April 2, 2023
Interview with Mr. Tsegay Berhane, Head of
Eritrea’s National Agricultural Research Institute(NARI)
A Journey and History of 100+ Years in Brief
The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is one of the major bodies of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) of the State of Eritrea. The establishment and operation of a strong agricultural research services was given high priority following Eritrea’s independence in 1991, and a lot of investments were made to establish research stations operating in all agro-ecological zones. Following is an interview with Mr. Tsegay Berhane, Head of NARI, which focuses on the history and achievements and challenges of the institute since its establishment.
Let’s start with a brief history of agricultural research activities in Eritrea. Records reveal that agricultural research in Eritrea began during the Italian period. In 1910, research stations of coffee, citrus, palm and eucalyptus trees were established in Filfil, Fagena, Keren and Adi-Wegri. Later, in 1920s, cotton, in the Western lowlands; and wheat…
