New crop plants

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Several important crop plants have their origin in Ethiopia, among them coffee and several grain species. However, there are also several plants that may have a potential as food, spice or medicine, but are yet to be known outside the local usage.

Solomon Eyob Ferenje's thesis, with the title “Potential of Korarima (Aframomum corrorima) as a crop plant in Southern Ethiopia”, is dealing with such a promising plant species.

Important spice.
Korarima is an important spice and medicinal plant in large areas of Ethiopia, but little known outside the country. It is a shade plant that grows wild in moist and open woodlands, in the same climate areas as wild coffee, but may also be planted and cultivated.

Korarima fruit

Korarima is sold in all markets in Ethiopia, and is daily used by most families in rural areas. Korarima is used for adding flavour to local food, to coffee, bread and butter. It is also widely used as a medicinal plant, and is added to food for preserving purposes.

It is primarily the red fruits that are being used, but also other parts of the plant. The taste of korarima is similar to Indian cardamom, and has been used as a substitute for this.

Korarima under tree shade Photo: Solomon Eyob

Solomon Eyob Ferenje has studied the plant korarima, which has its origin in Ethiopia – perhaps the world's most important origin area for new crop plants. Photo: Even Bratberg

Knowledge
There is still little knowledge about this plant, about production methods, varieties, genetic diversity, chemical components, etc. These are items Solomon Eyob Ferenje has studied in his Ph.D. To evaluate and document the use of the plant in folk medicine has been of great importance, in addition to investigate a possible fungus retardant effect. It has also been vital to find more background information about this plant, as a platform for further research and development.

Solomon Eyob Ferenje (40) is from Ethiopia He received his master's degree in horticulture at the Bangalore University, India in 1999 and has since been a researcher and lecturer in horticulture at the Hawassa University in Ethiopia. He started his Ph.D. study at UMB (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) in 2005 with financial support from The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen). After completing his Ph.D., Solomon Eyob Ferenje will continue his important work, research and teaching in Ethiopia. Main supervisor for the doctorate has been Dr. Maigull Appelgren, UMB (Norwegian University of Life Sciences).

Published: 16.04.09
Updated: 28.04.09
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Additional information

Solomon Eyob Ferenje – PhD-grade -

Title of the thesis:

Potential of Korarima (Aframomum corrorima (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen) as a crop plant in Southern Ethiopia

Prescribed subject of the trial lecture:
The role of indigenous spices in the cropping systems of East Africa

Time and place:

Supervisors:
Maigull Appelgren, Ass. Prof., UMB, Ås;
Grete Skrede, senior scientist, Nofima Food, Ås;
Jens Rohloff, Ass. Prof., NTNU, Trondheim;
Admasu Tsegaye, Ass. Prof., Hawassa University, Awassa, Ethiopia

Evaluation committee:
Prof. Paul C. Struik, Wageningen Universtity, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Prof. Berit Smestad Paulsen, School of Pharmacy, Oslo University, Oslo, Norway
Prof. Odd Arne Rognli, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway

The doctoral thesis is available for public review at the UMB library, the Tower building.