About Beles Institute

Beles Institute is concerned primarily with cactus and other peculiar commodities like honey and barley. The institute mobilizes research and development in value addition to the opuntia species’ product, in improving the management and storing technologies of cactus, in increasing the market access to the cactus products, in minimizing the biological pests of cactus and in contributing to the genetic diversity of cactus.

In general, the institution has an important role in brightening the future for Cactus and sustaining its products. This will not be done by the institution alone. Instead, it needs an organized effort of all stakeholders.

So, bringing key stakeholders together is one mandate of the institute..

Mission:

-To see the best cactus institute which improves the socio-economic and environmental contribution of cactus internationally by 2020

Vision:

-Making cactus one of the best-contributing plants in poverty reduction and environmental sustainability of the country through improvement and genetic conservation.

Motto:

-Modernize and enhance the productivity and benefit of cactus for food, feed, and environmental conservation

Strategic Initiatives:

Adigrat University is established in areas where drought is a natural and normal attribute. Drought in this area and surroundings is considered a preliminary factor in reducing agricultural production and keeping the community with subsistent agricultural production.

This increased vulnerability to drought made the community dependent on cactus and cactus products for food and feed, especially during spring and summer. The surroundings of Adigrat, specifically Gulemekeda and Erob, are areas where opuntia-ficus-indica was initially introduced to Ethiopia in consideration of drought alleviation.

Due to these reasons and others cactus is the cultural food and feed of communities in the Eastern zone of Tigray where Adigrat is found. This is why most of the cactus’s products (more than 80%) of Tigray are from this area.

Establishing an institute of cactus/በለስ in areas where opuntia species’ products become the backbone of the community could therefore be an opportunity for the community and the institute..

Strategic Objectives:

  • Establishing a database and inventory of cactus Reducing genetic erosion through establishing in situ and ex
  • situ conservations Enhancing availability and uses of genetic diversity of cactus Identification and management pest of cactus Usage diversification and intensification of cactus product Improving the post
  • harvest handling and processing techniques Availing and improving market access for cactus product Publishing and organizing different research results of cactus provide proper agronomic practices for cactus production improving the chemical composition and nutritional value of cactus Improving and sustaining environmental protection and rehabilitation role of cactus
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