Shewarobit Fruit and Vegetable Research and Extension Center

Shewarobit Fruit and Vegetable Research and Extension Center was established by Debre Berhan University is dedicated to specific research areas including fruit and vegetable crops, lowland field crops, fisheries development, sericulture technology, and bio-waste management. These areas are not covered by other university initiatives. This center plays a crucial role in helping the university advances its mission to promote science and technology solutions for societal challenges while encouraging sustainable economic growth.  Situated on an 8-hectare land granted by Shewarobit town in 2012, the Center is part of the university's Integrated Agricultural Development Project designed to enhance local farming practices. The Shewa Robit area, with its favorable agro-ecology, represents significant untapped potential for diverse crop cultivation, yet has traditionally focused on a limited range of varieties. The Center aims to overcome these limitations by fostering innovative agricultural practices, improving fisheries production systems, and moving beyond extensive, low-yield traditional methods. Through this initiative, Debre Berhan University aspires to empower local farmers with adaptable technologies and research-driven solutions to bolster productivity and support national development goals.

Core Objectives

§  Input & Technology Distribution: Utilizing favorable site conditions to provide farmers with improved fruit seedlings, natural fertilizers, and fish fingerlings to increase productivity.

§  Nutritional Security: Reducing malnutrition by providing the local community with agricultural technologies that help meet food and nutritional requirements.

§  Agricultural Diversification: Transforming the existing agricultural landscape from a predominant monoculture system to a diversified production model by implementing integrated practices.

§  Applied Education & Entrepreneurship: Aligning with Debre Berhan University's designation as a University of Applied Sciences to produce highly skilled and entrepreneurial graduates with hands-on practical experience.

§  Sustainable Bio-Waste Management: Tackling the growing challenge of urban organic wastes by implementing sustainable bioconversion technology that converts organic waste into valuable agricultural inputs.

Center Focus Areas

To strengthen regional agricultural development and contribute to sustainable food security, the Shewarobit Integrated Agricultural Research Center concentrates its efforts on the following priority areas:

§  Fruit and vegetable crops- Development and promotion of high-yielding horticultural varieties suited to the Shewa Robit agro-ecology.

§  Lowland field crops -Research and scaling of resilient field crop varieties to improve staple food security and drought adaptation.

§  Fisheries Development- Expansion of aquaculture systems, fingerling production, and community training in sustainable fish farming.

§  Sericulture Technology- Promotion of silk production and silkworm rearing as an alternative income-generating micro-enterprise.

§  Bio-Waste Management- Research and application of bioconversion technologies to transform municipal and agricultural organic waste into bio-fertilizers.