GLDC Independent Advisory Committee (IAC)
Chair
An agronomist by training, Dr Etienne Hainzelin has worked in a wide array of areas and countries, including Ivory Coast, Réunion Island, Canada, Brazil and France. His first scientific work centered around corn and sugarcane. Over time, he became interested in the links between the social sciences and agronomy, especially the interaction between social dynamics, governance models and global transformations in rural settings. In this context, he coordinated a study on the role of biodiversity in agricultural transformation. Between 2007 and 2010, he worked as Research and Strategy Director for Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), where he played an active role in recasting and redirecting the research issues and scientific strategies of some of the major French, European and international centres and institutes in the field, and in designing new methods of impact assessment of research on development. Etienne holds a PhD in plant science.
Dr Etienne Hainzelin, Advisor to the President of CIRAD and Visiting Professor EDIM, University of Ottawa
Members
Dr Mariame Maiga is the Regional Gender and Social Development Adviser of CORAF/WECARD, the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development, based in Dakar, Senegal since September 2012. She is High Level Gender Expert of the Biennial Review and process Task Force for African Union Commission, and assigned to guide the Regional Economic Commissions and their Member countries to mainstream gender in National Agricultural Investments Plans Appraisal and design, implementation of the policy, institutional, and investment actions required to achieve the Malabo commitments across the continent (NAIPs Task Force with IFPRI). Her academic background is in rural development sociology, with a Ph.D. (2010) obtained at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and in development philosophy, with a post-graduate (DEA) obtained at Abidjan-Cocody University (1995). Her research interests embrace gender analysis and gender assessment of projects and programs on agriculture, livelihood and food security, natural resource management – climate change, land tenure, governance, HIV/AIDS, social safeguards, conflict and disaster management, inclusive finance, and transport.
Dr Mariame Maiga, Regional Gender and Social Development Adviser,
West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD)
Dr Uma Sah she works on agricultural extension innovations for effective dissemination of agricultural technologies. She began her career as a scientist (Agricultural Extension) at ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shillong, India in 1999, before joining ICAR-IIPR, Kanpur. She successfully led multidisciplinary team in the participatory assessment of agricultural technologies under different agro- production situations. She has also contributed towards harnessing ICT tools for extension of pulses production technologies. Her work on farmer-led institutions strengthened the pulses seed system at the regional and national levels. Uma is a recipient of the Agricultural Scientist Award 2016 from the UP Academy for Agricultural Research, UPCAR, Lucknow and Young Scientist Award 2015. She is a Fellow of the Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development, Kanpur. Uma has a doctorate from ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India.
Dr Uma Sah, Principal Scientist (Agricultural Extension),
ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR)
Dr Geoffrey Heinrich is based in Lusaka, Zambia. He provides technical assistance to CRS agriculture and environment programs, primarily in Africa, through sharing innovations, managing learning opportunities, and strengthening relationships with advanced research institutions, PVOs, the public and private sectors, and donors. He has a PhD in Crop and Soil Science and 30 years of on-farm research and development experience with smallholder farmers, primarily in Africa, but also in Asia. Goeffrey has served in research and management positions with advanced agriculture research institutions, including the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). His career has been dedicated to helping smallholder farmers increase farm productivity and food security, increase incomes through effective market engagement, and protect the environment (farm and landscape level) through sustainable resource use.
Dr Geoffrey Heinrich, Senior Technical Advisor for Agriculture,
Environment and Rural Livelihoods, Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
David Chikoye is the Director for the IITA Regional Hub for southern Africa and the Plant Production and Heath Management thematic area. He has a PhD from the University of Guelph, Canada and more than thirty years working in agricultural research for development in West and Southern Afric. His main research interests include integrated pest management, sustainable seed systems for smallholders, innovation systems and partnership approaches, and integrated crop management practices. Other experiences include leadership of large, multidisciplinary research projects focusing on demand-driven, participatory research utilising a bottom-up livelihoods approaches. Prior to joining IITA, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Guelph and lecturer at the University of Zambia.
David Chikoye, Director, Regional Hub for southern Africa,
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Dr Ravi Prabhu joined the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) as Deputy Director General (Research) in January 2012. Apart from overseeing the institute’s research programme, he is also a member of the Centre’s Senior Leadership Team. Ravi has engaged in multi-disciplinary research and action in forested landscapes for almost 20 years. He was previously a Senior Programme Officer, Forests and Climate Change with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi. He led the UNEP team that contributed to the UN-REDD Programme mainly by supporting countries to realize multiple benefits from REDD+, and to use REDD+ as a catalyst to transform to a green economy. Prior to that, he coordinated the Regional Plan for Collective Action in Eastern and Southern Africa, a joint initiative of the CGIAR. He also worked in various capacities at the Center for International Forestry Research. He earned his professional degree and doctorate in forestry from the University of Goettingen, Germany.
Dr Ravi Prabhu, Deputy Director General – Research,
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
Dr Michael Battaglia leads CSIRO’s work in Agriculture and Global Change that looks at practice and science to adapt food systems to environmental climate, market and social change, managing a portfolio of $20M. Previously he formed and then led CSIRO’s work on Agriculture and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation leading among other things to the first national assessment of the potential of the land sector to contribute to mitigation, and supporting government to design and implement its national greenhouse gas mitigation programs. Michael has a background in forest systems science, being the recipient of the International Union of Forest Research Organisation’s Science Excellence Award for global contributions to Forest Modelling, and having at various times led CSIRO’s and parts of New Zealand’s forest science research capability. He is leading an incubated company in CSIRO, FutureFeed, that seeks to commercialize anti- methanogenic seaweed, engaging with the Australia and USA.
Dr Michael Battaglia, Research Director- Agriculture and Global Change, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, and Adjunct Professor, University of Tasmania
Herve grew up in a farm in the wheat and sugar beet belt in Champagne/France. He holds an Engineering degree in Agronomy from AgroParisTech and has an MBA from the Business School EM Lyon, France. He has worked for 35 years mainly for the private seed sector in Europe, North America and Asia, in Marketing and Business Development roles, including coordinating cross-functional teams. Currently, he is the Regional Seed Business Development Lead, Asia, and Mekong region Director for Syngenta Foundation, whose main role is driving innovation in challenging environments and establishing public-private partnerships to accelerate resource-poor smallholders’ access to improved quality seeds.
Herve Thieblemont, Regional Seed Business Development Lead, Asia and Mekong region Director, Syngenta Foundation
Dr Jane Muthoni Ininda has been involved in agricultural sciences for over 30 years, carrying out extensive research and providing expert technical advice on food crops in Africa. At AGRA, her role is to initiate, oversee, and manage investments in crop research and seed systems. She has led crop breeding initiatives in Eastern and Southern Africa and guided crop breeding teams to develop and release more than 460 improved varieties of food security crops, of which 71% have been commercialized through public-private partnerships with local Africa seed companies. Her previous stint with the former Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) as a wheat, soybean and maize breeder led to the development and release of 26 maize streak virus-resistant hybrids for the medium altitude areas of Kenya. Jane founded the ‘Modern and Visionary Breeders’ in Africa and initiated the Maize Breeders Network for Eastern and Southern Africa. Jane holds a PhD (Plant breeding-Major, Statistics-Minor) from Iowa State University, USA.
Dr Jane Muthoni Ininda, Associate Program Director – Emerging Initiatives,
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Jacqueline d’Arros HUGHES, currently the Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India. A virologist by training she has worked in the United Kingdom and Ghana, before moving to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria, followed by the World Vegetable Center in Taiwan, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) before moving to ICRISAT. She has an extensive publications record and strong interests in plant health, epidemiology, gender equity, nutrition, and remote sensing/digital agriculture.
Dr Jacqueline Hughes, Director General,
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
