Gebisa Ejeta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gebisa Ejeta
ISPC Science Forum 2016, by Desalegne Tadesse
Born	1950 (age 74–75) Wollonkomi, Ethiopia
Alma mater	Purdue University
Awards	World Food Prize (2009)
Scientific career
Fields	Plant breeding, Genetics

Gebisa Ejeta (born 1950) is an Ethiopian American plant breeder, geneticist and Professor at Purdue University. In 2009, he won the World Food Prize for his major contributions in the production of sorghum.

Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, born in 1950, is an amazing scientist from Ethiopia who also became an American citizen. He is a plant breeder and geneticist, which means he studies and improves plants. He teaches at Purdue University. In 2009, he won the important World Food Prize because of his big help in growing a plant called sorghum.

Early Life and Education

Gebisa grew up in a small village called Wollonkomi in Ethiopia. His parents were from the Oromo people. His mother really wanted him to get an education. To go to elementary school, he had to walk 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) every Sunday evening. He would stay at the school all week.

When he was in primary school, Gebisa first thought about studying engineering in college. But his mother helped him see that he could do even more good by working in agriculture. With help from Oklahoma State University, he went to an agricultural high school in Ethiopia. He also studied at what is now Haramaya University. Later, Haramaya University and the U.S. Agency for International Development helped him earn his doctorate degree from Purdue University in the United States.

Helping Farmers with Sorghum

In the early 1980s, Dr. Ejeta worked in Sudan. There, he created Africa's first special type of sorghum that could grow well even when there was not much rain. This type of sorghum was called a "hybrid variety."

Later, while working with a friend at Purdue University, he made another big discovery. They found out how a dangerous plant called striga harms sorghum. Striga is a parasitic weed, meaning it steals nutrients from other plants. Dr. Ejeta then developed new types of sorghum that could fight off both drought (lack of water) and the striga weed. This was a huge help for farmers in dry areas.

Important Recognitions

Dr. Ejeta's work has been recognized by many important people and groups.

World Food Prize

In 2009, Gebisa Ejeta received the World Food Prize. This award is like the Nobel Prize for food and agriculture. He won it for his amazing work in developing sorghum that can grow in tough conditions. His discoveries have helped feed many people in Africa and other parts of the world.

Presidential Appointments

In 2011, President Barack Obama chose Dr. Gebisa Ejeta to be a member of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD). This board advises the U.S. government on how to help other countries with food and farming.

National Medal of Science

In 2023, Dr. Ejeta received the National Medal of Science from President Biden. This is one of the highest honors a scientist can get in the United States. He was given this medal for his "outstanding contributions to the science of plant genetics." This means his work in understanding and improving plant genes has been incredibly important.