The climate in the area around Mendefera (Zoba Debub) is favourable for production of potato, one of the staple crops in Eritrea. Traditional farming results in a poor yield of about one tonne per hectare; with improved seeds, combined with appropriate farming techniques, yields can easily reach up to 4 tonnes per hectare. The tissue culture laboratory at the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is contributing to this result: it cleans seeds so that they are free of pathogens (viruses, bacteria and fungi).