The Third International Tef Workshop was held from October 22 to 24, 2019 at Adulala Resort in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. The first two International Tef workshops were: the First held in Addis Ababa from October 16 to 19, 2000 and the Second held in Bishoftu from November 7 to 9, 2011. In this the Third International Tef Workshop, a total of 170 researchers, development workers, farmers and invited guests were participated.
Participants of the Third International Tef Workshop were drawn from different institutions in Ethiopia as well as from abroad. Those participated from abroad include researchers who are actively involved in tef and those planning to do research on this valuable crop. In addition, donors of tef improvement participated. Outside Ethiopia, countries represented at the workshop were USA, UK, Japan, Switzerland, Kenya and others. In this three-day workshop, all topics related to tef improvement were presented and thoroughly discussed.
The workshop was officially opened by H.E. Mr. Umer Hussein, Minster, Ministry of Agriculture. The welcome address was made by Dr. Mandefro Negussie, Director General of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. Earlier, Dr. Kebebew Assefa from Debere Zeit Agricultural Research Center introduced objectives and program of the workshop. Dr. Kebebew is a senior tef researcher who has been actively working on this crop for the last 36 years. In the opening session, representatives of Agricultural Transformation Agency of Ethiopia and Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture also gave speech.
The key-note address was made by Prof. Endashaw Bekele from Addis Ababa University on ‘Tef: past, present and future’. Prof. Endashaw has extensively published in different topics of tef research. In his speech, Prof. Endashaw, indicated that tef is the gift Ethiopia gave to the world. He also stressed the need to further improve the research on tef.
In general, 24 papers were presented under six major categories. These are i) agro-ecology and seed systems, ii) genetic resources and breeding, iii) genomics and biotechnology, iv) soils and crop management, v) crop protection, vi) utilization, socio economics and extension. Apart from these scientific presentations, three farmers with significant contributions to tef technology dissemination gave short speeches. These are Ms Bekelech Tola, Mr. Sisay from Boset Woreda and Mr. Amha Abraham from Amuri Seed Producers.
The 24 papers presented at the workshop and presenters were:
I) Agro-ecology and seed systems
1. Ecology and farming systems by Tamene Mekonnen
2. Tef seed system and input supply by Dr. Abebe Atilaw
II) Genetic resources and breeding
3. Taxonomy, origin and genetic resources by Dr. Habte Jifar
4. Genetics by Dr. Solomon Chanyalew
5. Breeding by Dr. Kebebew Assefa
III) Genomics and biotechnology
6.Molecular breeding by Dr. Dejene Girma
7. Biotechnology by Dr. Endale Gebre
8. Genomics by Dr. Dejene Girma
9. Progress and prospects of genome editing in tef improvement by Mitiku Asfaw
IV) Soils and crop management
10. Morphology and anatomy by Tara Wight
11. Physiology by Dr. Zerihun Tadele
12. Agronomy by Dr. Almaz Meseret
13. Soil fertility management by Dr. Yifru Abera
14. Water management by Ashebir Haile
15. Mechanization by Dereje Alemu
16. Response of tef grain physico-chemical properties to soil and meteorological factors by Anteneh Abewa
V) Crop protection
17. Weed management by Rezene Fissehaie
18. Disease management by Ashenafi Gemechu
19. Insect pest management by Dr. Tebkew Damte
VI) Utilization, socio economics and extension
20. Food value by Dr. Workneh Abebe
21. Feed value by Tekleyohannes Berhanu
22. Economics of Tef by Dr. Setotaw Ferede
23. Tef technology transfer by Dr. Elias Zerfu
24. Tef value chain by Dr. Bart Minten
See you next time with another topic.
Zerihun Tadele, University of Bern, Switzerland፣ ጥቅምት 24፣ 2012 ዓ.ም. (November 4, 2019)
AAS 