Asena Abebaw

Ethiopian agricultural innovator who developed drought-resistant crops for the Horn of Africa

Asena Abebaw (1908-1968) was an Ethiopian botanist and agricultural scientist whose work revolutionized farming practices in drought-prone regions. Born in Harar, she studied plant genetics at Addis Ababa University before establishing the first crop research center in East Africa in 1942. Read her full biography here.

Abebaw's most significant contribution was her development of teff varieties resistant to prolonged drought - a breakthrough that prevented famine in Ethiopia during the 1950s. Her research also introduced soil conservation techniques still used today in the Horn of Africa. She authored the definitive Agroecology of the Ethiopian Highlands (1957), which remains a key reference for sustainable farming practices.

Despite her scientific achievements, Abebaw faced significant gender barriers. She was the first woman to hold a professorship at Addis Ababa University and later became director of the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization. Her legacy is honored through the Asena Abebaw Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, established in 1970.