FEBIO: link all Ethiopian Biotechnologists at home and abroad

10 October. Bern, Switserland. In 2011 FEBIO was created: Forum for Ethiopian Biotechnologists in order to link all Ethiopian Biotechnologists at home and abroad.

Hereunder is an interview with prof Zerihun Tadele (Group Leader Molecular Breeding & Genomics; Institute of Plant Sciences at the University of Bern.

He is the facilitator of FEBIO: Forum of Ethiopian Biotechnologists which networks Biotech researchers and educators from of 18 institutes, including Ethiopian “Diaspora” researchers based in USA, Kenya, Nigeria, UK, South Africa, Sweden, Germany, India, Switserland. The mission of the forum is to:

• facilitate the platform for experience sharing among Ethiopian biotechnologists.
• organize discussion forums on pertinent topics of biotechnology.

He was interviewed by PAEPARD following the joint meeting was between the European Forum for Agricultural Research (EFARD) and the Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR) at the Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL).

In this first interview prof Zerihun Tadele explains what the Forum of Ethiopian Biotechnologists is doing, how non researchers are involved and how the activities impact on small scale farmers.

In a second interview prof Zerihun Tadele explains how he relates towards his Ethiopian colleagues and with the Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR).

In a third interview prof Zerihun Tadele explains that there is an increased interest for Tef in Europe and why.