Dr. Jacqueline d'Arros Hughes to Lead World Agriculture Forum as Secretary General
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Dr. Jacqueline d'Arros Hughes |
| Current Position | Outgoing Director General, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) |
| New Position | Secretary General, World Agriculture Forum (WAF) |
| Effective Date | Mid-November 2024 |
| Career Span | Over 30 years |
| Key Expertise | Sustainable agriculture, food security, rural development, plant virology |
| Academic Background | PhD from Reading University, UK; postdoctoral research |
| Early Career | Worked with national partners in Ghana |
| Leadership Roles | Director General at ICRISAT (4 years); leadership roles across Africa and Asia |
| Notable Achievements | - Africa Food Prize 2021 |
| - Hosted Indian PM Narendra Modi at ICRISAT's 50th Anniversary in 2022 | |
| - Participated in G20 Summit's agricultural meetings in New Delhi, 2023 | |
| - Co-chaired UN International Year of Millets Steering Committee | |
| Innovative Focus Areas | Remote sensing, digitalization, gender equity in agriculture |
| WAF Objectives | Sustainable agricultural development, public-private partnerships, policy advocacy, trade facilitation, support for smallholder farmers, technology-driven solutions |
| WAF Headquarters | Global platform |
| Vision for WAF | Strengthen global alliances, promote inclusive growth, climate resilience, and innovative solutions |