After three years of dedicated service, the term of Mr Patrick Ngwediagi as Chairman of the AfricaSeeds Governing Board has come to an end.
Mr Ngwediagi’s contribution has been significant in strengthening the organization throughout the last three years. Under his leadership, AfricaSeeds has achieved outstanding results. Among them are the definition of the institutional strategy for the period 2016-25 and the fostering of a unique collaboration model between AfricaSeeds and Member States with well-defined procedures and new business models included in a legally binding Memorandum of Understanding already signed with a number of Member States and sub-regional Economic Communities.
During the fourth Governing Board meeting, Board members unanimously appointed the incoming Chair, Dr Adama Traore. With its wealth of experience in governance and executive positions in international research and development institutions of the African agricultural sector, Dr Traore could not be better placed to lead the efforts that will bring AfricaSeeds to the next level. Former President of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) and former Vice President of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), he has also been a Trustee in the Governing Boards of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the AfricaRice Center and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). He also served as interim director general of the AfricaRice Center from 2012 to 2014. Throughout his career, Dr Traore has demonstrated strong negotiation skills that will no doubt be of benefit to AfricaSeeds in its interactions with seed sector stakeholders in the continent. Dr Janet Edeme, representative of the African Union to the Board, was appointed as Vice-Chair.
“I am extremely honoured to have been appointed as Chair of this promising and key organization that can make a huge difference for the development of a healthy and more sustainable seed sector contributing to the agricultural transformation agenda of Africa”, said Dr Traore. “I am confident that great results will be achieved in the next few years by the institution, not least because we can count on the support of the African Union, which can yield immense impact. I feel reassured to that effect by having Dr Edeme acting as Vice-Chair”, he added.
Among their numerous responsibilities, Board members recognized the need to continue playing their role of shepherding the organization, drawing on their various experiences, opportunities and advantages. They declared they will spare no effort to build on the progress achieved to date and harvest the new set of skills that the new Chairman brings to AfricaSeeds’ pathway to success.
