Development and Evaluation of Enset Fermenting Box

Abstract

Enset (Enset ventricosum) is a traditional staple crop or co-staple food serves as food security for >20% Ethiopian population. It is a multipurpose crop used as human food, animal feed, to shade other crops like coffee and used for decoration and it is a drought resistant crop which makes it risk avoidance crop. The major foods obtained from enset are kocho, bulla and amicho. Kocho needs a lengthy period of processing and preparation, which is carried out by women. Enset fiber is used to make sacks, bags, ropes, mats, construction material and sieves. Fresh enset leaves are used as food wrappers, serving plates and for stall feeding of cattle and used for medicines. The objective of the study was to develop and evaluate enset fermenting box in one of enset growing areas of South West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Traditionally, enset fermentation takes place in an earthen pit and on surface. Traditional processing methods causes contamination by flood, dust, rodents and insect, colony infestation, exposed for theft, difficult to manage, takes long period of fermentation.