Haramaya University Research Office Conducted Research Output Promotion in West and East Harerghe Zone Chiro and Harar Town, on February18/2021, and February 22/2021 respectively.
Haramaya University Agricultural Research Office has promoted a new type of Potato called orange sweet Potato which is rich in multivitamins. The office conducted the promotion in Chiro Town by selecting Market-day and public areas to create awareness about the food preparation from it. It was expressed that this orange sweet potato safeguards humans’ food security for the urban people and the people in dry-land areas, especially for pregnant women and children above six months. It was also said that it couldprevent malnutrition related diseases. Moreover, the farmers generate additional income from selling extra orange sweet Potato yields.
Dr. Dendena Gelmesa, instructor, researcher, and focal person of the DDBIO (Development and Delivery of Bio-fortified Crops at Scale) project in Haramaya University, says that the project works with internationally established organization known as CIP (International Potato Research Center) which is working in medium level research on agriculture, especially on sweet Potato variety. The project is working on farmers’ land with four Woredas in East Hararghe and four Woredas in West Harerghe zones selected based on their weather conditions. It is known that East and West Harerghe take the second position in potato production in Ethiopia, but orange potato is different.
As Dr. Dendena, the variety which the University is working on very important for the areas known in their shortage of rain, water, and food like East and West Haraghe zone.
Mr. Husen Ame, Agricultural Development Officer and focal person for CIP projecting West Harerghe zone, in his part, says “We have selected four Weredas in our zone to give training for the farmers and agricultural extension officers by Haramaya University researchers about the orange potato importance and the cultivation process. By working with the union called burqa-galet, we have recently disseminated the seeds for many farmers in our four Woredas for the first round.”
“By discussing with Haramaya University, we have agreed to expand orange sweet Potato crop to our other more Woredas as we understood its multiple importance and the needs of the farmers to crop it is increasing. Therefore, wonderfully promoting orange sweet Potato importance helps to change wrongly cultured attitude in urban people and it will increase the demand for it. For the future also, we want to strengthen the connection that we have with Haramaya University and we would like to present grateful thanks,” added Mr. Husen.
During the promotion, the people who tested different food items made up of orange Potato said that they misunderstood about using sweet Potato for such food items. They also added that they considered sweet Potato as a poor people food only and they will include it in their food items if it is available in the market. Helen Zewde, Sheka Mohamed Aliye, Fetiya Sebiral, Fatuma Mutigni, Ahmed Mehamed, Teshome H/Michael and others, who live in Chiro and Harar Town and surrounding rural areas, in their turn, thanked Haramaya University for creating such awareness by going to their area.
In other way, the information from CIP officials indicates that, in similar way the Promotion will continue to Diredawa and other Towns.
By: Aweke Ayalneh
Public and International Relations Directorate