Digital Agriculture: Policies and Pathways: In partnership with International Telecom Union (ITU)

From 2019, Dr Dino Francescutti Motis is the Sub-regional Coordinator of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen , FAO Representative in the United Arab Emirates. He is Mexican and Italian, with a Ph.D. in Economics and a M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics from the USA and a B.Sc. in Animal Husbandry from Mexico. From 1982 to 1991, he worked in Mexico as Project and Financial Analyst and in the USA as Researcher and Professor while completing his graduate studies. In 1991, Mr Francescutti joined FAO as Food Security Officer. From 1995 to 2019, he worked as Economist and Senior Economist of the FAO Investment Centre, in Rome (Italy) and Santiago (Chile). He was often Officer-in-Charge for the Investment Centre Service, covering Latin America and Caribbean, Europe, North Africa and Middle East. He provided substantive technical support to most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, but also in some countries in Africa and Asia. He was instrumental in the development of capacity development tools of FAO for investment related work, from identification to results assessment. Currently, he leads the development of the FAO programme of work in several GCC States, in support of the food security strategies of member countries. In the UAE, he currently facilitates policy and technical dialogue between FAO, other UN agencies and the Government in support of strengthening strategic frameworks and actions around food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and livestock development 

Digital Agriculture: Policies and Pathways: In partnership with International Telecom Union (ITU)

Digital Agriculture: Policies and Pathways: In partnership with International Telecom Union (ITU)

Digital Agriculture: Policies and Pathways: In partnership with International Telecom Union (ITU)

Digital Agriculture: Policies and Pathways: In partnership with International Telecom Union (ITU)

High-level Panel: Trade, Innovation, and Technologies for Food Security in the MENA

High-level Panel: Trade, Innovation, and Technologies for Food Security in the MENA

High-level Panel: Trade, Innovation, and Technologies for Food Security in the MENA

High-level Panel: Trade, Innovation, and Technologies for Food Security in the MENA

Dr Ismahane Elouafi is Chief Scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations, and part of FAO’s core leadership structure.
With nearly two decades of experience in agricultural research and development in Asia, Africa
and the Middle East, Dr Elouafi is known for promoting neglected crops, non-fresh water in
agriculture, and women in science.
Dr Elouafi has been a member of numerous boards and research institutes. Her contributions to
science have been recognized with prestigious awards and accolades, including the Excellence in
Science Award from the Global Thinkers Forum.
Dr Elouafi holds a Ph.D. in Genetics.

High-level Panel: Trade, Innovation, and Technologies for Food Security in the MENA

Daria carries expertise in international economic law, particularly on trade barriers and international agreements. She has undertaken extensive legislative research in the field of technical and SPS regulation in the international trade. She also conducts capacity building and training courses at Moscow State Institute of International Relations. At present she is working with Agroexport under Ministry of Agriculture, Russia, primarily focused on analysis of market access conditions and non-tariff barriers.
In her previous assignment, Daria participated in governmental working groups on export support and served an expert in the WTO trade disputes. From September 2018 until March 2019, she headed the Legal Department of the International Trade and Integration Research Center. She participated in the creation of the “Interactive Guide for Russian exporters” and led a project on use of ionizing radiation in the food industry.
As an independent expert, Daria has participated in numerous expert councils of the Eurasian Commission and has been a team-leader in three international research projects, concerning surveillance transformation and dispute resolution in the Eurasian Union. Nowadays she is working on building the quality infrastructure on the territory of the Eurasian Union.
Since June 2019, she has also been a Responsible Secretary of the Committee of the Eurasian Business Committee on trade and economic relations with China.
Daria holds a Master degree from Russian Foreign Trade Academy and a Bachelor from Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL).

High-level Panel: Trade, Innovation, and Technologies for Food Security in the MENA

Mr. Elwaer, a national of Libya, holds a Ph.D. of Philosophy in Environmental Chemistry from Sheffield University,  the United Kingdom, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Organizational Leadership from the Gestalt Centre of Organizations and Systems Development in the United States, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and Science Technology from the University of Sabha in Libya. Mr. Elwaer served as Secretary of Environmental General Authority (Minister of Environment) of the Government of Libya in Tripoli and was elected President of the African Ministerial Congress on Environment (AMCEN) from 2004 to 2006. In 2007, he joined the African Union as Director for Human Resources, Science and Technology, and became Director for Administration and Human Resources Management in 2009.  During his career at the African Union (AU), Mr. Elwaer has supervised and managed the Establishment of several African unique initiatives and institutions. Prior to joining the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), he served as Adviser to the President on Global Advocacy and Partnerships at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he also served as the IsDB Spokesperson and Director of Cooperation, Partnerships, Regional Integration and Resource Mobilization from 2014 to 2017. He was further appointed IsDB’s Sherpa at G20 and Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs).

Youth Driving AgriFood Innovation

Dalia is a development practitioner and sustainability researcher with 15 years of experience in the Middle East. As an Economist at FAO’s Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, Dalia is responsible for several cross cutting areas of work including territorial development, rural migration, decent employment, youth and social protection. Her work ties together the need for accelerated poverty reduction and inclusive growth through sustainable and integrated natural resource management. Prior to joining FAO, Dalia led assessments in the fields of waste to energy, alternative fuel and solid waste management as well as worked with USAID on building regional research capacity in the area of climate change adaptation and water scarcity. She holds BA in political economy from the American University in Cairo and an MSc in environment and development from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Youth Driving AgriFood Innovation

A Creative Systems Thinker and Successful Social Entrepreneur with Innovation at Heart

Carla is a successful entrepreneur with strong social leadership. A citizen of the world with deep intercultural understanding and international experience having lived in 3 continents US, Middle East and Europe, she’s leading a global initiative for the future of Food & Agriculture. She started working from a young age and managed to have successful exits. Carla is the co-founder and managing partner of Industry Disruptors-Game Changers (ID-GC), a non-for-profit organisation empowering the youth towards innovation and entrepreneurship in Greece and abroad. Carla is focused on the Future Agro Challenge (FAC – www.facagro.com), a global agrifood innovation platform, which is the main initiative of Industry Disruptors as an effort to create a new generation of farmers and agripreneurs. FAC, since its inception in 2015, is continuously growing now operating in 64 countries across 5 continents. Carla has recently been called upon to become the Dean of the Institute at ACS Athens, a premiere school empowering individuals to transform the world as architects of their own learning. Carla, is also a visiting lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the top-rated international MSc program of the Athens Medical School (internal evaluation 2016) in collaboration with Alexander Fleming Biomedical Science Research Center, in Molecular Biomedicine, training the next generation of Biomedical Researchers and Innovators. She is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, a TEDx advocate and organizer, as well as, a member of the United Nations Committee of World Food Security Private Sector Mechanism and Youth Council Advisory.

Youth Driving AgriFood Innovation

Ramy Boujawdeh joined Berytech in 2014 as the Deputy General Manager. He has been leading the Incubation and Entrepreneurship Business Development arm that supports innovative Lebanese startups and SMEs, providing Business Support, Mentorship, Coaching, Fundraising, Hosting, Networking and Internationalization and part of Innovation and Entrepreneurship regional programs. He designed and leads the A.C.T. Smart Innovation Hub initiative, a first of its kind in MENA focusing on both Agtech and Cleantech. He is also the manager of the Regional Innovation Hub (RIH) in the MENA Region for the Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) challenge fund.

Between 2000 and 2014, Ramy amassed a diversified knowledge in the fields of change management, quality management, operations, as he filled roles in General and Regional Management in different industries across 3 continents. He is keen on mobilizing his knowledge and connections to the best interest of the stakeholders he supports. He advises startups in Lebanon and is an Angel Investor with SEEDERS.

Since his return to Lebanon, Ramy has been actively supporting social causes such as education, sustainability, agriculture, environment, gender equity and economic development.

Ramy is the Vice President of a Lebanese NGO – Rural Entrepreneurs, and is part of the External Advisor Board of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science at the American University of Beirut. He is also a member of the council of representatives at the order of Engineers and Architects. Ramy was named as a Board member representing all Non-EU Members including Lebanon, in the European Business & Innovation centers Network (EBN).

Ramy holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Engineering from AUB, and a master’s degree in Business Management and Economics.

Youth Driving AgriFood Innovation As President & CEO of Enactus, Robyn S. Fehrman is a results-driven, nonprofit executive with 20 years of experience intentionally scaling impact enterprises to achieve systemic change. She joined Enactus after serving as Managing Director of the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. Prior to her work at CASE, Fehrman led Teach For America - Eastern North Carolina as Executive Director and held various roles at the local, state, and national level advancing philanthropy, economic development, and public health. Outside of Enactus, she serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Global Grassroots, a social enterprise working in East Africa to catalyze women and girls as the leaders of Conscious Social Change in their communities. Robyn received a B.A. in English and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband and two children

Big Data and Analytics for AgriFood System Transformation

Big Data and Analytics for AgriFood System Transformation David was named by Future Agro Challenge (FAC) as Global Agripreneur of the Year 2018 for his work as CEO of AgUnity helping lift low-income farmers out of poverty. AgUnity provides a smartphone and blockchain solution that improves trust and cooperation for smallholder farmers and is also used as a platform for a range of problems including mobile banking for the financially excluded, and data collection for developed world farmers.

The work by David and AgUnity has been globally recognised by the likes of IFC World Bank, Mastercard Foundation, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Oxford University and more.

Previously, David has been the Founder and CEO of several successful FinTech, SaaS, and mobile start-ups and spent over a decade in senior roles at global investment banks such as Goldman Sachs, Lehman, Nomura & Standard Chartered Bank.

Big Data and Analytics for AgriFood System Transformation

Saifullah Khan is an International Trade, Technology and Policy Lawyer, has extensive experience in the
areas of international trade policy, privacy and personal data protection, both in advisory and policy roles.
He has a special focus over data space, where he has critically studied the General Data Protection
Regulation of the European Union and has carried out a benchmarking of the same with personal data
protection laws of other jurisdictions like Pakistan, Malaysia, California, Brazil, Canada, Bahrain, UAE etc.
He is advising his international clients about the compliance requirements that are to be met once law on
this subject is enforced in Pakistan. He has prepared and reviewed the privacy policies and intra-group
agreements concerning cross-border transfer of persona data.
He is studying the evolving postulate “data as a right or data as an asset” and in this regard is analyzing
potential regulatory issues in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing, trading, services etc.
He has contributed a number of articles on privacy and data protection published by Global Legal Group’s
International Comparative Legal Guide, Mondaq, Lexology, Financier Worldwide, OneTrust etc.
He is member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and has done a course from
London School of Economics and Political Science on “Data: Law, Policy and Regulation”.

Science, Innovation and Food: The Cutting Edge in Academic Research

Dr Ismahane Elouafi is Chief Scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations, and part of FAO’s core leadership structure.
With nearly two decades of experience in agricultural research and development in Asia, Africa
and the Middle East, Dr Elouafi is known for promoting neglected crops, non-fresh water in
agriculture, and women in science.
Dr Elouafi has been a member of numerous boards and research institutes. Her contributions to
science have been recognized with prestigious awards and accolades, including the Excellence in
Science Award from the Global Thinkers Forum.
Dr Elouafi holds a Ph.D. in Genetics.

Science, Innovation and Food: The Cutting Edge in Academic Research

Director of Strategy at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. Prior to his current position, Dr. Serraj was the Delivery Manager of the Regional Initiative on Small Scale Family Farming and Rural Transformation, in Near East and North Africa, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Senior Project Officer with the Secretariat of the Science Council of the CGIAR. From 2010 to 2012 he was Director of Diversification & Sustainable Intensification of Production Systems (DSIPS) at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Dr. Serraj has an extensive experience in research and development and occupied several positions in various international research centres and organizations such as IRRI, IAEA, ICRISAT. He holds a PhD in crop science and agronomy from Montpelier University, France in 1987. He is author of more than 250 publications and several books, international reports, and studies.

Science, Innovation and Food: The Cutting Edge in Academic Research Mark Tester is professor of plant science at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Associate Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture and co-Founder and Chief Scientist of Red Sea Farms LLC. In 2019, he was Head of the Food Sector at NEOM. Prior to joining KAUST in February 2013, he was an ARC Federation Fellow and professor of plant physiology at the University of Adelaide, where he established The Plant Accelerator. Previously, he was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, where he also received his PhD in 1988. Mark is now enjoying developing saltwater-based agricultural systems, to improve sustainability of food production.

Science, Innovation and Food: The Cutting Edge in Academic Research

                                    المسؤول الإقليمي للبرامج بالمكتب الإقليمي للشرق الأدنى وشمال أفريقيا – منظمة الأغذية والزراعة، القاهرة، جمهورية مصر العربية هو مستشار زراعي ومتخصص في إدارة الموارد المائية، ولديه أكثر من 30 عامًا من الخبرة في التعامل مع القضايا المتعلقة بالتنمية الزراعية في الشرق الأدنى وإفريقيا وآسيا، مع التركيز بشكل خاص على قضايا الأراضي والمياه، والتكيف مع تغير المناخ وسبل العيش الريفية. في عام 2015، انضم إلى الفريق المسؤول عن تطوير برنامج الفاو الاستراتيجي للزراعة المستدامة. ومنذ فبراير 2019، ينسق السيد فوريس جميع البرامج لمنظمة الأغذية والزراعة في إقليم الشرق الأدنى وشمال إفريقيا.

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

Mr. Elwaer, a national of Libya, holds a Ph.D. of Philosophy in Environmental Chemistry from Sheffield University,  the United Kingdom, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Organizational Leadership from the Gestalt Centre of Organizations and Systems Development in the United States, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and Science Technology from the University of Sabha in Libya. Mr. Elwaer served as Secretary of Environmental General Authority (Minister of Environment) of the Government of Libya in Tripoli and was elected President of the African Ministerial Congress on Environment (AMCEN) from 2004 to 2006. In 2007, he joined the African Union as Director for Human Resources, Science and Technology, and became Director for Administration and Human Resources Management in 2009.  During his career at the African Union (AU), Mr. Elwaer has supervised and managed the Establishment of several African unique initiatives and institutions. Prior to joining the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), he served as Adviser to the President on Global Advocacy and Partnerships at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he also served as the IsDB Spokesperson and Director of Cooperation, Partnerships, Regional Integration and Resource Mobilization from 2014 to 2017. He was further appointed IsDB’s Sherpa at G20 and Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs).

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

Dr. Kalibata has served as the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) since 2014. She leads the organization’s efforts with public and private partners to ensure a food secure and prosperous Africa through rapid, inclusive, sustainable agricultural growth, improving the productivity and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa.

Under Dr. Kalibata’s leadership, AGRA is working to increase the incomes and improve food security for 30 million farming households in 11 African countries by 2021 through targeted investments to strengthen 3 core areas: state capability and policies, input delivery systems in agriculture, and partnerships for inclusive agricultural growth.

From 2019-2021, Dr. Kalibata also served as the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit. In this role, Dr. Kalibata worked with the United Nations system and key partners to provide leadership, guidance, and strategic direction for Summit, ensuring it successfully served as a catalytic process at the start of the Decade of Action to improve food systems around the world to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.

Prior to joining AGRA, Dr. Kalibata was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) from 2008 to 2014, where she drove programs that moved her country from a food insecure to a food secure status and became a reference point for other countries that sought to deliver agriculture transformation.

Dr. Kalibata also sits on various boards, councils and commissions including the Global Commission on Adaptation, the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, the Global Panel for Agriculture & Food Systems for Nutrition, the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program (GAFSP), the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum, the Malabo-Montpellier Panel, and Africa Risk Capacity, among others.

Dr. Kalibata has a distinguished track record as an agricultural scientist, policy maker and thought leader. She was awarded the Yara Prize, now the Africa Food Prize, in 2012, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liège in 2018, an Honorary Doctorate from McGill Univeristy in 2019, and the National Academy of Sciences’ Public Welfare Medal in April, 2019 for her work to drive Africa’s agricultural transformation through modern sciences and effective policy thereby improving livelihoods of stallholder farmers. Dr. Kalibata holds a doctorate in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

Jessica Fanzo, PhD in the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Global Food Policy and Ethics and Vice Dean of Faculty Affairs and the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University.

She holds appointments in the Berman Institute of Bioethics and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. She serves as the Director of Hopkins’ Global Food Policy and Ethics Program, and as Director of Food & Nutrition Security at Hopkins’ Alliance for a Healthier World. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Global Food Security Journal and leads on the development of the Food Systems Dashboard, in collaboration with GAIN. From 2017 to 2021, Fanzo served on the Food Systems Economic Commission, the Global Panel of Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition Foresight 2.0 report, and the EAT-Lancet Commission. She was also the Co-Chair of the Global Nutrition Report and Team Leader for the UN High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Systems and Nutrition. Before coming to Hopkins, she has also held positions at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and College of Medicine, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the UN World Food Programme, Bioversity International, and the Millennium Development Goal Centre at the World Agroforestry Center in Kenya. In 2021, she published her first book, Can Fixing Dinner Fix the Planet? and co-wrote Global Food Systems, Diets, and Nutrition: Linking Science, Economics, and Policy. Fanzo holds a Ph.D. in nutrition from the University of Arizona and completed a Stephen I. Morse postdoctoral fellowship in immunology in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Columbia University.

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

Anna Campagna. Vice Mayor of Milan since 2016 and Deputy Mayor for Education.

From 2017 she is in charge of the Milan Food Policy. As City Councilor, in the mandate 2011-2016, she focused on rural-urban linkages, becoming also Metropolitan Councilor and member of the board of the Agricultural Southern Milan Park.
She has a Master Degree in Physics, and she worked on data analytics and learning tools.

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

High-level Panel: The Committee on World Food Security – from Commitment to Action

Disruptive AgriFood Solutions led by Businesses

Sheikh Dr. Majid Sultan Al Qassimi. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Saint Istvan University in Budapest, Hungary.

He started his work as a veterinarian in the zoo and conservation field and moved into an administration role in 2013 as a Director to oversee the Terrestrial Biodiversity and conservation activities at the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi. From 2015 to 2021 he was the Chief Veterinary Officer of the UAE and Advisor to 2 Minister regarding all things Food and Agriculture, at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, UAE.
His work as a policy maker brought him to the center of Food Security, Sustainability and Biodiversity for the UAE and the Arab world, looking to create clear direction for the UAE and the Middle East on how technology, sustainable agriculture and traditional practices can create a food production revolution in the region. After Developing the Food Diversification strategy for the UAE with the Food and Agriculture Organization, Sh. Dr. Majid has the ability to see both a holistic "all of country" approach to Food Security, as well as dive down into specific technical subjects to navigate challenges and opportunities. He sits on multiple boards of Accreditation Authorities, UAE Food Safety Committee, and on multiple other Food, Animal and Agriculture Boards.
He is a founding partner at SOMA MATER where he continues to develop Food Security and Sustainability strategies and solutions for private sector and governments.
He has a keen interest in engaging the youth to further career choices in STEM subjects, and as one of the first veterinarians from his country, he plays a vital role in supporting veterinary education and awareness, through public speaking, advising the university curriculum.

Disruptive AgriFood Solutions led by Businesses

Ramy Boujawdeh joined Berytech in 2014 as the Deputy General Manager. He has been leading the Incubation and Entrepreneurship Business Development arm that supports innovative Lebanese startups and SMEs, providing Business Support, Mentorship, Coaching, Fundraising, Hosting, Networking and Internationalization and part of Innovation and Entrepreneurship regional programs. He designed and leads the A.C.T. Smart Innovation Hub initiative, a first of its kind in MENA focusing on both Agtech and Cleantech. He is also the manager of the Regional Innovation Hub (RIH) in the MENA Region for the Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) challenge fund.

Between 2000 and 2014, Ramy amassed a diversified knowledge in the fields of change management, quality management, operations, as he filled roles in General and Regional Management in different industries across 3 continents. He is keen on mobilizing his knowledge and connections to the best interest of the stakeholders he supports. He advises startups in Lebanon and is an Angel Investor with SEEDERS.

Since his return to Lebanon, Ramy has been actively supporting social causes such as education, sustainability, agriculture, environment, gender equity and economic development.

Ramy is the Vice President of a Lebanese NGO – Rural Entrepreneurs, and is part of the External Advisor Board of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science at the American University of Beirut. He is also a member of the council of representatives at the order of Engineers and Architects. Ramy was named as a Board member representing all Non-EU Members including Lebanon, in the European Business & Innovation centers Network (EBN).

Ramy holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Engineering from AUB, and a master’s degree in Business Management and Economics.

Disruptive AgriFood Solutions led by Businesses

Daria carries expertise in international economic law, particularly on trade barriers and international agreements. She has undertaken extensive legislative research in the field of technical and SPS regulation in the international trade. She also conducts capacity building and training courses at Moscow State Institute of International Relations. At present she is working with Agroexport under Ministry of Agriculture, Russia, primarily focused on analysis of market access conditions and non-tariff barriers.
In her previous assignment, Daria participated in governmental working groups on export support and served an expert in the WTO trade disputes. From September 2018 until March 2019, she headed the Legal Department of the International Trade and Integration Research Center. She participated in the creation of the “Interactive Guide for Russian exporters” and led a project on use of ionizing radiation in the food industry.
As an independent expert, Daria has participated in numerous expert councils of the Eurasian Commission and has been a team-leader in three international research projects, concerning surveillance transformation and dispute resolution in the Eurasian Union. Nowadays she is working on building the quality infrastructure on the territory of the Eurasian Union.
Since June 2019, she has also been a Responsible Secretary of the Committee of the Eurasian Business Committee on trade and economic relations with China.
Daria holds a Master degree from Russian Foreign Trade Academy and a Bachelor from Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL).

Trailblazing women and youth in MENA agrifood systems

Dr Ismahane Elouafi is Chief Scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations, and part of FAO’s core leadership structure.
With nearly two decades of experience in agricultural research and development in Asia, Africa
and the Middle East, Dr Elouafi is known for promoting neglected crops, non-fresh water in
agriculture, and women in science.
Dr Elouafi has been a member of numerous boards and research institutes. Her contributions to
science have been recognized with prestigious awards and accolades, including the Excellence in
Science Award from the Global Thinkers Forum.
Dr Elouafi holds a Ph.D. in Genetics.

Trailblazing women and youth in MENA agrifood systems

Maryam Rezaei is an agro-food industry officer with FAO's regional office for the Near East and North Africa. She leads the work on value chain development, provides technical support and strategic guidance on agribusiness, market linkages and food loss and waste. Previous to this role, Maryam was a Food Systems Advisor with the Food Systems and Food Safety division at FAO.
Prior to joining FAO, Maryam worked with governments, private sector agri-food businesses, NGOs and international development organisations. She managed and supported the design, implementation and evaluation of projects and programmes, focusing on improving sustainability and resilience of agri-food value chains.
Maryam has an MSc in Food Science and Technology from Ecole Supérieure d'Agricultures d’Angers in France.”