Hyderabad: Dr. Jacqueline d’Arros Hughes, the outgoing Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India, will step into her new role as Secretary General of the World Agriculture Forum in mid-November 2024. With a career full of groundbreaking achievements in sustainable agriculture, she brings the expertise and vision to propel the Forum’s mission forward.
With over 30 years of experience in agricultural research for development, Dr. Hughes has earned recognition for her leadership in addressing global challenges, such as food insecurity, sustainable agriculture, and rural development in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
Educated in the United Kingdom, Dr. Hughes completed her PhD at Reading University and began her career with postdoctoral work, later collaborating with national partners in Ghana. Throughout her journey, she held key leadership roles in prominent agricultural institutes across Africa and Asia, gaining valuable insight into the unique challenges these regions face.
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Dr. Hughes, a distinguished plant virologist, is passionate about remote sensing, digitalisation and gender equity. She consistently champions the integration of modern technologies, best practices in plant quarantine, and ethical intellectual property use to drive agricultural progress. Her belief in creating local impact with global vision, and vice versa, underscores her approach to global agricultural challenges.
During her tenure as Director General of ICRISAT, Dr. Hughes skillfully guided the institute through the pandemic, achieving notable milestones under difficult circumstances. Her leadership helped ICRISAT secure the Africa Food Prize in 2021 and host India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its 50th-anniversary celebration in 2022. She also bolstered ICRISAT’s role in dryland agriculture in 2023 by actively participating in the G20 agriculture meetings in New Delhi and co-chairing the International Steering Committee for the United Nations’ International Year of Millets.
World Agriculture Forum Chairman Rudy Rabbinge shared his enthusiasm, stating, “Dr. Hughes brings a wealth of experience and commitment to agricultural innovation, which is essential to our mission. Her proven record of impactful results, deep understanding of international agriculture, and vision for sustainable intensification will strengthen the Forum’s position as a global leader in addressing food and nutrition security.”
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As Secretary General, Dr. Hughes plans to focus on building alliances and advancing agricultural innovation, positioning the World Agriculture Forum to meet the evolving demands of the global sector. Her appointment reflects the Forum’s commitment to visionary leadership that drives meaningful change in agriculture.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, the World Agriculture Forum (WAF) serves as a global platform that connects a wide range of stakeholders to advance sustainable agricultural development through policy advocacy, trade facilitation, and technology-driven solutions. By uniting governments, farmers, agribusinesses, experts, and development institutions, WAF addresses implementation gaps and drives the transformation of food systems to support smallholder farmers, foster agro-ventures, and build resilient value chains for a food-secure future. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and public-private partnerships, WAF is dedicated to transforming agriculture on a global scale.
