Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural

Research

Agriculture and Nutritional Research Laboratories Directorate

Nutrition and Agricultural Products Protocol Synthesis Case Team

Research Thematic Areas

Prepared by:

Bilatu Agza

Dereje Fikadu

Alganesh Tola

Abrar Saleh

Bizuayehu Gutema

Yohannes Nigusu

January, 2015

Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research

Agriculture and Nutritional Research Laboratories Directorate

Nutrition and Agricultural Products Protocol Synthesis Case Team

Research Thematic Areas

Introduction

Research thematic area setting is a vital activity to identify research project/activity that address

critical problems and are attractive to those who fund and support research. The objective of

research thematic and priority setting is to rank research areas that could most likely respond and

contribute to national objectives. It is especially important where resources are limited and must

be used as efficiently as possible to solve high priority problems. The urgency of the problem

and the anticipated research output to reach the community suggests the importance of research

agenda prioritization.

Agriculture and Nutritional Research Laboratories Directorate (ANRLD), with a wide

researchable commodities and a significant proportion of relatively inexperienced researchers,

require careful prioritization of research areas. Though any value addition research works on

agricultural and natural product concerns ANRLD, the directorate gives a priority to crop and

livestock products which have more role in enhancing food security and improving nutritional

status of the community with the following major categories.

Thematic area 1. Indigenous foods characterization

Theme Description

Indigenous foods play a significant role in food security in Ethiopia. These foods have been

consumed locally for many generations. The methods for preparation of these local specialties

have been passed down from generation to generation and have become part of the fabric of life

in all part of the country. Traditional food products are often the fruit of agricultural practices

that preserve and enhance rural environments. There is also an increase in demand for these

foods. In most cases, they are not formally documented recipes, but are often associated with

positive health benefits and always with local history. It requires improvement of their

competitiveness by characterizing them nutritionally and identifying innovations that guarantee

the safety of the products, while at the same time meeting general consumer demands and

specific consumer expectations and attitudes towards traditional food.

Objectives

To characterize traditional foods, beverages, snacks and orphans

To increase utilization of traditional foods, beverages, snacks and orphans

To make local foods more sustainable and available to a wider market

To modernize all aspects of traditional foods, whilst ensuring that their products remain

safe and of the highest quality

Components

Staple and occasional foods

Traditional beverages

Traditional snacks

Orphan (wild) fruits, vegetables, herbs

Thematic area 2. Alternative food product development and innovation

Theme Description

The unavailability and high cost of nutritious food is the main causes of protein-energy

malnutrition in Ethiopia. Most of the dietary food in the country is supplied by cereals that are

relatively poor sources of protein. Moreover, the high cost of fortified nutritious proprietary

complementary foods is always beyond the reach of most Ethiopian families; hence many

depend on inadequately processed traditional foods consisting mainly of low quality cereal such

as maize, sorghum and millet. Therefore, developing nutrient-dense, safe, affordable and

accessible food products from locally produced ingredients is a viable and sustainable approach

to address the problem of malnutrition. This theme focuses on activities related to crop and

livestock products, with a specific emphasis on value addition and alternative food product

development.

Objectives

To develop low cost quality food product which is more accessible and affordable to

consumers

To nutritionally enrich low quality grains using protein and vitamin rich sources

To increase utilization of legumes like soybean, cowpea and micronutrient rich beans

To enhance nutritional quality and sensory acceptability of different food products

To develop longer shelf life ingredients and foods with acceptable sensory quality

characteristics capable of withstanding dehydration and thermal processing

Components

Food formulations and fortifications

Value addition : sensorial, nutritional

Thematic area 3. Food processing technologies

Theme Description

Product and process improvement will enable the food processing to remain profitable and

competitive. Food processing technologies have identified areas such as reduced processing

times, enhanced process yields, improved food safety/stability and increased product quality, as

improving the competitiveness and supporting the delivery of premium quality innovative

consumer products. Processing technology focuses on formulating and knowing how to

formulate processed products. Processing is relevant to food technology, biotechnology,

chemical technology and agricultural technologies. Product preservation, packaging and storage

focuses on the ways in which products can be treated during and after their development in order

to maintain their consistency over time by inhibiting internal degradation and/or protecting them

from external damage. Development of food processing technologies that matches with this

evolving system is limited. Therefore, generation of appropriate food processing technologies

that fits to a definite production scale is highly demanding. The aim of this project is generation

of applicable of simple and attainable appropriate food processing technologies in the country.

Objectives:

To study processing effects on different food parameters

To develop better processing techniques in terms of nutrient, time, cost and other food

parameters

To investigate the changes in sensory and nutritional characteristics during food

processing

To develop the scientific knowledge of the complex interactions of processing

technology with ingredients, storage and transport conditions.

To identify and develop best preservation method for different products

To develop best postharvest handling and loss redaction techniques

To investigate advanced packaging techniques for locally prepared food products

Components

Processing techniques

Preservation and packaging

Processing method comparisons and modifications

Processing effect on nutrient retention and anti-nutritional factors

Postharvest handling, postharvest loss reduction and knowledge gap assessment

techniques

Thematic area 4. Food processing techniques and product popularization

Theme Description

Each region/tribe in Ethiopia has its own practices, beliefs and attitudes relating to foods. Some

foods, processing methods, handlings and preservation practices are common in some areas

while not known in other part of the country. The methods for preparation of local specialties

and some noble practices have been passed down from generation to generation and have

become part of the fabric only for a specific area. On the other hand, improved food technologies

in terms of nutritional content, shelf life and safety, are not commercialized and are not

commonly available in many Ethiopian food basket. Various crop and livestock products are

underutilized in the country. Therefore, devising demonstration and popularization technique is a

priority area which might influence food security positively.

Objectives:

To popularize available and suitable food technologies to increase food production and

utilization

To identify and demonstrate best practice, accustomed in a specific area, to a wider

utilization

To demonstrate different crop and livestock products

Components

Processing, preservation and handling practices adoption and/or popularization

Product adoption and/or popularization

Activity format:

1) Activity title

2) Background and justification

3) Objective(s)

4) Materials and methods

5) Work plan

6) Duration

7) Expected out puts

8) Person(s) responsible

9) Budget

10) References