GFAiR plays a critical role in transforming agri-food research and innovation systems. To effectively fulfil its role as a catalyst for change GFAiR needs strong and robust governance and management.
The governance and leadership of GFAiR is strengthened through the voices of the GFAiR Steering Committee — the body is made up of representatives elected from each of GFAiR’s constituencies.
The Partners that make up the Steering Committee are not there just to represent themselves. They have committed to advocate for the concerns of their constituencies and actively engage with and mobilize them. They are directly accountable to other GFAiR Partners in their sectors for catalyzing key Collective Actions to be taken forward with Partners in other sectors.
Dr. Ravinder (Ravi) Khetarpal was elected GFAR Chair in 2021 and re-elected in November 2024. Dr. Ross McLeod finished his role as Vice-Chair and Dr. Romano De Vivo was elected as a new Vice Chair in Novembre 2024. Read more in the GFAiR News
Current GFAiR Steering Committee members:
Executive Secretary, Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI)
Ravi Khetarpal
GFAR Chair
Vice-President of Sustainability, CropLife International
Romano De Vivo
GFAR Vice Chair
GFAR Executive Secretary
Hildegard Lingnau
GFAiR Secretariat
Director, eSYS Development
Market Access and Economics Advisory, Royal Australasian College of Surgeon
Ross McLeod
Other International Research
European Commission
Christophe Larose
Donor Support Group
European Commission
Marine Noblanc
Donor Support Group
Director, OIN, FAO
Selvaraju Ramasamy
Facilitating Agencies
Grant Portfolio Officer, IFAD
Amine Belhamissi
Facilitating Agencies
WFO Secretary General
Katia Vuori
Farmer and Agricultural Worker Organizations - Global
General Secretary, Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for the Agricultural and Life Science (GCHERA)
James French
Higher Education - Global
Director General, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
Juan-Lucas Restrepo
International Public Sector Agricultural Research
Daniel El Cami
Private Sector - Global
Executive Secretary, Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI)
Ravi Khetarpal
Regional Representation - AP
CEO/Executive Secretary, Central Asia and the Caucasus Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (CACAARI)
Botir Dosov
Regional Representation - CAC
Chair , European Forum on Agricultural Research for Development (EFARD)
Dietrich Darr
Regional Representation - Europe
Executive Secretary, FORAGRO c/o Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
Muhammed Ibrahim
Regional Representation - LAC
Executive Secretary, Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA)
Rida Shibli
Regional Representation - MENA
Executive Secretary, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
Aggrey Agumya
Regional Representation - SSA
Executive Secretary, Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS)
Carl Larsen
Rural Advisory Services - Global
Silvia Lanzarini
Women's Associations - Global
Director, YPARD
Genna Tesdall
Youth Organizations- Global