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Fetien Abay was the first female lecturer at
Mekelle University, Ethiopia's first female professor of Plant Breeding and Seed and the third woman professor of the country. Whereas, since the 1990s, the number of public higher education institutions in Ethiopia has increased from 8 to 36, there was
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in science and was director of the
Institute of Environment, Gender, and Development Studies (IEGDS) at Mekelle University. She shared her experiences with hundreds of high school students, and actively empowered women, who have been given sponsorship, mentorship and advice. She contributed to
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breeding in
Ethiopia. She released five varieties of barley that were adopted by farmers in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The crosses were carried out together with input from 250 experienced farmer breeders in different agro-ecologies. The barley crosses were developed from
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also an increased share of women in academia, yet this share reached only 12.6% by 2017. In 2014, 5% of the deans and only 3% of the department heads in
Ethiopian universities were women. While at the age of twelve, Fetien Abay was proposed for an
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Starting from 1997, Fetien discovered the dynamics of farmers' innovativeness in land management, through her lead in the
Indigenous Soil and Water Conservation (ISWC) research programme. Fetien Abay has done pioneering work in participatory
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157:. She released five varieties of barley that have been widely adopted by farmers across the Tigray region of Ethiopia and beyond. She is also a former President of
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2009: in the
African Women Professionals in Science Competition, she was recognized among the top five African women scientists for her work in plant breeding
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2017: Impact
Research and Science in Africa (IMPRESSA) Award of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)
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Communities in Tigray involved in barley improvement work gave her a traditionally valuable prize for the impact of this work on their lives
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that later was rejected by her mother, she had become, by 2020, one of the four women who have ever been university president in
Ethiopia.
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2010: Ethiopian
President's Award for her outstanding contributions to linking science and farmers and to furthering women's development
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Member of the
National Technical Advisory Council in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ethiopian Crop Sciences Association
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2014: East African Regional Laureate of African Union Kwame Nkrumah Awards for Scientific Excellence
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Participatory Plant Breeding to Influence Research in Ethiopia: Dr. Fetien Abera, 2010 AWARD Fellow
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2020: Appointed as President of Mekelle University by Ethiopia's Ministry of Science and Education
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facilitating grants and employment of outstanding women university graduates.
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153:(Ethiopia), undertaking research on participatory plant breeding, particularly
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are drought resistant, early maturing and highly nutritious barley varieties:
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1991-1993: researcher at Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
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2010: AWARD Fellow (African Women in Agricultural Research and Development)
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Co-founder of Tigray Women Agriculture Professional Association (TWAPA)
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Chair of the Araya Women and Children Charitable Organization, AWUCCO
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Member of national PROLINOVA (Promoting Local Innovations)-network
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Professor, Plant Breeding and Seed, Mekelle University, Ethiopia
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PROF. DR. FETIEN ABAY – A Pioneering Plant & Seed Scientist
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Coordinator of the Graduate Programme in Dryland Crop Science
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AWARD Fellow becomes female University President in Ethiopia
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Gender role model in Ethiopian academics and gender advocacy
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Core team member of the Agro-Ecology in Practice Curriculum
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Education Statistics Annual Abstract, 2009 E.C. (2016/17)
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Curriculum development for Plant Breeding and Food Science
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Wondwosen Tamrat, University World News, 12 December 2019
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Profile: Emergence of women-led universities in Ethiopia
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Associate editor for the Journal of Dryland Agriculture
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Closing the gender gap in higher education leadership
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609:Norwegian University of Life Sciences alumni
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176:1986-1989: worked in rural areas of
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599:Alumni of the University of Wales
581:Publication list on ResearchGate
465:Ethiopian Monitor, 15 April 2021
375:Publication list on ResearchGate
422:Addis Standard, 16 October 2020
287:Functions at Mekelle University
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344:named a water point after her
228:Participatory barley breeding
172:Awassa College of Agriculture
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335:Recognitions and awards
604:Ethiopian scientists
619:People from Mekelle
340:Farmers in Eastern
204:University of Wales
188:Haramaya University
16:Ethiopian professor
248:Mekelle University
198:Mekelle University
159:Mekelle University
151:Mekelle University
70:Fana Hagos Birhane
58:Kindeya Gebrehiwot
35:Mekelle University
309:Community service
273:arranged marriage
143:Fetien Abay Abera
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103:Residence(s)
65:Succeeded by
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380:References
190:, Ethiopia
126:Profession
115:Alma mater
109:, Ethiopia
328:Red Cross
217:, Norway
47:2020–2021
43:In office
342:Hararghe
95:Children
252:felamit
240:Himblil
107:Mekelle
330:Tigray
260:fetina
258:, and
256:hiriti
244:Sa'isa
235:barley
208:Bangor
178:Oromia
165:Career
155:barley
89:Wukro
242:and
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85:Born
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