REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
INDUSTRIALIZING AND COMMERCIALIZING
Eritrea’s Resources of Cactus Pear Plant (Oppuntia ficus indica)

for local & long distance markets

Flower of red pulped fruit

Flower of orange pulped fruit

Cactus Pear Orchard – (Oppuntia ficus indica)

Terra Emni Cactus Pear Nursery, Eritrea

1. FIELD OF COOPERATION:Industrializing & Commercializing Eritrea’s Resources of Cactus
Pear Plant (Oppuntia ficus indica), for both local and long distancemarkets.
2. APPLICANT : Government of Eritrea
3. EXECUTING AGENCY: Ministry of Agriculture, State of Eritrea andRam Farms.
4. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST
4.1 Eritrea, situated along the stretch of the Red Sea and with various agro –ecological zones, is a country naturally exposed to erratic and torrential
rainfall patterns. Subjected to a long span of dry season (Octoberthrough May) and with a relatively short and sporadic rainy season (Juneto September), Eritrea’s rainfed crop farming is cyclically faced with cropfailures.
4.2 In view of Eritrea’s erratic and torrential rainfall patterns, a major causefor crop failures, the search for alternative agriculture, less susceptible tochanging weather conditions, is fundamental to Eritrea’s efforts towards
improving food security. The succulent ‘cactus pear plant’ (Oppuntiaspp) happens to be one of those alternative crops suitable for Eritrea’senvironment and which is less affected by the Country’s characteristic
erratic and torrential rains.
4.3 Even though “Opuntia ficus indica” (cactus pear) is a naturalized cropin Eritrea, introduced about 135 years ago, the plant is effectively acting
as an important ecological alternative for Eritrea’s arid and semi-aridareas. As the natural fruiting period for cactus pear is mainly during themonths of June, July and September, the period during which highland
farmers and their animals experience shortage of grain and forage, thecactus pear fruits, the cladodes and the fruit pills act as effective buffer
crop, until the next harvest months of September - October.
4.4 The economic importance of cactus pear plant is increasingly being
recognized among Eritreans and by the Government of Eritrea. Thesearch for better cultural management, for ways and means ofindustrializing and commercializing this valuable and available resourceis, therefore, of high priority and timely.
According to available statistics with the Ministry of Agriculture, State ofEritrea, the area under cactus pear plant cover, in the wild, is estimatedat around 10,000 hectares. A rough estimate indicates that less than 25%of the existing cactus pear resource is currently being exploited. This is a

further indication of the need to search for effective means and methods
exploiting Eritrea’s Available huge resource.
4.5 In order for Eritrea to fully exploit the available large resource ofoppuntia, (& oleo spp) and further develop its capacities to commercially
produce, process and market cactus pear (& oleo spp) plant products andbi-products, there is a need to transfer knowledge and technologies,
from countries such as Chile, Mexico, South Africa, Italy, Israel where
the whole chain of development has been developed. Applied
technologies and market requirements can also be thought through andfrom countries such as Japan which are buyers of cactus and oleo sppproducts.
5. TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE EXPERTThe expert is expected to execute the following, in collaboration with theMinistry of Agriculture of the State of Eritrea and Ram Farms.
5.1 Prepare detailed work plan for the duration of the project and based on
the following Terms of References.
5.2 Assess the current environment of cactus pear vegetation cover and otherunique biodiversity plants, such as olio spp, in Eritrea, based on varieties,
agronomic practices, harvesting methods and various local uses.
5.3 Asses production and marketing constraints and based on the initialfindings, identify and recommend list of applicable technologies to betransferred to Eritrea, from countries with well developed cactus plants(& oleo spp) production methods, processing and marketing systems of
the products and bi-products, for both the local and the export markets.
5.4 Develop list of contacts with potential cactus pear, other cacti and oleo
spp plants technology resources and with farms and firms which
produce/manage, process, pack and market the following products andbi-products.
5.4.1 Fresh cactus pear fruits
5.4.2 Cactus pear fruit pulp.
5.4.3 Cactus pear fruit/cladode marmalade; jelly and other related
products.
5.4.4 Cactus pear fruit juice
5.4.5 Cactus pear alcoholic beverage or other alcoholic product(s)5.4.6 Cactus cladode vegetable pickles & other related products.
5.4.7 Cosmetic and pharmaceutical products from cactus pear flowers,
fruits, cladodes and from oleo spp plants.
5.4.8 Cactus pear fruit seeds oil5.5 Develop list of contacts with potential buyers (markets) and investors
for Eritrea’s cactus pear and oleo spp plant products, with a scheduled
proposal on how to proceed with “developing the producer – processor –seller – buyer relationships”.
5.6 Suggest an out line on short-medium-long term development plan for“industrializing and commercializing Eritreas Cactus pear plant resources(including oleo spp) for local and export markets.
5.7 Suggest and advice on the kind of training and institutions, Eritreansshould have and visit, in order to gain practical exposure towards cactus
pear orchards(& oleo spp plants) their management, plant propagation,processing, packing and marketing.
6. REQUIREMENT OF THE EXPERT
6.1 The expert is required to have wide knowledge and exposure in thedevelopment of cactus (& oleo spp) and related products, in particular thetechnologies related to production, processing and packing.
6.2 Specific knowledge and contacts on marketing of cactus pear plant (&oleo spp products and bi-products shall be of great need, as the project
aims at “industrializing and commercializing Eritrea’s resources ofcactus pear plant, for local and export markets”.
Personal exposure and experience in countries which produce, process andmarket cactus pear plants (& oleo spp) and products would be afundamental requirement.
6.3 Work experience in African and Asian countries would be highly
beneficial and preferred.
7. PERIOD OF THE EXPERT’S SERVICE
Six months, during 2007, would be a minimum and an ideal work period.

Cactus Pear Fruits

The Six Types of Cactus Pear Fruits
In Eritrea’s Eastern Escarpments

Flowering Stage – Cactus Pear
Central Highland – Eritrea (May)

SpinelessSpiney CladodeRipening Cactus Pear Fruit(June-July-August)Road side Cactus Pear Fruit Market Eritrea

CACTUS CLADODES AS FODDER

Easter Escarpments – Eritrea

Cactus Pear Flower NectarMILD FLAVORED HONEYFROM CACTUS PEAR FLOWERS