Bishoftu, Ethiopia – Teff may be an emerging superfood in the global arena – but this Ethiopian cereal crop may not be ‘super’ enough to withstand the consequences of climate change: less rain and strong winds. Teff, a grass-like plant with tiny seeds, is the staple food for over 60 million people in Ethiopia and is the basis of traditional Ethiopian cuisine. Plant breeders at the Debre Zeit Agriculture Research Centre, an hour southeast of Addis Ababa, are turning to nuclear technology for help. In Ethiopia, teff is of utmost importance: it is grown on over 3 million hectares of land by 6 million smallholder farmers. Smaller seeds require much higher doses of radiation to create changes in their DNA.

Source: Ethiopian News November 05, 2019 13:18 UTC