Part of ICGEB’s B-INOC Africa project, BioBoost is an initiative launched in Ethiopia to develop and scale up starter cultures for the production of dairy products and traditional staple foods.
On 12 December, 2024, the Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural Research (EIAR) hosted the launch of the ICGEB project entitled Bioboost – “Bioinoculant Technology Solutions for Sustainable Bioeconomy in Ethiopia” that aims at developing and scaling up local starter cultures for the production of dairy products and traditional staple foods (Kocho flour – from the Enset plant).
EIAR Director-General, Prof. Nigussie Dechassa, and Deputy DG, Dr. Diriba Geleti, welcomed the attendees, amongst whom were project partner scientists from EIAR and the Bio and Emerging Technology Institute (BETin), ICGEB Scientific Coordinator, Dr. Emanuele Buratti, and Head of Fundraising, Technology Transfer and Innovation, Ms. Elena Benedetti, and from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Ethiopia, Deputy Director Ms. Alessandra Attisani, and Training and job creation expert, Ms. Laura Pala.
Highlights of the new Ethiopian Biotechnology strategy were presented by Prof. Kassahun Tesfaye, Director-General of BETin and Vice-President of the ICGEB Board of Governors, Governor and Liaison Officer for Ethiopia.
Dr. Buratti outlined ICGEB’s activities on the African Continent and the close cooperation with Ethiopia, and discussions also focused on the agricultural biotech activities underway with the National Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center (Nabrc). Potential market opportunities for starter cultures in Ethiopia, which are currently supplied by foreign companies, were also highlighted.
Additional partners in the initiative are the industrial branch of Arba Minch University (Arba Minch Agricultural Support Service PLC), and the Sebeta Agro Industries PLC dairy company.
Bioboost is part of a three-year ICGEB project to accelerate technology transfer to develop microbial bio-inoculant products for the agricultural and food sectors, suitable to the context of African countries. Known as “B-INOC“, the project has received funding of 2 million euro from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Bringing strategic projects from the laboratory to production scale and innovative projects to accelerate laboratory concepts to pilot scale, B-INOC Africa promotes entrepreneurship, international collaborations, and the creation of new bottom-up initiatives.
Back (L-R): Dr. Dejene Girma, Ms. Alessandra Attisani, Ms. Elena Benedetti, Mr. Mulugeta Yimer, Dr. Fantahun Woldesenbet, Prof. Kassahun Tesfaye, Prof. Addisu Fekadu
