AF16060 Sesame Open: Unlocking the potential of organic sesame (BO-46-002-014, BO-27.04-001-018)

 

For further development of this organic sesame value chain additional knowledge and innovations are required for three interrelated topics in this value chain:

 

- Growth: Optimization of organic sesame production by application of best agricultural practises, including seed selection (genotyping), innovative mechanisation for sowing and harvesting, soil fertility management, pest and disease prevention and control for organic production, and post-harvest handling and processing.

- Chain integration: Enhanced farmer company relations, including entrepreneurial capacity development of cooperatives and the design and establishment of innovative monitoring systems at farm level and a tracking and traceability with certification and quality control for the Ethiopian sesame chain.

- Added value generation: Development of new value adding propositions, for diversification of processed sesame products and markets and also from field crop residues and waste and side streams of processing. Plant material or seed waste, also after oil extraction, can be used for new food ingredients or biobased materials.

The result of this project will be (i) the building up of a knowledge base and implementation of innovations for the development of efficient and social organic production and marketing systems in Ethiopia and (ii) creating more products of higher value for the national and international market.

This will bring economic benefits to producers of sesame seeds and other stakeholders in the chain, scientific benefits for developing new innovations and best practices for organic production and trade, and societal benefits like cash availability for small holders, organic production, new jobs, and best quality product for consumers.