Institute to Open First Ever Micro-algae Production Lab

By Mekonnen Teshome

Photo - Addis Fortune

Addis Ababa (November 3, 2020)– The Ethiopian Biotechnology Institute is to open the county’s first ever microalgae seeds producing laboratory Thursday, November 5, 2020.

The laboratory built with the support of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology is set to produce the by-product for the production of food supplements so as to fight malnutrition among children in the country.

The containerized laboratory which will be run by the Institute was built with over US$227m, is also expected to produce up to 100lt of inocula at a time to feed algae ponds, which has a capacity of producing 200tn of dry spirulina annually as ingredient to produce blue-green algae.

This will enable the country improve nutrition among children under five to and curb chronic malnutrition, stunting and underweight.

The idea of building the microalgae laboratory was envisaged by prominent scholars and researchers at Addis Abeba University.

The laboratory that may also be used as an isolation, training and quality control center, has also contributed its share in testing COVID-19 so sfar.

Micro-algae are used to provide nourishment to humans and animals. They prevent stunted growth which is a largely irreversible result of chronic under-nutrition that leads to weaker immune systems and diminished cognitive capacity.

Replicating of the microalgae seeds, the Institute is planning play import substitution role as the country would have a potential source of genetic microalgae and to produce child formula here in Ethiopia.

Replicating micro-algae seeds and involving the private sector, the Institute will work to penetrate the export market as the country has a great potential source of genetic algae.

Internationally, Unilever and biotech start-up Algenuity have partnered to delve into the huge potential microalgae bring in innovating future foods for Unilever’s plant-based portfolio.