Speakers

Federal Minister
National Food Security and Research

Mr. Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan is the Minister of National Food Security and Research. Mr. Bosan is an agriculturist by profession. He completed his L.L.B in 1980 from Law College, Multan. He currently serves as Federal Minister for National Food security and Research and previously served as Minister of State for Food and Agriculture. During his political career, he has been elected Member of District Council Multan, Member of Punjab Provincial Assembly in 1985, 1988 & 1990 & MNA in 1997.

Mission Director
USAID/Pakistan

John Groarke leads the Agency's second largest overseas mission, with an assistance portfolio valued at over $5 billion. USAID's program promotes stability, security and prosperity in a country at the forefront of US foreign policy priorities, featuring projects in energy and infrastructure, economic growth and agriculture, health, education and resilience, with an emphasis on those regions facing security challenges.

He has served as Mission Director for USAID/ Haiti from 2013-2015. Mr. Groarke was detailed to Afghanistan to lead USAID's efforts to implement President Obama's counter-insurgency strategy through the establishment of regional satellite missions throughout the country in 2010. He previously served as Deputy Mission Director in Egypt (2006-2009), and in Iraq (2005-2006). Mr. Groarke served as Senior Regional Legal Adviser for Egypt and Iraq (2002-2005), Senior Regional Legal Adviser for West Africa (1999-2002) and Regional Legal Advisor for South Asia (1996-1999).

A member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Career Minister, Mr. Groarke received USAID's Distinguished Honor Award in 2009, the Agency's highest performance award, for his service in Egypt and Iraq. In 2015 he received the Agency's Superior Honor Award for his service in Haiti.

Director General
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Martin Kropff joined CIMMYT from Wageningen University and Research Center (Wageningen UR) in the Netherlands, where he was rector magnificus and vice chairman of the executive board for almost 10 years. During his tenure student numbers doubled and the university a a world ranking as top university and research center for agricultural and food sciences.

He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in biology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and a Ph.D. in agricultural and environmental sciences at Wageningen. From 1990 to 1995, Kropff was the systems agronomist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines where he led an international program with National Agricultural Research Systems and universities in nine Asian countries on systems research and simulation for rice production.

Since 1995, he has served successive roles at Wageningen UR, including as director general of the Plant Sciences Group and on the executive board. From 2013 to 2015, he was a member of the board of directors of the CGIAR, the 15-member consortium of international agricultural researchers to which CIMMYT and IRRI belong.

Chairman
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)

Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad initiated his career as lecturer at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad in 1976. He joined PARC in 1983 after his doctorate from University of Wales, U.K. He rose to the present position of Chairman, PARC having shown exceptional research, managerial and leadership skills to steer research groups in knowledge generation and transfer.

During his professional career, Dr. Iftikhar designed and established a National IPM Program with a strong initiative of large-scale implementation of IPM in Pakistan through an innovative farm level research and farmer education approach known as Farmer Field Schools. The Program has won laurels from Farmers and all other stakeholders including international partners.

Dr. Iftikhar has a very strong commitment for cooperation with the national and international linkages for the benefit of scientists, research findings, and the farmers.

Dr Iftikhar Ahmad has acted on high profile position at PARC and NARC. These include Director General, NARC, Member (Plant Sciences) and as Acting Chairman, PARC from August, 2011 till his retirement in March, 2012. After his retirement he worked as Advisor in FAO Office of the United Nations in Pakistan. Currently he is performing his functions as Chairman PARC.

Secretary
Ministry of Food Security & Research, Pakistan

Seerat is the Secretary, Ministry of Food Security & Research, Pakistan. He has worked extensively with organizations such as FAO, Afghanistan, Pakistan, United States Trilateral Secretariat, and the World Bank in policy formulation, dialogue and implementation at the country level. Mr. Seerat holds an LLB and an MA in political science. He has undertaken several trainings/ courses at ADB, NIPA, PIDE, UNESCAP, FAO, & the World Bank. Mr. Seerat attended the executive Leadership Development Program at Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Deputy Mission Director
USAID/Pakistan

Miles Toder, Deputy Mission Director, is a Foreign Service officer with extensive experience working in the democracy and governance area, having served in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and South and Southeast Asia.

Prior to this, he directed the USAID Mission to Kosovo's Democracy and Governance Office where he lead an ambitious program aimed at building the institutions necessary for transition from UN supervision to independence. These included justice sector and legal reforms, constitutional development, strengthening of political parties, parliament and election administration, local governance, independent media and a vibrant civil society.

Before being directly affiliated with the U.S. government, his work included senior management and advisory positions for USAID projects in places as diverse as Zimbabwe, Poland, Afghanistan and the Sudan.

Country Representative CIMMYT Pakistan
Chief of Party AIP

Imtiaz Muhammad holds Ph.D. in Agriculture Sciences and wide ranging experience in international agriculture development and development with focus on food and nutrition security. In his 20 years' experience in the agricultural sector, he has spent more than eight years in the international research and development specifically in developing/ deploying germplasm/varieties and associated technologies for wheat and pulses suitable for Australian and international agro-ecologies across Asia and Africa and applied genetic and advance technologies such as genomic technologies to improve abiotic and biotic stresses, yield and other traits.

Dr. Imtiaz has served in the wheat and pulses research in Australia, in the seed sector in Pakistan, and as a team leader based in Aleppo, Syria to serve national partners in Central and West Asia, Caucasus, Middle East, and North and sub-Saharan Africa. He has developed and implemented several multidisciplinary international and regional projects in Africa and Asia to address productivity constraints facing legumes/cereals production to achieve food and nutrition security. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 research publications; scientific and non-scientific presentations with the publication on adaptation to climate change. He received his PhD in molecular breeding from the Lincoln University New Zealand.

Member Plant Sciences
PARC

Dr. Muhammad Shahid Masood started his career in PARC as Scientific Officer in 1979 in Wheat Program. He got his Doctorate in Plant Breeding & Genetics from Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA in 1989. Shahid has shown outstanding research, managerial and leadership skills in knowledge generation and transfer related to the fields of plant breeding, biotechnology, genetic resources, medicinal plants and floriculture. Shahid has acted on high profile positions at PARC and NARC. He is also a Focal Point and Member of various National and International Committees and Bodies. Currently he is working as Member-Plant Sciences and is also Focal Person, AIP.

Deputy Director General
International Livestock Research Center (ILRI)

Iain was appointed as ILRI's Deputy-Director General – Integrated Sciences in 2014. He joined the organization in 2006 as the Regional Representative for Asia, a position he held until 2012 when he was appointed Program Leader for Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity and Director General's Representative in Ethiopia. Prior to joining ILRI, he held a number of posts at the Macaulay Institute, Scotland and served as the Chief Executive Officer of Macaulay Research Consultancy Services from 2003 to 2006. Iain holds a BSc in Agriculture and PhD in Animal Nutrition. Has over 30 years' experience of conducting and managing research and development. From 1998 to 2003 he collaborated with a number of organisations in Pakistan, including PARC, PFI and AKRSP on a livestock research project in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Regional Director, South Asia officer
The World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC)

Warwick Easdown (Australia) is the Regional Director of AVRDC South Asia based in Hyderabad, India and responsible for management of regional research and development programs, supervision of regional staff, maintaining relationships with donors and partners, and the development and successful completion of regional projects. His areas of expertise include communications, agronomy and rural internet applications. He has more than 30a years of experience in extension, administration, teaching and research. He joined AVRDC headquarters in 2006 as Head of Communications from a similar position at the World Agroforestry Center in Kenya. Prior to this he ran extension training and research at the University of Queensland and worked in extension agronomy in subtropical Australia. He has held the position of Regional Director, South Asia for four years. He holds degrees from Australia and South Africa, and a Masters and PhD from the University of Illinois, USA.

Associate Dean, International Programs College of Agricultural and Environmental Science
University of California, Davis (UC Davis)

James (Jim) Hill was appointed Associate Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2005. Hill earned B.S. degrees in Crop Science and Biochemistry at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Ph.D. at UC Davis in plant physiology. At UC Davis he has headed an applied research and extension education program in agronomy, specializing in rice-based production systems. He has served as Chair of the Department of Agronomy and Range Science and as Acting Program Leader for Agronomy and Vegetable Crops Extension. From 1999-2002, he has worked extensively with national research and extension programs throughout Asia and served as Program Leader for Irrigated Rice and Head of the Division of Crop, Soil and Water Sciences in IRRI. Jim has authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific journal and proceeding papers and nearly 200 extension education articles.He has received numerous awards including the UC Davis James H. Meyer Distinguished Achievement Award more recently the California Rice Industry Achievement Award. Hill is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America.

Director, CGIAR Research Program MAIZE & Global Maize Program
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Dr B.M. Prasanna is the Director of CIMMYT's Global Maize Program and the CGIAR Research Program on MAIZE. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, Prasanna leads a multi-disciplinary CIMMYT-Global Maize Program team of 45 scientists located in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Latin America and Asia. Dr Prasanna led the formulation and implementation of several successful public-private partnership projects on development and deployment of improved stress resilient maize germplasm in the tropics, besides applying novel tools and technologies for enhancing genetic gains and breeding efficiency. Prior to joining CIMMYT, Prasanna served as a faculty member and maize geneticist at the Division of Genetics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, under ICAR, for nearly two decades. He led the Indian team under the Asian Maize Biotechnology Network (AMBIONET) (1998-2005), and served as ICAR National Fellow (2005-2010). Dr Prasanna published more than 100 research articles in journals of repute, besides 45 book chapters, 7 edited volumes, and 7 technical manuals. He was recognized with several awards and honors for his contributions to maize research, post-graduate teaching and human resource development.

Asia Regional Representative
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Etienne Duveiller is a cereal pathologist by training with more than 30 year experience in international agriculture and development projects. He received his MSc and PhD from University of Louvain (UCL) in Belgium and obtained a diploma from the Developing Countries Institute at the same university. He started his career by leading projects in Bolivia and Burundi before joining CIMMYT in 1987. He conducted most of his research in CIMMYT Mexico and as regional pathologist for South Asia based in Nepal focusing on wheat disease resistance under stressed environments. As a general pathologist interested in anticipatory breeding and epidemiology, he contributed to the monitoring of wheat rust pathogens in the Indian Subcontinent and participated in several wheat disease surveys in central Asia. After serving as Associated Director of the Global Wheat Program he returned to South Asia in 2012 where he is currently CIMMYT Asia Regional Representative based in Delhi.

Senior Scientist II and Mechanization & Production Systems Specialist
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Joe Rickman has had more than 40 years' work experience in 27 countries in Asia, America and Africa. He has developed and coordinated regional programs in Australia, Africa and Asia as well as developing technologies in crop production, mechanization, small scale irrigation and water management, and post-harvest management for rice and many other cereal and horticultural crops. He has qualifications in Agricultural Science and Agricultural Engineering and has also skills in both operations and research management. Joe Rickman was the Regional Coordinator for IRRI in East and Southern Africa, the Operations Manager, Head of the Agricultural Engineering and the Experiment Station at IRRI headquarters and also worked as an Agricultural Engineer in the Cambodia IRRI Australia Project. In Australia he worked as an extension agronomist and established a whole farm mechanization service for farmers and agri-business in Queensland. He also has had many years of experience in teaching at tertiary institutions and International training workshops.

Extension Specialist V, Plant Sciences Department
UC Davis

Louise Ferguson has been an Extension Specialist in Pomology/Plant Sciences since 1984 at both the Kearney Agricultural and Research and Extension Center (KARE) and UC Davis. Cooperatively with Farm Advisors, Extension Specialists and UC faculty she has developed research and extension programs in pistachios, olives, figs, citrus, persimmons and pomegranates. Within Plant Sciences Louise developed the Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center (FNRIC) from 1996 - 2011. She has been active in her professional societies serving in multiple committees, offices and boards of directors and was appointed to Class XXX of California Agricultural Leadership. She has served on multiple ANR, industry, KARE, Plant Sciences and UC Davis committees and have directed multiple trainings for the International Programs Office. At UC Davis her most recent committee service includes multiple departmental, first (failed) Shields Library Director, and IPO Vice Dean selection committees, and the Joint Promotion Committee.

Special Assistant, International Programs, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis

Thomas (Tom) Rost retired in 2006 as Professor of Plant Biology at UC Davis started in 1972, his primary course was developmental plant anatomy. Tom was an innovator in the early days of the application of teaching technologies and the use of new methods. He was a co-author of a leading textbook in Botany that spanned several editions and use around the world. His teaching excellence was recognized by the UC Davis Distinguished Teaching Award in 1998 and the Botanical Society of American, Charles Edwin Bessey Award in 2007. His contributions to botany were acknowledged by the Botanical Society of America with the Merit Award for 2008. Professor Rost served at various times as Faculty Assistant to the Chancellor, Chair of the Department of Plant Biology, Associate Dean and Executive Associate Dean in the College of Biological Sciences. After retiring he was the Interim Director of the state-wide University of California Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program. Rost was also the President of the International Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta. Tom has extensive experience internationally and has spoken, conducted research and taught in at least 25 countries.

UC Davis

Mark Bell joined the University of California Davis in 2007 after working for 10 years at CIMMYT and 10 years at the IRRI. With MSc in soil science from University of Reading, UK and a PhD in Soil Science from University of Queensland, Australia. His career focus is on empowering farmers by improving their access to critical information. Drawing lessons learned from his family farm, his work now focuses on practical issues related to research-extension linkages, adult education and the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Agricultural Extension. At IRRI, he led the project that developed the Rice Knowledge Bank – the world's major web-based repository for rice-oriented training and extension materials aimed to help developing countries and presently leads the ICT efforts on: eAfghan Ag, e-China Apple and the Global Horticulture Knowledge Bank. He has developed over 200 extension and training materials including on-line diagnostic tools such as Rice Doctor and Wheat Doctor, technical and extension fact sheets. His ASK ME framework is taught as a guide for enhancing Extension in a number of countries. In AIP, he leads the Vocational Training and e-Pak Ag.

Country Representative
ILRI

Ibrahim, an animal nutritionist and dairy production specialist by profession joined ILRI in 2003 as a Regional Project Coordinator and since August 2013 he is also serving as the Project Manager for the Livestock component of the Agriculture Innovation Program for Pakistan. Prior to joining ILRI he served as the Professor of Animal Science at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He served the Wageningen Agricultural University for 10 years, and has travelled and executed projects in the South and South East Asian regions and in Nigeria. Ibrahim has made significant contribution to Agricultural Education, Research and Development with 150 publications in National & International journals; authored 10 text books, edited 5 international proceedings; written 15 monographs and 35 Fact sheets, and contributed to 15 chapters in books.

Vegetable Program Leader Pakistan Office
AVRDC

Based in Islamabad Mansab Ali is responsible for AIP-Agricultural Innovations Program at national level. An agronomist has more than 25 years of experience in agricultural research especially in crop physiology, production and management. He completed several development projects including Farming Systems Research funded by USAID, National Drainage Program funded by World Bank, SAVERNET- South Asian Vegetable Research Network of AVRDC, Kitchen Gardening and Off-season Vegetable Projects of Government of Pakistan. He has been vice chairman and member steering committee on SAVERNET-AVRDC. Prior to joining AVRDC in late 2013, Dr. Ali served as Director, Horticultural Research Institute; Director, Agricultural Poly-technique Institute and National Coordinator, Vegetable Program at National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, Pakistan. He holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

IRRI

Abdul Rehman has been working as Senior Scientist 1, as a member of IRRI since September 2013. He is responsible to provide in-country coordination of all rice-related activities under AIP project and keep liaise with wide range of national and international partners. In addition, he is responsible to plan and execute commissioned projects under the AIP in different rice ecologies of Pakistan and also oversee IRRI Pakistan Office. He earned is graduate degree in Agricultural Sciences and MSc (Hons) in Agricultural Entomology from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. He earned PhD degree from University of Reading/IACR-Rothamsted, UK in 1999. He has 33 years of experience working on multi-dimensional research themes on rice including development and dissemination of pest management technology for insect pests of rice crop, based upon insect-host plant interaction, biological control, cultural control and judicious use of pesticides. He has also been involved in farmers-participatory research and community development; and organised Farmers Field Schools to popularize the resource conservation technologies to reduce the production cost and enhance the productivity of rice-wheat systems.

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Krishna Dev Joshi, a native of Nepal, is Senior Scientist with CIMMYT's Global Wheat Program and is based in Pakistan. Before joining CIMMYT in 2012, he was based in Nepal for 12 years where he coordinated agricultural research for development (AR4D) projects in Bangladesh, Nepal and India managed by Centre for Advanced Research in International Agricultural Development (CARIAD), Bangor University, UK. He contributed to the development of 10 varieties of cereals and 3 varieties of grain legumes, released in Nepal while few rice varieties are also adopted in Bangladesh and India. Dr. Joshi was instrumental in developing simple participatory approaches to crop improvement, varietal selection, fast tracking varietal deployment, seed enterprise development and participatory scaling up. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He received his PhD from the University of Wales, Bangor, UK.

Project Manager
University of Agriculture Faisalabad

Babar Shahbaz is the associate professor of Agricultural Extension and chairperson of outreach program at USAID funded U.S-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), Pakistan. Babar holds a Ph.D. from University of Agriculture Faisalabad and post-doctorate from Zurich University Switzerland and Korea Development Institute, South Korea. His expertise includes rural development and livelihoods, agricultural extension/outreach, food security and natural resource management. Babar has experience more than 18 years of in teaching, planning, management and co-ordination of inter and trans-disciplinary research projects from various national and international donors. He is also the project manager at UAF for AIP e-Pak Ag. He has published more than 50 research papers in renowned peer reviewed journals on rural development, agricultural extension, community forestry and rural livelihoods. He has authored 3 books and several policy briefs, newspaper articles etc. and as presented his research papers at international level.

Cropping System Agronomist
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Imtiaz Hussain, a native of Pakistan, is Cropping System Agronomist with CIMMYT's Global Conservation Agriculture Program since 2013. He is working on evaluation and dissemination of conservation agriculture techniques, new CA seeders and nutrient management in wheat based cropping systems of Pakistan. Before joining CIMMYT, he previously worked as National Wheat Coordinator in Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) in Pakistan. In his 22 years' experience in agriculture sector in Pakistan, Imtiaz has worked as agronomist in Wheat program at National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad and On Farm Water Management Punjab, Pakistan. His work included Pakistan - based research on Zero tillage and bed planting in rice-wheat area of Punjab, tillage and cropping system work in rain fed area, wheat crop management, ridge planting in irrigated wheat and agronomic zinc bio fortification in wheat. He has authored or co-authored more than 25 research publications in peer – reviewed journals. He received his PhD in Agronomy from the University of Illinois, Urbana, USA.

Maize Improvement & Seed System Specialist
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Dr. AbduRahman Beshir is CIMMYT's maize improvement and seed system specialist based in Islamabad, Pakistan. Beshir, from Ethiopia, has 20 years of experience working on seed systems. He has worked as plant protection officer, seed quality controller, seed agronomist and crop improvement specialist. He was the national coordinator for a mega seed project led by Wageningen University and Research (WUR) in collaboration with ICARDA and ESE addressing issue of farmers, seeds and varieties in Ethiopia. He has a broad understanding of factors affecting small and medium seed enterprises development and multi-stakeholders analysis in the seed value chain in the context of developing countries. He holds Ph.D. degree in plant breeding from the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. His Ph.D. work focused on maize breeding, especially the performance and grain yield stability of quality protein maize (QPM) in different mega-environments of Sub-Saharan Africa, for which he won a gold medal from the University of Johannesburg. While working for ESE, he led the release of two hybrid maize varieties for commercial production in Ethiopia. He was an active national partner for CIMMYT, particularly in the seed production and dissemination of QPM and drought-tolerant maize varieties in Ethiopia since 2002-2007 and a CIMMYT research fellow from 2008-2012.

Agricultural Economist (Associate Scientist)
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Dr. Akhter Ali has started his professional career with National rural support Program (NRSP) than he served Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) for more than 12 years before joining CIMMYT in 2013. He obtained his PhD in Agricultural Economics from University of Kiel, Germany in 2010. The title of his dissertation was “Impact of Land Tenure Arrangements, Bt cotton adoption and Market Participation on the welfare of farm households in Rural Pakistan”. He also supervised three M. Phil students while serving as faculty member at department of Applied Economics. He has more than 20 international publications on his credit.