Shire Maitsebri agricultural research center (SMARC) is one of the 11 Agro ecology and Commodity based research centers under Tigray agricultural research institute (TARI) established in 2002. The center is located at shire (capital city of the north western zone of Tigray). It covers about six weredas (districts) namely: Tselemti, Asgede-Tsmbla, Tahtay koraro, laelay adiabo, medebay zana and Tahtay Adiabo. Within its research mandate areas the pillar crops grown under rain fed include sorghum, maize, finger millet, teff, sesame, rice, faba bean, field bean and chickpea. The area is also suitable for production of horticultural crops like tomato, onion, pepper, mango, banana, cassava, guava, avocado etc. There is also rhuge potential of natural resource such as Boswellia papyrifera, acacia Senegal, different species of bamboo tree and other economically important forests. In addition, the area is well known for the unexplored potential for livestock particularly for begait cattle and begait sheep.

The center is mandate to perform:

• Technology generation and adaptation
• Sources technology multiplication
• Technology promotion and commercialization
• Research coordination
• Consultancy and advisory services

2. Man power permanent workers

3. Research Disciplines/core-processes

   3.1. Crop Research

The crop research core-process is organized under ----case teams; namely

• Cereal improvement (sorghum, maize, Tef and finger millet)
• Pulse improvement (Chick pea, sea bean and sesame)
• Horticulture improvement (Root crops, vegetable crops and fruit crops)
• Crop protection (agricultural entomology and weed science)
• Seed technology (Early generation seed multiplication with good quality and health production)

   3.2. Livestock Research/Animal health improvement research

The livestock research core-process is organized under ----case teams; namely

• Animal breeding (poultry, cattle and small ruminants)
  • Animal nutrition (poultry, cattle and small ruminants)
• Animal health (poultry, cattle and small ruminants)

    3.4. Natural Resource Research

The livestock research core-process is organized under ----case teams; namely

• Forestry and agroforestry research
• Irrigation engineering and water resources management research
• Soil and water conservation and watershed development research

   3.4. Socio Economic and Extension core process

The socioeconomic and extension research core-process has two case teams

• Socio Economic-focused on undertaking different studies
• Research Extension- focused on farmers’ awareness raising, technology demonstration and promotion

4. Achievements

   4.1. Crop research achievement

• Crop variety released:

• Registration and releasing of new varieties from different potential commodities of the area in the national level accelerated.
• Releasing of improved crop varieties (Rice (May Tsebri-1, 2 & 3) and Finger millet (Tekeze-1))

• Seed maintenance

• Maize: Main season (Gibe-3) Off season (M-6Q),
• Tomato (Melka Salsa, Galelima, Melka shola and Roma BF),
• Pepper (Landraces and improved (Mareko fana),

• Seed multiplication of varieties with high yield and diseases resistant (finger milt, sorghum, maize, tomato and pepper)
• Developed crop varieties that are resistant to various diseases, pests, and environmental stresses, reducing crop losses and the need for harmful pesticides.
• Developing crops that can better withstand abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, which are becoming more prevalent due to climate change.
• Contributed to the development of sustainable farming practices, such as conservation tillage, cover cropping, and integrated pest management, which can reduce environmental impact and improve soil health.
• Advancements in post-harvest technology, such as storage, processing, and preservation techniques, have helped reduce crop losses and improve food quality and safety.

   4.2. Livestock Research achievements

• Introduced various forage types such as Pigeon pea, Sesbania, Cow pea, Lablab, Alfalfa, Bracharia grass, and local grasses suitable for different areas of northwestern Tigrai.
• Pigeon pea variety called “Maitsebri-Bako” was evaluated and registered at national level
• Sesbania Machrantha variety called “Maitsebri” was evaluated and registered at national level
• Introduced selected sheep, goat and chicken breeds to smallholder farmers
• Improved and efficient feeď and feeding technologies and techniques such as urea treatment, silage making and feed trough demonstrated
• Provided training and technical advice on improved livestock production system to smallholder and commercial farmers
• On station maintenance and multiplication of selected cattle breeds for further dissemination to smallholder farmers

   4.3. Natural resources achievement

• Identified effective propagation technique of Boswellia papyrifera through cutting techniques.
• Conducted adaptation trials of lowland bamboo to assess its potential for income diversification across different agro ecological regions.
• Identified and documented wild and semi-wild indigenous edible trees and shrubs.
•  Performed laboratory-based nutritional analysis of the identified wild and semi-wild edible plant species.
•  Established an arboretum and included a diverse range of tree and shrub species.
• Demonstrated and promoted the use of the Moringa oleifera tree as a food source for humans.
• Assessed the composition and diversity of the Waldiba natural forest.
• Performance evaluation of alternate, fixed, and conventional furrow irrigation systems for pepper and tomato production.
• Demonstration of an alternative furrow irrigation system for onion production.
• Coupling of nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation water levels for onion and tomato production.
• Evaluation of the effect of water stress at different stages of tomato growth.
• Estimation of crop water requirements and scheduling of irrigation time for major vegetables.
• Evaluation of the effect of family drip irrigation head and lateral spacing on tomato yield and water use efficiency.
• Evaluation of irrigation depth and nitrogen fertilizer rate on tomato yield and water use efficiency.
• Assessment of the effect of an alternative furrow irrigation system on maize yield and water use efficiency.
• Evaluation of different grasses at hillside and cultivated lands for soil and water conservation measures and animal forage.
• Evaluation of Conservation Farming Practices for Improving Sorghum Yield.
• Evaluation of different tillage practices for improving sorghum yield and runoff.

   4.4. Socio-economic and extension research achievement

• Promotion and Dissemination of improved crop varieties

• Sorghum: Melkam, Dekeba and Birhan
• Maize: hybrid (BH-546), M-6 and M-2 and Gibie-3
• Teff: Quinch and Kora
• Chickpea: Habru, Natoli and Dimtu
• Sesame: Humera-1 and Setit-1
• Soya bean: Gizo and Awassa-95
• Rice: Mai-tsebri-1, Mai-tsebri-2 and Mai-tsebri-3
• Finger Millet: Tekeze-1

• Promotion and Dissemination of livestock technologies

• Poultry: Koekoek breed and management practices
• Improved feed trough
• Feed: Mai-tsebri-Bako Pogion pea variety

• Promotion and Dissemination of Natural Resource technologies

• Alternative furrow irrigation system
• Moringa tree

• Dairy and its products study in Northwestern and Western zones of Tigray
• Rice production and marketing value chain in Northwestern zone of Tigray
• Rice variety Adoption rate in Northwestern zone of Tigray
• Study on the Perception level of farmers ion the Exogenous poultry breed in Northwestern zone of Tigray
• Participatory gender role analysis in sorghum production: a case study at Tahtay Adyabo district, Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia
• Participatory Agricultural Production Constraints and opportunities Analyses in Northwestern zone of Tigray
• Participatory Agricultural Production Constraints and opportunities Analyses in FSRP Districts of Northwestern zone of Tigray
• Participatory Urban Agriculture Production Practices, Constraints and opportunities Analyses in Shire town,  Northwestern zone of Tigray
• Study on the Impact of Rice production on the Socio-economic conditions of the farming households in Northwestern zone of Tigray
• Study on Adoption status of  Major Agricultural Technologies in Tigray Region

5. Partnership

Shire Maitsebri Agricultural Research Center has established collaboration with different partners and stakeholders organizations of governmental and non-governmental; local and international such as:

• Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) funded by World Bank's
• Food and Agriculture organization (FAO),
• Agricultural transformation institute (ATI)
• CALM PFORR (Climate Action Through Landscape Management, Program for Results)
• Relief Society of Tigray (REST)
• Woreda Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development (BoARD),
• Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and
• Axum University,
• Shire Agriculture college

Contact address: Shire Maitsebri Agricultural Research Center (SMARC)

Phone:            +251344440549

Fax:                +251344442073

                Shire, Tigray, Ethiopia