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Exploring the Potential of using HTPS for variety registration in Ethiopia: Consultative workshop
Hybrid True Potato Seed (HTPS) is a new technology that has the potential to revolutionize potato production in Ethiopia. It is not possible to use TPS for potato mainly because of segregation and the use of tuber has affected rapid multiplication and marketing of potato seed. HTPS is believed to solve such problem. As a…
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Dysfunctional Plant Variety Protection in Ethiopia: Professionals’ Perspective
Plant Variety Protection (PVP) is one of the areas of debate among professionals in the sector. Beyond protecting the right of the breeder, it is also linked to international trade and different countries follow different system of protection. Although proclamation 481/2006 was enacted as early as 2006 and it was revised without being implemented in…
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Vegetable seed import: A growing trend in both import volume and government spending
The use of quality seed is essential for production and marketing of vegetables in Ethiopia. So far, large proportion of the vegetable seed is imported while the remaining proportion is produced domestically. Locally produced seeds include low yielding local varieties of some vegetables and relatively high yielding improved ones which have been released by public…
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Officials and senior experts visited the Netherlands and Germany: Lessons brought home
The Ethiopian Agricultural Authority (EAA), a recently established authority in charge of regulating the agricultural sector, is now being led by a new management team that need capacity building and exposure. It is very critical for the authority to explore how regulatory system in other countries operate in order to bring lessons and new ideas…
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Developing Forage Value Chain: A potential strategic option to address livestock feed problems
The practice of growing forage crops for sale is not yet an established culture in Ethiopia. There are a few improved forage seed producers on the one hand while a number of dairy farms demanding forages, on the other. In between, however, there are no commercial actors who grow forage crops for sale. Because of…
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Revisiting Seed Science and Technology Curriculum to Respond to Market Demand
In Ethiopia, seed businesses usually struggle to find skilled human resources in seed science and technology, as well as seed business management. The existing curriculum, which was developed some years ago, need to take into consideration new developments in the seed sector. Recognizing the need for more trained human resources in seed science and technology,…
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The first ENSP Newsletter published
The purpose of the ENSP newsletter is to provide relevant information on the latest developments and current issues in the Ethiopian seed sector and the partnership supportactivities.The first issue highlight the major activities that have been taken place between January and June 2022. It has covered the transition that in progress for crop variety testing…
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Vegetable Seed Import in Ethiopia: A Scoping Study Highlights
The conducive environment for vegetable production and the high quality of imported vegetable seeds has increased the demand for imported vegetable seeds in Ethiopia. The varieties that companies import must be registered. However, the registration process is very challenging for vegetable seed companies. In order to assess the import trend of vegetable seed, map current…
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Bringing Phytosanitary Services in to Focus
The phytosanitary service has been given little focus in Ethiopia for long. Due to various reasons the service provided is not to the level expected in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and quality of service. Often there are complaints from the service users. One of the reasons for the gap is believed to be the level…
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Transition in Progress: Reclaiming responsibility for crop variety testing
Ethiopian seed proclamation and seed regulation specify that variety testing, both Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability(DUS) test and Value for Cultivation and Use/National Performance (VCU/NPT) Trials, must be carried out by an impartial authority. In reality, the MoA has not taken up variety testing as impartial organization, rather research institutes that also generate the varieties do…
