Ethiopia is more than a land of ancient history; it's a living library of indigenous knowledge waiting to be unlocked. Professor Afework Kassu, the Director General of the Armauer Hansen Research Institute, explains that this inherited wisdom, passed down through generations, holds the key to modern-day solutions.
He distinguishes between knowledge, technology, and invention, explaining that ancient knowledge becomes technology when put into practice, and an invention when improved upon and implemented.
Before modern medicine, traditional healing was the norm in Ethiopia, a practice Professor Afework says holds a wealth of beneficial knowledge. He cites the Koso plant (Hagenia abyssinica) as a prime example. The ground flower of this high-altitude plant has been used for generations to treat tapeworms, a fact confirmed by the late Professor Aklilu Lemma, whose research on the plant was published in an international journal. Professor Afework also mentioned Dengtegna (Habenaria abyssinica), a plant with natural pest control properties.
He argues that if more studies had been conducted on this indigenous knowledge, some of the medicines we now import might have been developed by Ethiopian scholars.
While acknowledging the gap in integrating traditional knowledge with modern science, Professor Afework points to past and ongoing efforts. He recalls that about 70 years ago, the government, through what is now the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, formally recognized and supported traditional medicine research.
Today, the Armauer Hansen Research Institute is taking action. It has created a special garden where it cultivates and studies about 200 indigenous plants. Additionally, a summer program called "I Share My Profession; I Produce a Generation of Researchers" teaches young people about indigenous knowledge and the scholars who came before them.
Ultimately, Professor Afework believes that with continued efforts to overcome existing challenges, this ancient knowledge can be transformed into tangible products that benefit the public. The goal, he says, is to ensure Ethiopia's past wisdom contributes to its future.
