Biotechnology, use of various biological processes to make products and perform services, has been frequently referred to as the technology of the 21st century along with Information Technology. For the reason that biotechnology allows the utilization of the Earths biodiversity for the economic benefit of the society, biotechnology becomes an essential tool for the social and economic development of any country.
Recently, the government of Ethiopia identified biotechnology as one important technology to derive the countries development in the agricultural, industrial, environmental and health sectors. Due to its diverse agro-ecological conditions, Ethiopia harbors huge biodiversity (plant, animal, and microbial) that has enormous potential for the production of goods and services thru the application of biotechnology. This is expected to have huge potential to make the country competitive in the global bio-economy. Taking this into account, Bahir Dar University has established a Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) to contribute its share in the area of biotechnology research and development of the country.