Segenet Kelemu

Ethiopian molecular plant pathologist revolutionizing African agriculture

Dr. Segenet Kelemu (b.1957) transformed tropical agriculture through her groundbreaking research on endophytic fungi in African crops. As the first woman from Ethiopia to earn a PhD in plant pathology, she developed biocontrol methods using native microorganisms that boost yields without chemical inputs.

Her team at ICIPE discovered fungal strains that protect Brachiaria grass against drought and pests, crucial for climate-resilient livestock farming. This innovation benefits over 2 million smallholder farmers across 12 countries. Dr. Kelemu also pioneered DNA barcoding of African crops, creating open-access databases used by 47 research institutions.

As director general of ICIPE, she established the African Women in Science program, mentoring 1,200 female researchers. Her 2015 L'Oréal-UNESCO Award recognized both scientific breakthroughs and leadership in decolonizing agricultural research through South-South knowledge exchanges.