof different types of food recipes.
For example, it can be included in
preparing the local dishes KeyhTsebhi (hot sauce) and Alcha(stew). It can further be cut, dried
and kept as a powder for long-term
Ms. Almaz Gebreyohans
water supply and less human use. This way, it can be mixed withwheat flour and processed intopower.
different types of cakes, bread andZero-energy water pump is biscuits. Oranges are preparedanother technology we have been as marmalades including theirtrying to introduce. It was one peel, which has higher nutritionalof the exhibits which drew the value than raw orange itself. We
attention of many visitors. Using also managed to demonstrate
this gadget, water is pumped sweet potato in the forms of juice,from deep underground or wellswith air pressure and gravitational
force. Anyone who is associatedwith the practice of farming canuse this technology as it helpsavoid energy costs.
***Representative of Post-Harvest
Management at AED
My name is Hariena Kibrom, fromthe AED of the MoA. I work as
Post-Harvest Management Expert
in the Horticulture Development

Ms. Hariena Kibrom

4cake and biscuits. All such foodproducts were displayed in a bid
to positively influence public taste.
***
Representative of Food
Technology at NARI

Ms. Tsinat Berhane

My name is Tsinat Berhane. I workas the Head of Food Technology
Unit in NARI. While we strived
to represent NARI’s activities
as much as possible throughthe ministry’s exhibition onthe festival, we planned to give
special focus to cassava, which
the Ministry is trying to introduce
in a short period of time. Its
origin is in South America and is
widely consumed in other Africancountries.
There are two types of cassava
based on taste: Sweet and bitter.

We have exceptionally targeted
the sweet cassava and thus wehave been conducting trials in
Akurdet, Shambko and Halhale. So
far, promising results have beenregistered and its multiplication
phase will start very soon. Cassava
is highly nutritious especially interms of carbohydrates. It has
double nutritional value comparedto that of potato. When preparing
cassava, we must cut both edges
and boil it in water first, because
it has harmful elements whichshould not be consumed byhumans. Following this, it can becooked using a variety of recipes.
***
Representative of EWAA

Ms. Abrhet Habtegergish

EWAA had a chance to display
agricultural products in theNational Eritrean Festival 2023
through its members thanks
to the Ministry of Agriculture’ssupport. The products include
biscuits, cakes, pumpkin juice,
dairy products such as milk, whiteyogurt, flavored yogurt and butter;mushroom, eggs, spices, herbs,
honey products, sweet potato, a
range of crop and cereals products
likefortified
supplementary
food for children, cassava, Shiro(popular local spicy pea powder
and Berbere (local hot pepperpowder) and related products
such as Awaze (hot paste), amongothers.
***
Representative of Food
Processors EWAAMy name is Asmeret Damir, amember of EWAA. Our groupis predominantly engaged infood processing and packing,especially targeting products
made from sweet potato. We usetwo varieties of sweet potato: Theorange and white varieties. We use
sweet potato and wheat in equal
proportions to prepare biscuits,
while we adhere to application

Ms. Asmeret Damirof 30% of sweet potato and the70% of wheat for the preparationof bread. In making a starter foodfor infants, we depend on sweet
potato and other cereals.
Moreover, we have managed toproduce fortified supplementary
food for children from sweet
potato, crops, cereals and oil
crops. Red Taff biscuits andbanana biscuits were also on thedisplay. Every food product fromthe association’s members iscompletely dependent on organic
agricultural produces, which arealso easy to prepare at home.
***My name is Abrhet Habtegergish,Chairperson of
the Eritrean
Womenin
Agri-business
Association(EWAA).
Thisassociation was established in2003. It has now more young
members and is growing gradually.
All members of this association
are engaged in value-addition ofagricultural products.

Editor-In-Chief: Ermias Solomon, Director of Public Relations Division: Email:- ersohab@gmail.com, Tel: 182225/ 07143877
Assisstant Editor-In-Chief: Filmawit Measho Copy Editor: Medhanie Tsegay
Photo Credit: Tomas MehariSpecial Thanks to the Office of the National Holiday Coordination Committe; and Students’ Recreation and Innovation Center5