LOS BAÑOS, Philippines (16 December 2025) ~ The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Sofia Tesfazion as its new Regional Director for Africa. In this critical role, she will focus on expanding IRRI’s strategic partnerships and mobilizing resources in the region to advance the institute’s mission of reducing rural poverty, enhancing climate resilience, promoting environmental sustainability, and improving nutrition and health outcomes.

Ms. Tesfazion will succeed esteemed IRRI scientist Dr. Abdelbagi Ismail, who served as Regional Director for Africa since 2017. Based in Nairobi, she will lead IRRI’s strategy and operations across East and Southern Africa, ensuring coherence among research and development programs. She will also lead the finalization and implementation of a comprehensive Africa strategy, strengthening partnerships, mobilizing resources, and representing IRRI as its chief spokesperson in the region.

Ms. Tesfazion brings over 25 years of experience in strategy and delivery, fundraising, business, and international development, with the latest 17 years dedicated to leadership roles covering various focus areas across Africa. Her wider development experience includes agri-food systems, trade and agribusiness, climate change resilience, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and gender equality.

Prior to joining IRRI, she served as the Director for Resource Mobilization and as a member of the Executive Management Team at the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), which operates in 23 countries. In this capacity, she was instrumental in developing and implementing the organization’s strategic and business plans, comprehensive Resource Mobilization Strategy, and the set-up of two social enterprises where she also served as a board member. She also directly managed the agricultural technology commercialization program and staff for three years and engaged heavily with stakeholders from governments, funding agencies, international research institutions, and the private sector.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Tesfazion was the Regional Head of Resource Mobilization for Plan International in Eastern and Southern Africa. In this role, she supported country offices in program design, resource mobilization, and strategic partnerships. She also initiated a program on project management improvement across the region that influenced and was adopted by the global organization.

Ms. Tesfazion holds a Master of Science in International Business Administration and Economics from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. Her education is complemented by certificates in Leadership in Uncertain Times from Harvard Kennedy School, Executive Education, and Change Leadership from Cornell University.

With Ms. Tesfazion’s appointment, IRRI further strengthens its global role as a convener of science, investment, and policy for sustainable agricultural transformation, bridging the gap between research and real-world impact across the African continent.

Ms. Tesfazion will officially assume her position on 5 January 2026.