Speakers

Maurice O. Amollo

Sr. Director, Peace and Governance, Mercy Corps

Mr. Amollo is a Humanitarian and development expert with over 25 years of experience providing technical support, oversight, and management of humanitarian and long-term development programs. He has designed and directed Humanitarian response, Governance, and violence prevention programs in complex crises, demonstrating the ability to mobilize and organize government, civil... [ View ]

Hon. Víctor Manuel Villalobos Arámbula

Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mexico

The Honorable Dr. Víctor Manuel Villalobos Arámbula is Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. An expert with over 40 years experience in agronomy, agricultural economy and environment sciences, Villalobos holds an engineering degree in Agronomy from Mexico’s Agriculture School and an MSc in Plant Genetics from the Graduate College... [ View ]

Jesus Larraguibel Artola

President, Board of Trustees for Agricultural Research and Experimentation, State of Sonora A.C.

Jesus Larraguibel Artola is the President of the Administrative Board of Patronato para la Investigacion Experimental Agricola del Estado de Sonora (PIEAES A.C./ pieaes.com.mx), the largest farmer-funded agricultural research organization in Mexico and a long-time partner of CIMMYT and INIFAP. Member of the Administrative Board of Union de Credito Agricola... [ View ]

Hon. Julio Berdegué

Secretary-Elect of Agriculture and Rural Development, Government of Mexico

The honorable Dr. Julio Berdegué is a graduate in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Arizona, Master in Agronomy Sciences from the University of California and Doctor in Social Sciences from the University of Wageningen, Netherlands, as well as a candidate for a Doctor of Genetics from the University of... [ View ]

Catherine Bertini

2003 Laureate and Chair, Executive Board, Global Crop Diversity Trust

An accomplished leader in international organization reform, Catherine Bertini has a distinguished career improving the efficiency and operations of organizations serving poor and hungry people in the United States and around the world. She was named the 2003 World Food Prize Laureate for her transformational leadership at the World Food Programme... [ View ]

Ganesh Bahadur Bista

Cooperative Manager, Biodiversity Conservation Agriculture Cooperative

Ganesh Bahadur Bista is one of the custodian farmers and practitioners of community-led agrobiodiversity conservation in Nepal. He has been working as a cooperative manager at Biodiversity Conservation Agriculture Cooperative, Doti, Nepal also known as Ghanteshwor Community Seed Bank for more than a decade. His community seed bank is conserving... [ View ]

Sara Boettiger

Advisor

Dr. Sara Boettiger is an economist and advisor in corporate sustainability, global agriculture, and food security. Previously she has served as Global Head of Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability at Bayer Crop Science; Deputy Director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; co-led the McKinsey Center for Agricultural Transformation; was... [ View ]

Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar

Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC)

Dr. Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar is the Chief Executive Officer of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), the apex body of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in Bangladesh. Prior to his appointment as the Executive Chairman of BARC, he served as Director of SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) for around five... [ View ]

Julie Borlaug

World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors and President, Borlaug Consulting

For 22 years, Julie Borlaug has successfully worked in international agricultural development, agricultural communications, and external and corporate relations. As the granddaughter of Dr. Norman Borlaug, she works to champion his legacy and lend a voice to his desire to see more successful collaborative partnerships across sectors and scientific disciplines... [ View ]

Guillermo Bretón

Agronomist Farmer, Global Farmer Network

Guillermo Bretón is an agronomist and farmer in the Mexican highlands. Guillermo produces barley for Heineken, as well as corn, triticale, and forages. He is transitioning to sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, Guillermo is a cattle grower, specializing in the Angus cow-calf system. [ View ]

Sharon E. Burke

President, Ecospherics

Honorable Sharon E. Burke is the Founder and President of Ecospherics, a consulting firm that focuses on climate change, energy, critical minerals, water, food security and national security. She is also the Co-Founder of the Ecosecurity Council, a non-profit organization that studies and advocates for better solutions to Earth systems... [ View ]

Oscar Castañeda

Senior Vice President of Americas Programs, Heifer International

Dr. Oscar Castañeda serves as the senior vice president of Americas programs at Heifer International. He has worked for decades designing, implementing and evaluating community-based sustainable development programs. Before joining Heifer, Castañeda served World Neighbors as country director for his native Guatemala. He has also been a consultant and part-time... [ View ]

Francisco Cervantes Díaz

Presidente, Consejo Coordinador Empresarial

Francisco Cervantes es un empresario con más de 30 años de experiencia que ha participado en sectores muy diversos: el agropecuario, el del plástico, el de los materiales pétreos, entre otros En su vida empresarial ha dado siempre prioridad al diálogo y a impulsar negocios con sensibilidad social Con esta... [ View ]

Ronnie Coffman

Emeritus International Professor of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Cornell University

Ronnie Coffman serves as International Professor of Plant Breeding & Genetics (emeritus) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University. He serves as Principal Investigator the Next Generation Cassava project and Vice Chair of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI). Previous positions include International Professor of... [ View ]

Beth S. Crawford

Assistant Director, General/Director, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Ms Crawford, a national of the United States of America, holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Robert F. Wagner Graduate School, New York University, New York, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California. She started her career in July... [ View ]

Adriane Reis Cruvinel

Agricultural Attaché, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil

Agricultural Attaché at the Brazilian Embassy in México; Federal Inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Brazil; Agronomist; Doctor of Plant Production, Master of Phytopathology (Plant Breeding). Coordinator of Laboratory Development and Innovation and Coordinator of the Federal Agricultural Defense Laboratory. Auditor at the National Network of Agricultural... [ View ]

María Guadalupe Galindo Cruz

Farmer from Cuautempan, Puebla, Mexico

María Guadalupe Galindo Cruz is originally from the community of San Pedro Hueytentan, Cuautempan, Puebla, Mexico. She belongs to the Nahuatl ethnic group and speaks the language. She has been a corn producer since she was a child and is currently 70 years old. In 2013 a CIMMYT technician invited... [ View ]

Ismahane Elouafi

Executive Managing Director, CGIAR

Dr. Ismahane Elouafi is the Executive Managing Director of CGIAR. She previously held the position of Chief Scientist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Prior to that, she was the Director General at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) based in the United Arab... [ View ]

Diodora Petra Castillo Fajes

Housewife and Corn Producer, CIMMYT

Diodora Petra Castillo Fajes is a person who since her childhood has learned the work in the fields and the ancestral traditions of corn cultivation. She has had the desire to protect and preserve her wide white and blue creole corn. She has more than 20 years of experience producing... [ View ]

Cary Fowler

2024 Laureate and U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security,U.S. Department of State

Dr. Cary Fowler is perhaps best known as the “father” of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which holds more than 1 million unique crop varieties. Dr. Fowler is the former Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and senior staff member... [ View ]

Rikin Gandhi

Co-Founder, Digital Green

Rikin Gandhi is co-founder of Digital Green which leverages generative AI to increase the efficiency and impact of agricultural development. Frontline agricultural workers and farmers use Farmer.Chat to triage issues on farm with local language voice, text and image. An AI orchestration layer surfaces relevant videos by and for farmers... [ View ]

Ambassador Joel Hernández García

Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, Mexico Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ambassador Joel Hernández García, Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, has dedicated his professional practice to international law, international organizations, litigation and international negotiation. He holds a Law Degree from the Faculty of Law of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and a Master’s Degree in International Law from... [ View ]

Dan Glickman

Former Secretary of Agriculture, United States of America

Secretary Dan Glickman Senior Fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center Dan Glickman, former U.S. secretary of agriculture and chair of APCO Worldwide’s International Advisory Council, is the former executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, a nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program for members of the United States Congress. Secretary Glickman served as a Member... [ View ]

Marte Gomez

Son of Marie R. Gomez

When General Manuel Avila Camacho assumed the Presidency in Mexico on December 1, 1940, the vice president of the United States of America, Mr. Henry Wallace, officially attended and represented his country at the ceremony. Marte R. Gomez was the Minister of Agriculture and Development in 1940 and he developed a... [ View ]

Bram Govaerts

2014 Borlaug Field Award Recipient and Director General, CIMMYT

Dr. Bram Govaerts is Director General at CIMMYT - the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. He is an expert in the fields of bioscience engineering and soil sciences. He is renowned for pioneering, implementing, and inspiring transformational changes for farmers and consumers in meeting the sustainable development challenges. He brings... [ View ]

Juana Galindo Gutiérrez

Farmer from Lerma, State of Mexico

Originally from the community of San Pedro Huitzizilapan in the municipality of Lerma, State of Mexico. Of Otomí origin; since she was a child her parents taught her a taste for agriculture, mainly in the cultivation of corn since in her community agriculture was one of the main economic activities.... [ View ]

Georgina Gutierrez

Farmer and Community Outreach Agvocate; Global Farmer Network

Georgina Gutierrez is a fifth-generation dairy farmer in the central highlands of Mexico, working alongside her father, a veterinarian, and her brother, an agronomist, in a 550-cow farm, established more than 80 years ago the Valle del Mezquital, in Hidalgo. She has been a member of the Global Farmer Network... [ View ]

María Perez Hernández

Farmer from Apan, Hidalgo, Mexico

María Perez Hernández is originally from the municipality of Apan, Hidalgo, Mexico. She has been a malting barley producer for ten years and has implemented different sustainable management practices such as stubble incorporation and triple row planting arrangement. She actively participates in training and demonstration events. [ View ]

Mashal Husain

Chief Operating Officer, World Food Prize Foundation

Mashal Husain serves as Chief Operating Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In September 2008, Mashal Husain joined the staff at the World Food Prize Foundation as Director of Development and Finance. In 2014, she was named Vice President. In 2022, she was promoted to Senior Vice President and... [ View ]

Jaime Lopez Jimenez

President and Chief Executive Officer, Ingredion Mexico and Central America

Before becoming the company's leader in Mexico, Jaime Lopez Jimenez served as the Director of Finance and Corn Sourcing for Mexico and Central America. In his successful 24-year career with Ingredion, Jaime has held multiple financial leadership positions in both the United States and Mexico. In 2018, he returned to Mexico... [ View ]

Ndashe Philemon Kapulu

Assistant Director, Agriculture Research Institute Zambia Ministry of Agriculture

Dr. Ndashe Philemon Kapulu is the Assistant Director for Research Services at the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI), part of the Ministry of Agriculture. ZARI, Zambia’s largest agricultural research body, focuses on developing crop and soil technologies. Dr. Kapulu holds a Bachelor’s in Natural Resources Management from the University of... [ View ]

Jeanie Borlaug Laube

Chair of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI), Borlaug family

Jeanie Borlaug Laube has served as chair of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) since 2009, a year after its launch. A passionate advocate for wheat research, she encourages scientists to “take it to the farmer.” Laube has fostered a global community of wheat researchers, elevating their voices among politicians,... [ View ]

Gabriela Soto Laveaga

Professor of the History of Science, Harvard University

Gabriela Soto Laveaga is Professor of the History of Science and Antonio Madero Professor for the Study of Mexico at Harvard University. Her award-winning first book Jungle Laboratories: Mexican Peasants, National Projects and the Making of the Pill narrated the impact of the search for medicinal plants at the local,... [ View ]

Jorge Guillermo Zàrate Lupercio

Chief Supply Chain Officer, Grupo Bimbo

Jorge Guillermo Zàrate Lupercio serves as Chief Supply Chain Officer and he is part of the Steering Committee of Grupo Bimbo. Since he joined Group in 1987, he has held different positions such as Plant superintendent at Bimbo Mexico, Production Manager at Bimbo Northwest, Corporate Bimbo and Marinela Operation Manager,... [ View ]

Maria Emilia ‘Emi’ Macor

Farmer, Youth Leader in Ag; Global Farmer Network

Emilia 'Emi' Macor is a young farmer and agronomist, involved in several institutions in Argentina: Vice President of Aapresid Joven, a member of MAIZAR Joven, and a member of the Global Farmer Network. She often says, "Being farmers is not just harvesting grains. It is producing food, fiber and energy... [ View ]

Baboucarr Manneh

Director General, AfricaRice

Dr. Baboucarr Manneh is the Director General of the Africa Rice Center and Regional Director for the CGIAR in West and Central Africa. He has nearly 30 years working experience in food system transformation and climate resilience building in Africa with special expertise in development and dissemination of new crop... [ View ]

Francisco Martínez

Corporate Director of Operations and Technology, Gruma

Francisco Martínez is an Agricultural Engineer Administrator of ITESM, with more than 30 years of experience, is currently Corporate Director of Operations and Technology of Gruma at a global level. He has held the position of Corporate Director of Supplies, National Manager of Corn Operations, Deputy Director of Corn Operations... [ View ]

Aditi Mukherji

Director of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Impact Action Platform, CGIAR

Dr. Aditi Mukherji, CGIAR's Director of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Impact Action Platform, led research at IWMI and ICIMOD, contributed to IPCC reports, and received the Norman Borlaug Field Award. With a PhD from Cambridge, she's widely published and quoted by global media. [ View ]

Swati Nayak

2023 Borlaug Field Award Recipient and Scientist, CGIAR International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Dr. Swati Nayak is an agriculture scientist affiliated with the Phillipines based CGIAR International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). She is also the 2023 Borlaug Field Award recipient from the World Food Prize Foundation. Dr. Nayak currently serves as the South Asia Lead for Seed Systems at IRRI and also holds... [ View ]

Marilia Regini Nuti

Sr. Reseacher, Sustainable Agriculture for Nutririton & Health, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corp

Marília Regini Nuti is a highly accomplished food engineer with extensive experience spanning academia, industry, and international organizations. Her career highlights include roles such as researcher, lecturer, technical director, product development manager, and regulatory affairs manager. Notably, Nuti has been deeply involved in addressing hidden hunger through biofortification programs aimed... [ View ]

Khuloud Odeh

Global Director of Digital & Data, CGIAR

Khuloud Odeh is the Global Director of Digital and Data, and the Executive Director (a.i.) of the CGIAR System Organization. She brings a unique blend of education, IT organization leadership, change stewardship, and a deep understanding of global and local sustainability challenges. A thought leader on digital innovation for impact, she successfully led mission-driven organizations transformative... [ View ]

Manuel Otero

Director General, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Dr. Manuel Otero has served as the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) since January 15, 2018. He holds a Master of Science in Agricultural Development from Wye College of the University of London, a Master in Animal Production from the Tropical Agricultural Research and... [ View ]

Cao Duc Phat

Board of Trustees Chair, International Rice Research Institute,International Rice Research Institute

Dr. Cao Đức Phát is a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and currently the Permanent Vice Chairman of the Central Economic Commission, a high level socio-economic development advisory agency of the CPV. He was previously the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of... [ View ]

Gloria Rosary Nguhi Phekani

Founder and Managing Director, Milele Agroprocessing Limited

Gloria Phekani, Founder and Managing Director of Milele Agroprocessing Limited, is an off-taker in Malawi that supports small-scale farmers with loan consumer demanded clean seed material for multiplication of grain for the export market. The legumes, mainly common beans and the canning variety, are of high nutritional value, containing high... [ View ]

Yvonne Pinto

Director General, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Dr. Yvonne Pinto has a long career focused mainly on technology generation, innovation ecosystems and international development. Yvonne began her early career in agricultural research and academia followed by 15 years in private philanthropy - creating and implementing investments in agriculture, enterprise, finance, and education, including the establishment of successful... [ View ]

Yvonne Ochoa Rosellini

Board Chairman and CEO, Liventia / Keat

Yvonne Ochoa Rosellini is co-founder and CEO of Keat, one of six companies she has built and scaled. Prior to this, she led over 60 high-impact turnaround and institutionalization projects from Convixión, her own management consulting firm, for companies of all sizes and industries. She was CFO for Coppel Group,... [ View ]

Alice Ruhweza

Senior Director, Policy Influence and Engagement and CIMMYT Board member, WWF International, CIMMYT

Alice Ruhweza is a Global Thought Leader with over 28 years of experience in Economic, Environmental, and Social Development Policy and Practice. She possesses deep knowledge and understanding of the global, regional, and local agendas on Food Systems, Nature Conservation, Environment, Sustainable Finance, Climate Change, and interrelated issues. She is... [ View ]

Hon. Abdus Shahid

Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid is an eminent politician involved himself in the politics from his school life. He played a courageous and glorious role as a freedom fighter in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid was elected as a Member of Parliament from Moulvibazar-4 Constituency seven... [ View ]

H.E. Pankaj Sharma

Ambassador of India to Mexico, Embassy of India in Mexico City

Ambassador Pankaj Sharma, a career diplomat, belongs to the 1991 Batch of the Indian Foreign Service. He took charge as the Ambassador of India to Mexico on 9th February, 2022. Prior to his current assignment in Mexico, he was the Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament in... [ View ]

Jai Shroff

Chairman and Group CEO, UPL

Jai Shroff is the Chairman & Group CEO of UPL. He is a well-recognized global leader in sustainable agricultural development and across agribusiness, with over 30 years’ experience in India and internationally. Jai has driven the transformation of UPL from a largely domestic player to a truly global multinational. Today,... [ View ]

Lindiwe Majele Sibanda

Professor, CGIAR

Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda is Chair of the CGIAR System Board; is a serving Non-Executive Member of the Nestlé Board; and, Chair of Council, for the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe and Extra ordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria. She is also a serving member of... [ View ]

Roy Steiner

Senior Vice President, The Rockefeller Foundation

Dr. Roy Steiner is currently the Senior Vice President, Food Initiative at the Rockefeller Foundation leading multi-year initiatives to advance a more nourishing and sustainable food system. Previously he was a Senior Director at the Omidyar Network where he worked across strategic initiatives and with the board to build a... [ View ]

Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted

2021 Laureate and Director of Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Area Platform, CGIAR

Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, a native of Trinidad and Tobago and a citizen of Denmark, received the 2021 World Food Prize for her groundbreaking research, critical insights and landmark innovations in developing holistic, nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquaculture and food systems. By bringing together interdisciplinary and international collaborators, she drove transformations... [ View ]

Patricia Toledo

Director of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs for Latin America North, Syngenta

Patricia Toledo has more than 23 years of experience in the Agribusiness sector, both public and private. She is currently Director of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs for Latin America North at Syngenta. At the industry level, she serves as vice president of Sustainability and Social Responsibility of the National Agricultural... [ View ]

Hon. Laura Elena Suazo Torres

Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Republic of Honduras

Laura Elena Suazo Torres is the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock in the Republic of Honduras. She is currently the President ProTempore of the Food and Nutritional Security Plan of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (PLAN SAN CELAC). She is also a member of the... [ View ]

Ann Vaughan

Deputy Assistant Administrator, United States Agency for International Development

Ann Vaughan is the Deputy Assistant Administrator for USAID's Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) where she advances Feed the Future global hunger initiative objectives and oversees the REFS Center for Agriculture-led Growth; the Feed the Future Office of Policy, Analysis, and Engagement; and the Bureau’s Secretariat supporting... [ View ]

Claudia de la Vega

VP Corporate Affairs Heineken México, Heineken México

Claudia de la Vega currently serves as the VP of Corporate Affairs at HEINEKEN Mexico, where she aims to strengthen and elevate the company's sustainability strategy and corporate reputation. She has over 15 years of experience in Corporate Affairs, specifically in ESG/ASG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance), sustainability, economic and political... [ View ]

Marco Wopereis

Director General, World Vegetable Center

Dr. Marco Wopereis joined the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) as Director General in April 2016. An agronomist with a Doctorate in Tropical Agronomy from Wageningen University, the Netherlands, he has global expertise in agricultural science and management, and previously served as Deputy Director General and Director of Research for Development... [ View ]