Ministry calls for stronger public–private collaboration as review of the Bio and Emerging Technology Institute cites gains in crop development, livestock genetics, vaccines and industrial processing
ADDIS ABABA, 6 November 2026 — Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, Frehiwot Tamru, has called for closer collaboration between the public and private sectors to speed up the commercialisation of research. A review at the Bio and Emerging Technology Institute (BETIn) also put forward the case for a National Shared Laboratory open to institutions across the country.
According to the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, the proposed facility would cut duplication and wasted resources. It would also let institutions make better use of each other’s existing capacity through shared access, and strengthen the competitiveness of Ethiopia’s biotechnology sector.
The proposals came during a review of BETIn’s performance over the past five years. In that time, the Ministry said, the institute completed several research initiatives and transferred technologies to end users, contributing to food security, public health and industrial development.
The achievements cited include:
- improved maize and rice varieties
- modern enset-processing technologies
- Spirulina cultivation
- genetic improvement of Boran cattle
- poultry vaccines
- industrial-grade machinery and technologies transferred to youth enterprises, commercial producers and investors
Frehiwot said the research outcomes were already improving citizens’ livelihoods. She called for stronger cooperation between the public and private sectors to turn research results into marketable products, create more jobs and raise quality of life.
The consultative meeting brought together state ministers, senior ministry officials, heads of accountable institutions and BETIn’s executive management. Participants reviewed major research projects, technology transfer initiatives, strategy implementation and institutional capacity, and set priorities for the institute’s next phase.
BETIn Deputy Director General Hailu Dadi presented the institute’s operational performance over the five-year period. He also reported on its results against the first-quarter plan for Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2019, which corresponds to 2026/27 in the Gregorian calendar.
Participants also looked at the institute’s organisational structure, mandate, human and technical resources, project and financial implementation, use of resources and administrative systems.
The Ministry said BETIn has research partnerships with international institutions and is carrying out several externally funded research projects.
Frehiwot and her delegation ended the visit with a tour of the institute’s laboratories, modern facilities and work areas.
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