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Wilson Nguru
Senior Research Associate
Mr. Wilson Nguru is a Senior Research Associate and GIS Analyst at The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. He completed his Master of Science in Land and Water Management at the University of Nairobi, specializing in climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable water resources management. He led the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) component within the AVENIR project in Senegal, focusing on enhancing the resilience of smallholder farmers through…
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Jenny J. Gallo
Postdoctoral Fellow
Jenny Gallo is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, where she leads the application of advanced omics technologies, including proteomics and metabolomics, to understand the nutritional quality and molecular diversity of foods and crops. Her work focuses on developing multi-omics and bioinformatics approaches that generate high-quality, standardized datasets to strengthen evidence for nutrition and health research.
She holds a Master's…
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Guy Marius Assogba
Senior Research Associate
Guy Marius Assogba, born and raised in Benin, began his academic journey in agronomy at the University of Abomey-Calavi, where he earned his Agronomist Engineer degree in 2005. Ten years later, he was awarded the prestigious Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship, enabling him to pursue a master’s degree in Hydraulic Engineering-Land and Water Development at IHE Delft (Netherlands) and the Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand).
Marius started his professional…
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Michael Kinyua
Postdoctoral Fellow
Michael Kinyua is a seasoned agronomist and soil scientist with over 11 years of applied research experience across Sub-Saharan Africa. He specializes in cropping systems agronomy, climate-smart agriculture, and nature-based solutions, and has dedicated his career to enhancing food security, soil health, and climate resilience through evidence-based agronomic innovations and interdisciplinary collaboration.
He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences, a Master’s degree in…
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Mildred Mayorga
Research Coordinator I
Mildred is a Research Coordinator in the ecophysiology area of the Tropical Forages Program. Her work focuses on assessing the potential of forage grass root systems to sequester soil organic carbon, through the evaluation of root traits related to morphology, anatomy, development, and chemical composition. In addition, she investigates the physiological responses and adaptive mechanisms of tropical forages to abiotic stresses, including shading, drought, waterlogging, soil…
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Silvia Araujo de Lima
Senior Research Associate
Silvia is currently a senior research associate in the multifunctional landscapes lever within the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. She is the project coordinator of an EU-IFAD funded project exploring how to support agroecological transitions in a sustainable way through collaboration with farmers' cooperatives, private sector, academia and local governmental organizations considering local context and knowledge. Presently, she is involved with…
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Andrés Felipe Ocampo Toro
Research Assistant II
Andrés Felipe Ocampo Toro is a biologist with experience in research focused on the conservation of plant genetic resources, specializing in the evaluation of seed physiological quality and viability. Since 2024, he has been working as a Research Assistant in the Seed Viability Laboratory of the Future Seeds Bank in Palmira, Colombia.
His work involves evaluating both stored seeds and new accessions entering the seed bank, ensuring their quality and suitability for…
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Yasmin Samir
Consultant, Agritech Accelerator Specialist, MENA Region
Yasmin Samir is a Consultant, Agritech Accelerator Specialist for the MENA region at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, based in Cairo. She supports the Accelerate for Impact Platform by designing, planning, and implementing accelerator programs that help translate scientific research into scalable, market-ready innovations, across Egypt and the broader MENA region.
Yasmin is an…
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Alan Freeman
Trustee, Bioversity International USA
Alan Freeman spent nearly four decades at The Jerusalem Foundation, Jerusalem’s leading civil society organisation, where he played a central role in raising close to $1.8 billion to support more than 4,000 projects across education, culture, social welfare, environmental development, and shared society. He previously served as Director of Overseas Coordination and later Vice President, working closely with municipal leadership and global philanthropic partners…
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Abel Farfan
Consultant
Abel Farfan, was born in the city of Tingo Maria, Huanuco-Peru. He studied at the National Agrarian University of the Jungle - UNAS, engineer in Renewable Natural Resources, and master's degree in agroecology in the same house of studies, Worked as an agricultural extensionist and facilitator in field schools for farmers ECA`S in the project "Development of the Huallaga basin-2011-2012"; in 2014 worked as a field researcher in the San Martin region in the project: Agroforestry systems and…
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Brian Mayanja
Research Specialist
Brian Mayanja is a Research Specialist at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. His work focuses on advancing climate action through research, innovation, and partnerships that improve food systems and support vulnerable communities.
Brian has coordinated global initiatives including the CGIAR Climate Resilience Initiative (ClimBeR) and the CGIAR Climate Action Science Program, applying agile project management to strengthen collaboration and deliver results.…
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Joshua Philp
Scientist 1
Dr Joshua Philp is a Scientist with the Tropical Forages Program, specializing in production systems research. Drawing on over 14 years of multi-disciplinary experience and expertise at the intersection of plant, soil, livestock and social science, his research provides the knowledge needed for smallholder forage systems in the tropics to be more productive, profitable, sustainable, inclusive and resilient. He has conducted research projects in Australia, Cambodia, China and Laos, and…
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Irene Ricca
Sustainable Cocoa Value Chain Development Officer
Irene Ricca is a Sustainable Cocoa Value Chain Development Officer with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Irene supports the design and development of climate-resilient cocoa value chain projects in Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, engaging with national institutions, government agencies, and key stakeholders to ensure inclusive, sustainable, and results-oriented interventions. Her work also includes research…
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Brenda Ndenga
Research Fellow
Brenda Ndenga is passionate about the development of landscapes with high use value for populations and holds a Master’s degree in Botany and Ecology with a specialization in Agroforestry. She has developed an in-depth understanding of the complex interactions between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and agricultural production systems. Her several years of experience at the Laboratory of Systematic Botany and Ecology of the Higher Teachers Training College of Yaounde have allowed…
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Robert Berendes
Member, Alliance Board of Trustees
Robert Berendes is an accomplished executive and strategic advisor with a global track record in innovation, growth, and sustainability, particularly in the agriculture and nutrition sectors. As an Advisory Partner at Flagship Pioneering, he works closely with pioneering ventures to drive transformative impact across food systems and environmental health.
Robert has been co-founder and board chair/member of Indigo Agriculture, CiBO, Inari, and Invaio Sciences.…
