Ethiopia: Tigray's Old Grapevines Have Survived Against the Odds - New Research Uncovers Their Genetic and Historic Value

What the report says

AllAfrica republished a Conversation Africa analysis on 21 July 2026 describing new interdisciplinary research into old grapevines in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The authors — geographers, agronomists and archaeologists from institutions including Ghent University and Mekelle University — examined whether vines still grown in household compounds, village gardens and church grounds could be linked to grape cultivation known from the ancient Aksumite kingdom.

According to the report, the team combined field surveys, farmer interviews, DNA analysis and grape-seed morphology across four highland areas covering 1,269 square kilometres. They documented 41 vines and estimated that the wider region may contain about 1,000 to 1,500 mature plants. One vine from Rubaksa, in the Tembien mountains, had a DNA profile not matched in the international reference databases used, but showed affinities with Mediterranean and Caucasus varieties. A vine later found in Aksum reportedly shared the same DNA profile.

The researchers proposed the name Rubaksum Tsellim for what they describe as a distinct local landrace, combining references to Rubaksa, Aksum and the Tigrinya word for dark or black. They suggest the vines may partly descend from introductions during the Aksumite era, linked to Red Sea and Mediterranean trade, while also reflecting later influence from varieties introduced in Eritrea in the early 20th century.

The report says the vines are important as both cultural heritage and potential genetic resources for dryland farming. The authors warned that conflict, including the recent Tigray War, has disrupted rural livelihoods and left some vines abandoned or dead, making conservation and propagation through cuttings urgent.