124th Birthday Anniversary of N.I. Vavilov celebrated
by Abiyot Berhanu ~ December 1st, 2011. Filed under: Conservation, IBC.Abiyot Berhanu
N.I. Vavilov
30 Nov 2011: The 124th birthday anniversary of Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov was commemorated at the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC), Addis Ababa in collaboration with the Russian Center for Science & Culture. Representatives from different institutions in Ethiopia and from Moscow (Russia) attended the ceremony. The works of Vavilov were briefly presented after an opening remark by Dr. Gemedo Dalle, Acting Director General of IBC. In his speech, Dr. Gemedo said Vavilov was one of the most remarkable human beings who accomplished valuable expedition missions that included the then Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
According to Dr. Andrey A. Darkov, Coordinator of Joint Ethio-Russian Biological Expedition, Vavilov (November 25 [O.S. November 13] 1887 – January 26, 1943) was a prominent Russian and Soviet botanist and geneticist best known for having identified the centres of origin of cultivated plants. He devoted his life to the study and improvement of wheat, corn, and other cereal crops that sustain the global population.
Dr. Alganesh Tesema, Director of Biodiversity Conservation & Use Directorate in IBC, on her part said that Vavilov took part in over 100 collecting missions to 64 countries, including Ethiopia. His genetic study of wheat variations led to an attempt to trace the locales of origin of various crops by determining the areas in which the greatest number and diversity of their species are to be found. Thus, Vavilov theorized that the world’s crops had originated in eight definable centers of origin. It was in these centers–all located in Third World countries–that agriculture had originated, he suggested, and that the greatest genetic diversity was to be found.
A Russian Tea and Ethiopian Coffee was served as part of the ceremony.
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