State of EIAR Laboratories
State of EIAR Laboratories
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research [Brief to DOW chemicals TEAM]
August 13, 2014
Solomon Abate Director, Quality [ANRL]
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
EIAR is a Federal Agricultural Research
organization having responsibility of
conducting agricultural research
(adaptation or generation), involving
in the pre scaling up activities of
agricultural technologies , providing
technical skill development on the use
of agricultural technologies so as to
improve the livelihood of the
agricultural community
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
• Main focus of the research includes:
1. Crop research (Cereals, pulses, oil crops, fibers, horticulture, coffee, tea, spices, aromatic, medicinal plants, biofuel)
2. Livestock research (Dairy, small ruminant, apiculture, sericulture, Forage crops)
3. Land and Water Management research (Integrated Nutrient Management, Water harvesting and Irrigation, Watershed Management)
4. Agricultural Mechanization
5. Agricultural Economics, Extension and Gender
6. Pastoral and Agropastoral Research
7. Agricultural Quality and Nutrition research
• EIAR has 17 research centers in various agroecological regions of the country
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
• Outputs of the institute includes:
~ 1000 various technologies (together with other collaborating organizations)
Thousands of information on the use of agricultural technologies
• Previously, the, main focuses of the institute was improving productivity of agricultural technologies, with minor focus to the quality
• Currently EIAR is moving from Productivity to Quality • So that nutritional composition of agricultural technologies
is given high focus
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
• Laboratories become the central point of QUALITY
• Upgrading and enhancing of laboratories and their outputs
given high attention
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
1. Jimma Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for coffee research
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
b) Plant pathology lab (microbiology lab)
c) Coffee Quality Lab
d) Plant physiology Lab
e) Plant biotechnology Lab
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
2. Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for wheat research
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
b) Plant pathology lab (microbiology lab)
c) Seed Quality Lab
d) Plant biotechnology Lab (Under construction)
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
3. Melkassa Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for horticulture research
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
b) Plant pathology lab (microbiology lab)
c) Food Science Lab
d) Seed Quality Lab (under construction)
e) Plant tissue culture Lab
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
4. Pawe Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for Soybean research
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
b) Plant pathology lab (microbiology lab)
c) Seed Quality Lab
5. Sebeta Fishery Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for fish research
a) Water quality and fish (….) lab
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
6. Werer Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for Cotton research
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
b) Plant pathology lab (microbiology lab)
c) Cotton Quality Lab
d) Plant physiology Lab
e) Animal health Lab (small)
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
7. Wondogenet Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for Natural products research
a) Natural products Lab
b) Plant protection lab (small)
8. Ambo Plant Protection Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for plant protection research
a) Bacteriology lab
b) Mycology lab
c) Virology lab
d) Weed science lab
e) Nematology Lab
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
9. Assosa Agricultural Research Center
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
10. Debrezeit Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for tef + poultry research
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
b) Crop pathology lab
c) Entomology lab
d) Animal nutrition lab
e) Animal health lab
f) Plant tissue culture lab
g) Seed quality Lab (Under construction)
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Status of EIAR Laboratories:
11. Holleta Agricultural Research Center
Center of excellence (coordination center) for dairy research
a) Soil, plant and water analysis lab (Chemistry lab)
b) Dairy lab
c) Crop pathology lab
d) Food science lab
e) Oil quality lab
f) Animal nutrition lab
g) Animal health lab (Small)
h) Plant biotechnology lab
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Accreditation • Laboratories prioritized [eight labs selected for
accreditation] [Now 11 laboratories are under the process]
• Renovation on progress allocating ~ 250,000 USD • Calibration of Equipments made • Restructuring of laboratories into a unified system
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
• Lab heads and QMRs appointed • Employment of researchers in the lab –dedicated
researchers- (From 5 researchers to 60 researchers) • Now one laboratory applied for accreditation [HQ lab]
• GLP applied • Stock management via software • Access controlled • Expansion is being made to include other analysis capacity
• Four other laboratories are ready for application [2 weeks for application]
• Six laboratories are under renovation • Others are under preparation
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Why Accreditation in Research Labs? • It boosts laboratory activities in such a way that the research
outputs become more quality oriented • Huge amount of money which have been spent to laboratory
analysis will be saved • Knowledge and innovation will be enhanced • In house capacity will be developed at greater level • Customers (internal and external) will receive valid laboratory
results, and will be confident on the system • Personnel who are working in the laboratories will have better
working environment, recognition and competent research outputs
• Technologies which will be adapted/ generated in the research system will include QUALITY parameters in their procedure