About the symposium
Enset is climate resilient perennial crop domesticated only in Ethiopia, where over 20 million people are dependent on it for subsistence. Enset is used as food, feed and non-food products. Enset farming is a sustainable system and such indigenous crops with potential to grow under climate stresses are especially important to achieve food and nutrition security and agroecosystem resilience in a changing climate. Globally, a large disparity exists between the potential and current use of the crop, due to limited national and international research and development investments. Hence Enset is one of the underutilized genetic resources of the world. The impact of the severe 1980s famines in Ethiopia was less in the Enset-growing regions, but the national attention on Enset has been variable.
Now is time for Enset – national and international research and development stakeholders are putting eyes on it. NATIONAL ENSET FLAGSHIP initiative is designed to reorient the cereal-based dominant farming system of the country towards integrating the importance of Enset for food security and livelihood improvement. Arba Minch University (AMU) is one of the research universities in Ethiopia, where Enset-based research and innovation is among the priorities. To revitalize the role of Enset for food security and its enormous socioeconomic benefits to the nation at large, the first international Enset symposium was held in September 2023 at AMU to mainly demonstrate the Enset technologies innovated by AMU.
In collaboration with stakeholders, Enset research and technology generation at AMU still continued on the areas of postharvest technology and value addition, agronomy and crop protection. With its Enset technologies, AMU is also endeavoring to reach out the Enset growing communities, reducing burdens on women, creating new jobs and exploring niche markets for Enset-based food and non-food products. AMU aspires to organize a second international symposium on Enset to create a platform to discuss research and development endeavors performed by different stakeholders globally. The goal of the symposium is two:- 1) to bring new findings and innovations to high level scientific and development forum and 2) to help identify challenges and opportunities in the Enset value chain which may direct further research and innovation for improved utilization of Enset potential. This symposium takes place for two days – 11 oral and 6 poster presentations accompanied with Enset-based food and non-food products exhibition on day 1. On the 2nd day, field visits focusing on community outreaches derived from research and innovations will be held. The field visits will be followed by panel discussions and ways forward.
Venue and date
The symposium will take place at the Arba Minch University, main campus Arba Minch, Ethiopia from October 11-12, 2024.
Keynote speakers
H.E Prof. Afework Kassu, director general of the Armauer Hansen Research Institute
Dr. Tsedeke Abate, founder and leader of homegrown vision
Field visits
Enset variety adaptation trials for low moisture environment at AMU research field, community-based model Enset multiplication nursery at Dorze and innovative Enset processing technologies at Chencha will be visited.
Attendants
Scholars, researchers, government officials and NGOs totaling 200 participants will attend the event. Participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Liberia and South Sudan will take part in the meeting from abroad.
Program schedule
Sponsors
Though the list is yet to be exhaustive, sponsors of this symposium include
- Arba Minch University
- Ministry of Innovation and Technology
- USAID - Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture
- Bio and Emerging Technology Institute
- AMI-IUC
- Ministry of Agriculture
- Menschen für Menschen
