YADAM Foundation Organized a Consultative Workshop on Blue Hub Project Initiative
On August 25, 2025, a consultative workshop organized by YADAM Foundation and Light Ethiopia took place at the Inter-Luxury Hotel in Addis Ababa, bringing together various stakeholders to discuss strategies for enhancing nutrition and economic resilience on the Tekeze Blue Hub Initiative. The meeting commenced with Mr. Tesfaye Melaku, Executive Director of Light Ethiopia, welcoming participants and instilling hope for impactful discussions that could reshape the future of local communities. Dr. Goraw Goshu, Director of the Blue Nile Water Institute at Bahir Dar University, presented the initiative’s objectives, which include sustainable use of blue resources, reducing fish losses, expanding irrigation, improving livestock and beekeeping, restoring ecosystems, and establishing strong governance.
He highlighted the Tekeze basin’s annual fish potential of 968 to 1,270 tons per year and proposed interventions aligned with the Sekota Declaration. Dr. Eshete Dejen, Program Manager at IGAD expressed readiness to collaborate and suggested renaming the initiative to “Blue Food System” to attract potential donors, emphasizing the importance of awareness campaigns on fish consumption.
The ensuing discussions were rich with insights and innovative ideas. Mr. Getachew Melaku underscored the need for awareness to boost fish consumption and highlighted the importance of grassroots implementation. Dr. Fasil Taddese raised concerns about low fish consumption and the lack of women’s representation in the fish value chain, advocating for a new approach to overcome past unsustainable efforts. Mr. Tesfaye Melaku reiterated the necessity of a holistic approach and confirmed Light Ethiopia’s commitment to collaborating with Chinese institutions for training opportunities. Dr. Kassahun Tegegne proposed clustering Universities based on competencies and establishing a communication platform for progress tracking. Dr. Berihu G/Kidan suggested inclusiveness and alignment with national priorities as well as the need to approach development partners. Dr. Wondiye Admasu highlighted the Tekeze Basin’s vulnerability to drought and urged participants to learn from Middle Eastern experiences. Meanwhile, Dr. Abebe Deribie raised questions about discrepancies in fishery data, and Stanley Chitekwe from UNICEF expressed strong support, focusing on malnutrition issues in resource-rich areas and potential partnerships.
In closing, H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, Founder and Board Chairman of the YADAM Foundation, commended participants for their commitment and emphasized the national relevance of the Sekota Declaration. He called for a redefinition of the Blue Economy in Ethiopia and proposed creating a Blue Hub Belt connecting key areas from Tekeze Basin to Rift valley lakes. He also outlined a five-year plan focused on resource mapping, baseline assessments, and alignment with national policies on nutrition and food systems The key actions he suggested for consortium members included mobilizing internal university capacities, sharing outcomes with institutional leadership, assigning focal persons from each university with BDU as the secretariat, and YADAM and light for networking and partner engagement. He concluded by framing the initiative as a historic moment and urged collective action towards its implementation.
