Board of trustees

Dr. Ralph Anthony Fischer
Australia
2005-2010
Plant and crop physiology, land and water resources and sustainable development, agricultural development

Dr. Fischer has been active in crop, land, and water research for more than 30 years in Australia and the developing world. Previously, Dr. Fischer was director of the Wheat Program at CIMMYT from 1988 to 1995 and the principal research scientist at CSIRO’s (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Division of Plant Industry from 1978 to 1988. A prolific author of refereed journal articles in plant physiology and a recognized world expert in dryland agriculture, Dr. Fischer is the recipient of several Australian and international awards for his research. Dr. Fischer’s knowledge of the CGIAR and his vast experience in agricultural research both in Australia and internationally will be a huge asset for IRRI.

Dr. Mutsuo Iwamoto
Japan
2008-2010
Food engineering, research management

Dr. Mutsuo Iwamoto is president of the Society for the Techno-innovation of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (STAFF). STAFF was established in 1989 as a nongovernmental organization to promote and coordinate R&D for advanced technology that has potential for techno-innovation for agriculture-related industry. The research institute under STAFF played an important role in the success of the rice genome coding project conducted by the International Rice Genome Consortium supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF). Prior to this, Dr. Iwamoto was president of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) from 2003 to 2005. He had previously served as director-general of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Research Council (AFFRC) Secretariat under the jurisdiction of MAFF in Tokyo from 2001 to 2003; as research councilor at the AFFRC Secretariat; and as director-general of Tokai Regional Agricultural Administration from 1999 to 2001.

He started his academic career at the Department of Agricultural Process Engineering in Kyushu University and obtained an M.S. and Ph.D. there. After working as a research associate there, he joined the National Food Research Institute in 1973 and worked in technology development for quality control of food and agricultural products in the postharvest process. After serving as director of food engineering in that Institute from 1989 to 1993, he moved to MAFF headquarters to become responsible for planning and management of R&D programs, and then for personnel management at the AFFRC Secretariat.

Dr. Iwamoto’s major research subjects are diversified areas related to food technology, especially in developing nondestructive measuring methods for food quality in general. As a pioneer of near-infrared spectroscopy in Japan, he made great contributions to this field, which earned him various awards, including the internationally recognized Thomas Hirschfeld Award.

Dr. Seong-Hee Lee
Republic of Korea
2008-2010
Plant physiology

Dr. Seong-Hee Lee is the former director general of the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Suwon, Korea. He still serves NICS as a senior researcher and is lecturing at Dankook University in plant physiology and experimental statistics.

He earned degrees at Seoul National University (B.S. in agricultural science, major in agronomy) in 1979 and Lincoln University College of Canterbury University, New Zealand (diploma in agricultural science in 1986 and Ph.D. in plant science in 1991). He also took a policy development course for top-ranking officers in 2001 at the Central Government Officials’ Training Institute.

He worked for various agricultural technical and research institutions: National Seed Production and Distribution Office and National Agricultural Materials Inspection Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF); and Agro-chemicals Research Institute, Wheat and Barley Research Institute, and International Technical Cooperation Center (ITTC) of RDA. He also served as director of ITTC and head of the Research Planning Division, Research Management Bureau of RDA. Before becoming director general of NICS, he served as director general for most of the Korean agricultural research institutions under RDA as follows: (1) Agricultural Resources Department, National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology; (2) National Highland Agricultural Research Institute; (3) National Honam Agricultural Research Institute; and (4) National Youngnam Agricultural Research Institute.

He has published five books and more than 180 scientific papers and technical articles on agriculture. He has also participated in 45 international projects and meetings as the national representative or project coordinator for FAO, UNDP, UNIDO, AARDO, UPOV, FFTC, CGIAR centers, APAARI, CORRA, etc. He holds membership and senior positions in 15 local and international scientific and technical societies and academic institutions, and served in the following positions: chairman, Council for Rice Research Partnerships in Asia (CORRA) in 2004-05; president, Korean Society of International Agricultural Development in 2006-07; president, Korean Society of Reclaimed-Land Agriculture in 2003-04; vice president, Korean Crop Science Society in 2005-06; Organizing Committee of the 5th International Crop Science Congress in 2004-present; Korean Society of Wheat and Barley Development in 2003-04; Korean Society of Rice Development in 2005-07; Korean Society of Seed Industry Development in 2005-present; and Korean Society of North Korean Agriculture in 2003-06. He was also concurrent professor, Postgraduate Schools of Chunbuk University, in 2004-05, and at Kangwon University in 2005-06.

Jillian Lenne
United Kingdom
2007-2009
Plant pathology

Jill Lenné has almost 30 years experience in tropical agricultural research and development, including 15 years experience with CGIAR centres as Plant Pathologist, Tropical Pastures Program, CIAT, Colombia and Director, Crop Protection Division and Deputy Director General-Research, ICRISAT, India. In addition, she was Programme Leader (Strategy) and Adviser for the DFID, Crop Protection Programme, UK from 1997-2000 and a Programme and Project Leader at the Natural Resources Institute, UK from 1991-1994. She is currently a consultant in agricultural research for development, Visiting Professor in Agro-biodiversity, University of Greenwich, UK and Co-Editor in Chief - Asia, Field Crops Research. She has B.Agr.Sci. (Hons), Ph.D, (Plant Pathology) and D.Agr.Sci. degrees from the Faculty of Agriculture & Forestry, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Prof. Ruth K. Oniang’o
Kenya
2004-2009
Food science and nutrition

Ruth K. Oniang’o received her BS (with distinction) and MS degrees from Washington State University in the United States and her Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and has since spent 20 years in academia. Her areas of research and consultation are household food and nutritional security, women’s nutrition, child health, and community-level agro-processing, in which she has published widely. Prof. Oniang’o has done much consultation work, such as with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in nutrition. She has published 50 articles in international and local journals and magazines and has written chapters in several books.

Prof. Oniang’o has been awarded the Silver Star Medal by the President of the Republic of Kenya for outstanding service to the country in community development through action research in 1995 and the Distinguished Service Medal for national service in 1998. She has been on the board of the Kenya Bureau of Standards, Egerton University Council, and Poverty Eradication Commission. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Development and founder and executive director of the Rural Outreach Program.

She is on the board of the Kenya Gatsby Charitable Trust, Food Security and Sustainable Development Division of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Biotechnology Advisory Council of Monsanto-USA, and the Private Sector Corporate Governance Trust. She is also on the advisory committee of the Biofortification Project of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a member of the working group forming the Society of African Journal Editors, a panel member of the World Cancer Research Fund International, and founder-president of the Kenya Union of Food Science and Technology.

Prof. Oniang’o is currently the executive director of the Rural Outreach Program and has been elected a member of Parliament of the Government of Kenya.

Dr. Ronald L. Phillips
United States
2004-2009
Plant breeding and genetics

Ronald L. Phillips earned BS and MS degrees from Purdue University and a PhD from the University of Minnesota. He did postdoctoral training at Cornell University. Throughout his career, Dr. Phillips has coupled the techniques of plant genetics with research advances in tissue culture and molecular biology to enhance understanding of the basic biology of cereal crops and to improve these species by innovative methods. His research program at the University of Minnesota was one of the early programs in modern plant biotechnology related to agriculture. He is a founding member and former director of the Plant Molecular Genetics Institute of the University of Minnesota. He has served on numerous editorial boards, edited six books, and published more than 50 book chapters, 100 refereed journal articles, and 200 abstracts.

Dr. Phillips teaches a course in plant genetics and is invited to teach it or present the results of his research at numerous universities, governmental organizations, and industries in the U.S. and abroad. He served as chief scientist of the United States Department of Agriculture (1996-98) in charge of the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program. His awards include being named a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and receiving the Purdue University Distinguished Alumni Award for Agriculture, the Dekalb Genetics Distinguished Career Award for Crop Science, and an honorary doctorate from Purdue University. He served as president of the CSSA. In 1991, he was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is a former chair of the Section on Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences. He is also a retired chair of the Agriculture Section of the AAAS.

Dr. Mangala Rai
India
2006-2010
Genetics and plant breeding

Born on a remote area family farm on 30 June 1947, Dr. Rai completed his master’s degree in genetics and plant breeding on a merit scholarship in 1969 and his Ph D on a fellowship from the Banaras Hindu University in 1973. Dr. Rai started his professional career as a junior plant breeder in April 1973 and worked his way up from senior scientist at ICAR to plant breeder-cum-reader at the Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, ICAR project coordinator (linseed), assistant director general (seeds), assistant director general (policy & perspective planning), and deputy director general (crop science). He was also director (oilseed technology, TMO), national director (National Agricultural Technology Project), and agriculture commissioner for the Government of India. He took over as secretary of the Government of India’s Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and director general of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) on 1 September 2003.

Dr. Rai has made significant contributions to science and society with more than 200 wide-ranging papers and presentations in important journals and meetings that have covered various facets of genetics, biometrical genetics, salinity tolerance, pest resistance, quality enhancement, mutation breeding, genetic resources, seed technology, biotechnology, and bio-energy. He has presented policy papers relating to GATT, WTO, and IPR that have helped the national agricultural system deal with current and emerging challenges. He has authored books on topical subjects including crop hybrids and transgenics in agriculture.

Dr. Rai’s services to professional societies include the presidency of eight national societies related to genetics and plant breeding, genetic resources, seed technology, physiology, oilseeds, allelopathy, agro-technology, bio-energy and agricultural statistics. He also served as president of the Agricultural Research Service Scientists’ Forum. He served as chair/member of the editorial boards of several publications and as an organizing member of a number of international congresses and conferences. He has served as the chair of several important committees related to crop standards, varietal release and notification, germplasm registration, pesticide registration, Indian plant quarantine work, and the importing and exporting of beneficial organisms. In January 2006 he was elected as the vice president of India’s National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS). Dr. Rai has also been nominated to serve on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Cabinet.

His international responsibilities have included membership on the CIMMYT Board of Trustees, the Board of Governors of ICRISAT, the Executive Council of the CGIAR, the Asian Maize Biotechnology Network (chair), International Sunflower Research Network (chair), Technical Committee of the Contact Group of Nations Negotiating the International Undertaking on PGRFA and SAARC (chair), SAIC Governing Board (chair), the steering committees of SysNet and the IRRC, the SAARC Technical Committee on Agriculture, SABRAO (regional secretary), National Technical Coordination Committee for Rice-Wheat (chair), and the Steering Committee of the Rice–Wheat Consortium (chair).

Dr Rai has been conferred with the D Sc (Honoris causa) by seven national universities including Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi and the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology in Pantnagar.

Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman
Philippines
2005-2011
Business administration

Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman made history not only as UP’s Centennial president but also as its first woman president. Aside from having been Chancellor of the UP Diliman campus from 1991 to 1993 and from 1999 to 2004, Dr. Roman’s experience in University administration includes former positions as the Vice-Chancellor for Administration, Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents, Vice-President for Administration, and a member of the Board of Regents representing the faculty. She also holds very important positions in several foundations, most notably as President of the UP Diliman Foundation, Inc.

She is a recipient of several awards including Outstanding Professor in 1995, Outstanding Alumnus for Public Service, UP College of Business Administration, and Outstanding Alumnus for Academic Administration, UP Los Baños. Dr. Roman obtained her B.S. Agriculture from UPLB in 1972 and her Master of Agribusiness Management and Doctor of Business Administration degrees from UP Diliman in 1977 and 1989, respectively. She has held various positions in the UP College of Business Administration before being tapped to serve the university in various capacities.

Dr. Roman has several publications and research papers on management control, human resource management, administrative policy, and organizational behavior and has attended numerous conferences and programs on higher education. She has done a number of consulting work with government agencies and international organizations. As Chancellor, she counts among her significant achievements faculty development and faculty welfare programs, academic program improvement, modernization of Diliman’s laboratories and learning facilities, research productivity improvement, and technology infrastructure development in UP Diliman.

Dr. Achmad Suryana
Indonesia
2008-2010
Agricultural economics

Dr. Achmad Suryana is the Director General of the Agency for Food Security, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia. Before he assumed this job, he worked at various institutions within the Ministry of Agriculture. He was the Director General for Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (2004-2008) the interim Director General of Food Crops (2005-06) and Director General of the Agency for Food Security (2000-04). He was also Director of the Bureau of Planning (1998-2000), Center for Agricultural and Socioeconomics Research (1995-98), and Center for Agribusiness Investment and Environmental Improvement Assessment (1994-95).

He earned his B.S. in 1978 and M.S. in 1980, both from Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia, and earned his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University, USA, in 1986.

He has been involved in many professional and scientific activities. Since 1981, he has published more than 75 scientific articles, been an editor of 14 proceedings, and published two books related to agriculture and rural development, agricultural planning, the economics of agricultural commodities, and food security. In 1987-98, he was a visiting lecturer at the Graduate School of Bogor Agricultural University and advisor for 48 M.S. and 5 Ph.D. students. In August 2007, he was named a research professor by the Indonesian Institute for Science.

He was a member of the National Committee, Indonesian Agricultural Economics Society (1989-2003, four terms); Steering Committee of the National Conference on Food and Nutrition (in 1993, 1998, 2004 and 2008); chairman of a Team of Experts on National Rice Policy Assessment (2001-02) and Board of Experts, Indonesian Food and Nutrition Society (2001-03).

He was a vice chairman of the National Bioethics Committee, Indonesia (2004-08); member of the National Research Board, Indonesia (2005-08); and member of the Policy Advisory Council (PAC), Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) (2005-2008).

M. Syeduzzaman
Bangladesh
2007-2009
Financial management

M. Syeduzzaman is currently chairman of several companies and institutions in Bangladesh. These include the BOC Bangladesh Ltd., a subsidiary company of the BOC Group in the United Kingdom, Bank Asia Limited, Bangladesh Rice Foundation, Bangladesh Chapter of the Policy Analysis Network for South Asia (PANSA) and, Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh. In addition, he serves as member of the International Advisory Council for the IFPRI 2020 Initiative and vice chairman of the Infrastructure and Industrial Development Finance Company involved in financing private sector projects.

As a public servant, he has been a member of the civil services of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Mr. Syeduzzaman has served as joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Pakistan in 1970, as secretary to the Government of Bangladesh in the Ministries of Finance & Planning from 1973 to 1977, as Finance Secretary in 1982-1983 and as Principal Finance Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Finance and External Relations Division with concurrent appointment as advisor for finance and minister for finance from 1984-1987. He has also served as an alternate executive director in the World Bank and was member of the bank’s Audit Committee. For several years between 1975 and 1987, he held the positions of governor and alternate governor of the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. In 1984-1987, he was governor of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

His international experience includes membership in the Board of Trustees of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in 1986-1993; senior consultant to the United Nations Development Programme in New York in 1991 and Vietnam in 1990-1991; advisor to the Government of Cambodia in 1992; joint coordinator of multi-donor evaluation of the World Food Program global operations in 1993; budget advisor to the Government of Kuwait in 1993-1994; senior consultant of the Asian Development Bank in 1996-1998 for the bank’s various projects in the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan; and member of the International Panel of Advisors of the World Bank on IDA in 1999-2000.

In the social sector, M. Syeduzzaman has been a member and chairman of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) in 1976-1977 and 1982-1987 and became a senior fellow in 1988-1990 and in 2005. He was the founding chair of PKSF, a pioneering foundation set up on a new model as an apex financing organization for micro-credit operations by local NGOs for creation of rural employment. He has been a member of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh in 1982-1983 and is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, the premier civil society “think tank” in Bangladesh.

Mr. Syeduzzaman obtained degrees of Master of Science in Physics from Dhaka University and Master of Arts in Development Economics from Williams College, Massachusetts, USA. He also holds a Diploma in Public Administration from the University of Cambridge, UK.

Dr. Elizabeth Jean Woods
Australia
Chair 2005-2010
Agribusiness

Dr. Woods is a former Rhodes Scholar and winner of several honors in Australian agriculture. She is also the present Foundation Professor of Agribusiness at the School of Natural and Rural Systems Management at the University of Queensland in Australia. Her role there is to provide leadership in the areas of agribusiness and rural management to enhance the University’s service to tropical Australia and Asia. Dr. Woods is recognized as an expert in tropical and subtropical agriculture and agribusiness, especially in relation to broadacre farming systems and the horticultural industries. She has a broad knowledge of Australian farming systems and related R&D activities in several Asian countries, especially Indonesia. She also chairs Australia’s Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).

Arthur C. Yap
Philippines
2006-
Government, law, agricultural and rural development

Before being appointed secretary of agriculture, Arthur C. Yap was National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator from October 2002 to June 2004. He was president of the Philippine International Trading Center (PITC), an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, from August 2001 to October 2002. During his stint, he succeeded in tremendously increasing PITC’s income for the first time since 1993.

As a practicing lawyer, he was a co-founder of the Yap, Jacinto, and Jacob Law Office; managing partner and co-founder of the Ejercito, Yap, and Dutiong Law Office, where he was responsible for cultivating client relationship and development. In 1992-95, he was an associate of the Azucena, Yorac, Sarmiento, Arroyo, and Chua Law offices, where he was engaged in litigation and corporate work.

Mr. Yap received an AB honors degree in management and economics from Ateneo de Manila University, and then later pursued his dream of becoming a lawyer at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law from 1987 to 1991. In 1989, while pursuing his law studies, he became vice chairman of the Ateneo Society of International Law. From 1989 to 1990, he was chairman of the Philippine Delegation to the Jessup International Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C.

Usha Barwale Zehr
India
2007-2009
Plant biotechnology

Dr. Usha Barwale Zehr is the Joint Director of Research at Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Limited, India. She is responsible for research on plant biotechnology, technology transfer to farmers, utilization of new technologies and tools, including biotechnology for improving the quality and productivity of seeds and agriculture.

She received her M. S. (1985) and Ph.D. (1987) in Agronomy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign while working as a Research Assistant. She earned her B. Sc (Microbiology) in 1981 from Wilson College, University of Bombay and a Diploma in Clinical Analysis from Sophia College, Bombay in 1982.

Dr. Zehr worked as a Geneticist in the Sorghum and Millet Improvement Program at Purdue University, USA from 1991-1996.

She serves on a number of boards such as the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Barwale Foundation, Sankara Netralaya and Donald Danforth Plant Science Centre. She served as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the CGIAR in 1997-2002. She is a member of other committees such as the Private Sector Committee of the CGIAR, Intellectual Property Committee of the International Seed Federation, National Biotechnology Network, World Water Commission and Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. She is also director of the Mahyco Vegetables Seeds Ltd., Jalna.

She has been involved in the founding or functioning of several charitable and educational organizations including the Shri Ganapati Netrlaya and Barwale educational institutions at Jalna, Maharastra.

Dr. Robert S. Zeigler
United States
2005-2010
Plant pathology, research management

Dr. Zeigler worked at IRRI in the Philippines from 1992 to 1998 as a plant pathologist during which time he led the Institute’s Rainfed Lowland Rice Research Program (1992-96) and the Irrigated Rice Research Program (1996-98).

Dr. Zeigler earned his PhD in plant pathology from Cornell University in 1982, his Masters in Botany (forest ecology) from Oregon State University in 1978, and his BS in biological sciences from the University of Illinois in 1972.

After graduating in 1972, he joined the Peace Corps and spent two years as a science teacher in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa (formerly known as Zaire). He then returned to the U.S. to complete his studies before joining in 1980 IRRI’s sister center in Colombia, the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) as a visiting research associate working on cassava.

In 1982, Dr. Zeigler went to Burundi to work for three years as a technical adviser for the African nation’s maize program at the Institut des sciences agronomique du Burundi. He then returned to CIAT as the institute’s senior staff plant pathologist until 1992, ultimately taking over as the head of its rice program.

It was his success at CIAT that led IRRI to offer Dr. Zeigler his first position in the Philippines as the leader of the Institute’s Rainfed Lowland Rice Research Program. After six years at IRRI, Dr. Zeigler left to become professor and head of the Department of Plant Pathology and director of the Plant Biotechnology Center at Kansas State University in the U.S., before working as director of the CGIAR's Generation Challenge Program based in Mexico.

Prof. Baowen Zhang
China
2004-2009
Agricultural education and management

Professor Baowen Zhang is currently vice minister of the Ministry of Agriculture; president of the Central Agricultural Broadcast and Television School; director of the Chinese Association of Agricultural Science Societies; vice chairman of the Central Committee of China Democratic League; and committee member of the National People’s Political Consultation Conference.

As vice minister, Prof. Zhang is in charge of the Department of Science, Technology, and Education; Department of Farm Mechanization; Bureau of State Farms and Land Reclamation; Department of International Cooperation; and three national research institutions—the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), and Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS). He is active in supervising fields such as agricultural research and education, training and extension, resource and environmental protection, biosafety of genetically modified crops, conservation of new plant varieties, conservation tillage, development of mechanization, and international cooperation and exchange.

He has been engaged in research in agricultural education and management for more than three decades. He has published more than 80 articles on the management of agricultural science, technology, and education and has edited six books.

Prof. Zhang was a visiting scholar in agricultural education and management at the University of Minnesota from 1984 to 1986. Starting in 1987, he served as professor, vice president, and then president of the Northwest Agricultural University.