1. General Background

Alamata Agricultural Research Center established was in 2002 with mandate of addressing two major agro-ecologies namely lowland and highland areas in south Tigray. It is one of the research centers under Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) established to conduct agricultural research considering all important commodities in southern Zone of Tigray.  The center has five core processes: crop research, livestock research, natural resources management research, agricultural extension and socio-economic research, and administrative staff. It plays a crucial role in addressing the specific agricultural challenges and opportunities of the mandate area, contributing to improved food security, economic growth, and livelihoods the farmers.

The center is mandate to perform:

• Technology generation and adaptation
• Sources technology multiplication
• Technology promotion and commercialization
• Research coordination
• Consultancy and advisory services

2. Research core processes

2.1.  Crop Research

Crop Research focus

• Crop improvement (breeding and genetics)
• Crop protection and management
• Agronomy and physiology

Prior Crop Commodities

• Cereal crops (Wheat, barley, sorghum and Teff)
• Pulse crops (Faba bean. Chick pea, Dekoko, field pea)
• Horticultural crops (onion, tomato, pepper, papaya, avocado and coffee)

2.2. Lives tock research 

• Cattle research
• Small ruminant breed improvement
• Feed improvement and feeding systems
• Animal health

2.3. Natural Resources Research

• Forestry and agroforestry research
• Irrigation and drainage systems research
• Soil and water conservation research

2.4. Socio-economic and agricultural extension research

• Socio-economic studies
• Promotion of agricultural technologies  

3. Brief Research Achievements

3.1. Crop Research

• List of released crop technologies

SN	Commodity	Variety	Year of release	Recommendation domain
1	Bread wheat	Mekelle 3	2012	2000-2500
		Mekelle 4	2013	2200-2800
		Hadis	2018	2200-2600
		Korem-1	2019	2000-2700
2	Faba bean	Hashenge*	2015	2200-2700
3	Dekoko (Pisum sativum var abyssinicum)	Raya 1	2015	Highland
		Raya 2	2015	Midland

*Orobanche crenata resistant

• Adapted varieties from the national research system

SN	Commodity	Variety
1	Wheat	Kekaba, Danda’a, King bird, Wane, Boru, Abay, Daka
2	Barley	HB1307
3	Faba bean	Maradol
4	Sorghum	Melkam, Grana-1
5	Miaze	Melkessa 2, Melkassa 4, Melkassa 6Q, BHPQY 545
6	Chick pea	Arerti, Dalota, Dimitu
7	Papaya	Maradol
8	Onion	Adama red, Nasik red, Bombey red
9	Tomato	Melkashola, Roma VF, Roma VFN, Gelilama
10	Pepper	Marekofana
11	Potato	Belete, Jalleni, Gudeni,
12	Sweet potato	Kulfo and Tulla

• Crop management

• Crop protection technologies
• Crop management and practices

3.2. Livestock Research core process

• Livestock improvement

• Improvement and promotion of small ruminants (Begait sheep, Bonga sheep, and Dorper sheep)
• Poultry husbandry (koekok breed)
• Feed and forage improvement

• Adaptation and promotion of forages (vetch, alfalfa, oat, lablab, and pigeon pea)
• Feed improvement and utilization
• Grazing land management
• Development and promotion of molasses block feeding systems
• Development and promotion of cactus block feeding systems
• Promotion of urea treatment
• Fattening and health research

• Animal health
• Fattening and management

3.3. Natural Resources Research core processes

• Forestry and agro forestry

• Screening of tree seedlings survival rate under natural selection
• Indigenous knowledge based identification of medicinal plants
• Identification and documentation of wild edible trees and shrubs
• Demonstration of Jatropha as household source of fuel
• Demonstration and popularization of Moringa stenoptella tree as human food
• Irrigation and drainage systems

• Estimation of crop water requirements and scheduling irrigation time for major vegetables (onion, tomato and pepper)
• Improved irrigation water management through irrigation scheduling technologies and efficient fertilization for irrigated crops
• Demonstration of alternate irrigation for vegetable crops
• Demonstration of deficit irrigation for vegetable crops
• Study on technical capacity of water dams and irrigation capability
• Soil and water conservation

• Evaluation and promotion of growth performance of biological soil and water conservation measures
• GIS and USLE-based estimation of annual soil loss at Hashenge lake watershed
• Technical evaluation of Bench terraces
• Technical evaluation and recommendation of different soil and water conservation structures

3.4. Socio economic and extension Research core process

• Demonstration and promotion of improved crop varieties (sorghum, maize, wheat, faba bean, cow pea)
• Demonstration and promotion of improved horticultural crops (hot pepper, onion and tomato)
• Demonstration and promotion of livestock technologies (feed [urea molasses block, urea cactus block, & urea treatment], forage [vetch, oat, & alflfa] and poultry breeds [Koekoek])
• Demonstration of alternate irrigation for potato production
• Study on impact of agricultural technologies on the livelihood improvement
• Study on agricultural technology demand of the farming community  

4. Partnership

The center has been closely working with different governmental and non-governmental institutions.

• Bureau of Agriculture
• Universities (Mekelle and Raya)
• Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
• Regional Agricultural Research Institutions (RARIs)
• CGIAR centers (ICARDA, CIMMYT, ILRI…)
• Projects (FSRP, AGRA, RAISE-FS, USAID, Relief Society of Tigray: REST, Participatory Agriculture and Climate Transformation: PACT/IFAD, Climate Action Through Landscape Management: CALM, Program for Results: PFORR
• Governmental offices.

5. Human Resources

• Researchers: 26
• Admin and support staff: 23

6. Research Sites

• Ofla: 8 ha
• Raya Azebo: 55 ha

Get in touch

@Alamata Agricultural Research Center, Tigray, Ethiopia

Cell phone: +251945853810