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I grew up in a village in Ethiopia.
It is a village with no electricity, no running water.
I learned how to be self-sufficient, how to be independent.
I was also fortunate to earn a scholarship
to go to the United States and so I did my PhD in the United States.
And I moved to Latin America
where my research work on Brachiaria began.
I think that the work that
my mum does in science is basically her way of giving back.
Coming from an impoverished background
gives the drive to actually ensure what you do at the end of the day
can save one more person, two more people.
That’s what represents her inner drive.
One of the critical issues accross Africa is feed shortage, feed problem.
These grasses are of African origin.
They have been supporting millions of animals in the savane of South Africa
over thousands of years.
And we discovered micro-organisms that reside in the tissues of these grasses.
They protect the plants from diseases and pests.
They enable plants to live in drought conditions, to persist.
She has the unique ability to inspire high level scientists
and others to meet at the table,
put aside any possible differences.
She believes in you.
She backs you at the highest levels. She pushes you to excel as a team.
Segenet is passionate about her work and that’s infectious.
I am confident and optimistic
that we are going to make a difference using Brachiaria all across Africa
to contribute to finding an answer to the feed problem.
When I was working to re-introduce
Brachiaria grasses back from Latin America to Africa,
there were quite a few people who were skeptics.
But the thing that these people have forgotten is that this is first African grass.
It suits perfectly back at home where it belongs.
When I moved back to Africa
I really started making that dream of mine come true.