Dr. Qu Dongyu took office on 1 August 2019 as the ninth Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and was re-elected for a second four-year term on 2 July 2023.
Before first being elected as FAO Director-General, Dr. Qu served as China’s Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), where one of his achievements was to promote inclusive and innovative development and make sure information and communication technologies (ICT) were available in rural areas so that more than 400 million farmers could use their smartphones as a new farming tool. Another national initiative led by Dr. Qu was to improve reporting of wholesale prices for agricultural products in China and foster the establishment of more than 100 specialty production areas geared to making local comparative advantages work to the benefit of local farmers.
Born in 1963 to a rice-growing family in China’s Hunan Province, Dr. Qu studied horticultural science at Hunan Agricultural University and then plant breeding and genetics at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He later added environmental science to his knowledge portfolio while earning a PhD at Wageningen University, in the Netherlands.

Ismahane Elouafi is the first Chief Scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a new position created within FAO’s core leadership structure. 
She has two decades of experience in agricultural research and development in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 
She is internationally known for her work on promoting neglected and underutilized crops, use of non-fresh water in agriculture, and empowerment of women in science.

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has served as the 6th and First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius (2015-2018). Prior to that, she has been the Managing Director of the Centre International de Développement Pharmaceutique (CIDP R & I) as well as Professor of Organic Chemistry with an endowed chair at the University of Mauritius. Since 2001, she has served successively as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Pro Vice Chancellor (2004-2010).
She has authored and co-edited 30 books, several book chapters and scientific articles in the field of biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and Traditional knowledge.

Abbas Al Hajj Hassan est né à Chaat au Liban. Il est Ministre de l’Agriculture depuis Septembre 2021, Chef du Bureau Exécutif de l’Organisation Arabe pour le Développement Agricole (OADA) depuis Juin 2022 et professeur à la Faculté de droit et des Sciences politiques à l’Université libanaise depuis 2022. 

Honourable Moorosi holds Masters Degree in Cultural and Media Studies from the University of Natal, Post Graduate Diploma in Gender Studies from the University of Free State, and Bachelors Degree in English Language and Literature from the National University of Lesotho.
She was appointed Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation in November 2022 after winning the parliamentary seat for Thetsane Constituency. 
She the founding member of Lesotho’s ruling party (Revolution for Prosperity) and serves as the General Secretary.
Before joining politics, Ms. Moorosi worked for different public and private organisations in different capacities. These include:
o UNDP - Communication Specialist, 
o National University of Lesotho  -  Director of Communication and Marketing
o Lesotho Mountain Brewery -  Director of Corporate Affairs
o Millenium Challenge Account – Head of Public Outreach

Es graduada de Agrónoma y de Ingeniera Agrónoma (Economía Agrícola y Agronegocios) de la Escuela Agrícola Panamericana El Zamorano. Cuenta con Maestría en Educación Vocacional Agrícola y Sociología Rural de la Universidad Estatal de Luisiana, Maestría en Cambio Climático de la Universidad Europea del Atlántico y Maestría en Gestión Ambiental de la Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana de Puerto Rico. Su Doctorado (PhD) lo obtuvo de la Universidad de Cornell en Nueva York, en Extensión Agrícola con especialidad en Agricultura Internacional y Sociología Ambiental.
Trabajó 15 años en la Universidad Zamorano en donde alcanzó la categoría de Profesora Plena, coordinó con éxito proyectos vinculados a la promoción de adaptación al cambio climático, agricultura ecológica y finca humana, además de liderar la Carrera de Ingeniería en Ambiente y Desarrollo e incursionar en investigación aplicada y en la escritura de libros, manuales y publicaciones en revistas científicas.
Adicionalmente, la ministra Suazo Torres ha fungido por más de 15 años en diferentes puestos vinculados con la promoción de agricultura sostenible, seguridad alimentaria, cambio climático, gestión integral del riesgo y desarrollo sostenible inclusivo con la cooperación internacional y organismos nacionales. Su hoja de vida está vinculada al servicio voluntario en organismos de desarrollo y de financiamiento alternativo en donde se ha desempeñado en puestos directivos.
En su empresa familiar se dedica a la agricultura y ganadería. Es seguidora de la filosofía de la Finca Humana, el desarrollo sostenible inclusivo y centrado en la persona, agricultura ecológica y financiamiento alternativo (cajas rurales) como herramientas para erradicar pobreza, los cuales promueve en la Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería.

State Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic
Martin Kováč came to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic following a distinguished career in public service. Proposal for his appointment to the position of State Secretary was submitted to the Government of the Slovak Republic on 19 January 2022.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Kováč served in 2021 as chairman and member of the Board of Advisors to Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic.
He is the Chairman of NEXUS Agricultural Knowledge Base of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, developing the concept 'Soil – Carbon and Water bank of landscape', which is a new concept for land protection aiming at improving the status and quality of water and soil, increasing resistance and supporting climate stability, biodiversity and carbon neutrality. Comprehensive solution by creating a support system for the maintenance and recovery of crucial ecosystem services of soil and landscape structures through three implementation instruments:1) Climate Fund for Soil, 2) SOIL Information and Monitoring System, 3) Carbon and Water Bank Certification System. 
In cooperation with international team of advisors, he prepared recommendations in the form of 'Water for Climate Healing – A New Water Paradigm White Paper' for the UN 2023 Water Conference. 
Mr. Kováč also worked for The Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (ZMOS) and he was the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for local government and integrated management of floods and landscape. He is the founder of the professional platform Climate Club.
He served as the Executive Director of non-governmental organization National Trust, its mission is to protect the cultural and natural heritage of Slovakia. At the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic he was the General Director of Cultural heritage section and the Director of the Department of Structural Funds and Financial Instruments.
Martin Kováč graduated from the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia in the field of Land and water resources management at the Faculty of Civil Engineering. He completed the additional pedagogical studies at the Faculty of Materials science and Technology. He continued his studies at the University of Žilina, Slovakia in the field of Real estate valuation and water management of the country.

Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young serves as the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE), and as USDA’s Chief Scientist. As Chief Scientist, she advises the Secretary of Agriculture and other senior officials on scientific matters and chairs the USDA Science Council, which convenes all parts of USDA’s scientific enterprise. Prior to being appointed by President Biden to serve as the REE Under Secretary, Dr. Jacobs-Young was Administrator for ARS (2014-2022). Prior to that role, she served as ARS Associate Administrator for National Programs. She also led the Office of International Research. From 2009 to 2012, Dr. Jacobs-Young served as the inaugural OCS Director. She has also served as the Acting Director for NIFA and as a senior policy analyst for agriculture in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Jacobs-Young holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Wood and Paper Science and a B.S. degree from North Carolina State University. She is a graduate of American University's Key Executive Leadership in Public Policy Implementation Program, and a proud fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Public Administration.

Prof. SUN Qixin serves as President of China Agricultural University since 2017.
Prof. SUN Qixin has been serving as deputy to the 11th, 12th and 13th National People’s Congress (NPC); member of the 11th NPC Agricultural Rural Committee, member of the 13th NPC Standing Committee; recipient of the Special Allowance of the State Council.
Prof. SUN Qixin is committed to the research on wheat genetics and genomics, with abundant overseas collaborative research experiences, working as co-researcher in Colorado State University, Texas A&M University and Canadian Ministry of Agriculture Winnipeg Research Center.
Prof. SUN Qixin was recipient of National Outstanding Young Scientist Fund. He served as the chief scientist of Basic Molecular Biology of Major Crop Heterosis and its Utilization, National Basic Research Program (973 Program), and Vice Chairman of Chinese Association of Agricultural Science Societies.
He has been awarded a first-class and a second-class National Science and Technology Progress Award, and a first-class Science and Technology Progress Award of Chinese Ministry of Education, a second-class Science and Technology Progress Award of Ministry of Agriculture.