INDIGENEOUS  KNOWLEDGE OF CACTUS PEAR PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION SYSTEMS IN TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA - T. Alemseged

Cactus Production and Processing Initiative (CPPI) Tigray, Ethiopia

Cactus pear is not native to the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The Spanish introduced it some 150 years ago. As the environment has changed over time, the cactus pear has been the clear survivor. Today, cactus pear thrives across the region and in some cases threatens to displace the native vegetation. Cactus pear is an important resource for food security, fodder and conservation in Tigray and it has already started to receive programme support. A cactus pear based production and processing initiative was launched after an international workshop in the regional capital, Mekelle, during January 2004.  Cactus pear covers an area of 300,000 hectares throughout Tigray, 55% of which is man-planted. Total production of the fruit amounts to 2.7 million tons annually. Most of this fruit gets consumed at the farm level and only 3.37% reaches the market. Higher marketable surplus could be achieved with active market promotion, especially in processed form. It must be emphasized that the fruit plays an important role in food security in the critical three months (July, August and September) when food supplies in Tigray are low. During the fruiting season (June - August) cactus pear contributes 55-58% of the total per capita kilocalorie intake of the eastern Tigray inhabitants. During the great Ethiopian famine of 1983 farmering communities in some villages of northern Ethiopia were forced to consume cactus cladodes without any prior training and knowledge in terms of processing. The knowledge management and institutional support component of cactus pear based processes and sub-projects play a pivotal role to be able to develop and manage the broad potential of cactus in a controlled way. This, in turn, contributes to wealth creation, peace, food security and natural rehabilitation in the region.