Dr. Jacqueline Hughes, Director General of ICRISAT, Assumes Role of Secretary General at World Agriculture Forum (WAF).
Appointment
Dr. Jacqueline d'Arros Hughes, the outgoing Director General (DG) of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, took over as the Secretary General (SG) of the World Agriculture Forum (WAF).
- ICRISAT has appointed Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), as the DG-designate of ICRISAT.
- Dr. Pathak will take over as DG of ICRISAT in 2025. Until then, Stanford Blade, the Deputy DG (Research) at ICRISAT, will serve as the Interim DG.
- Dr. Hughes, a plant virologist, has led key agricultural organizations in Africa and Asia, specializing in modern technologies like remote sensing and plant quarantine systems, while advocating for gender equity and ethical use of intellectual property.
Main Points:- (i) During her tenure as Director General of ICRISAT, Dr. Hughes navigated the organization through the global pandemic, achieving milestones such as winning the Africa Food Prize in 2021 and hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during ICRISAT's 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2022.
(ii) She enhanced ICRISAT's reputation as a leader in dryland agriculture by participating in G20 agricultural meetings in 2023 and co-chairing the International Steering Committee for the United Nations' International Year of Millets.
(iii) The World Agricultural Forum (WAF) is a global, policy- neutral platform dedicated to addressing agricultural challenges. It connects governments, farmers, businesses, and experts to promote sustainable agriculture, support smallholder farmers, and strengthen value chains.
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