06 Jun2025
Project launching workshop in collaboration with Mekelle University (Ethiopia), the Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic) was conducted.
As part of the ADU’s endeavors on research and community services on agriculture and natural resources management across Ethiopia, a new project on the ‘Sustainable Frankincense value chain and forest conservation in Tigray, Ethiopia – a one-year project, and co-leads by Tesfay Gidey, from the Department of Plant Science’ was launched at the workshop conducted at Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Mekelle University in collaboration with Adigrat University and Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic) will implement the project. The project will be funded by the UNDP-Czech Challenge Fund, Czech Republic and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, United Kingdom.
The project aims at improving the awareness of stakeholders on the conservation of frankincense forests in Tigray, and introducing hydrodistillation techniques to the local frankincense cooperatives for the extraction of valued-added products from frankincense resin like essential oil and hydrosol.
Hydrodistillation apparatuses will be given to the local cooperatives, and then properly installed and tested. Packing, labeling and other necessary materials for the extraction of the products will also be provided to the cooperatives. Furthermore, the products will be displayed at local exhibitions, and shared with experts, local traders and exporters through workshops as to raise the awareness of the local buyers and stakeholders on the products.
