Marleni Ramirez

Dr. Ramirez is a biologist and a behavioral ecologist with extensive experience in development. Marleni’s undergraduate and Ph.D., work was in several aspects of the conservation and behavioral ecology of primates in the tropics of the Americas.

Marleni has worked in international development since 1986 from positions in academia, the private sector, international organizations and, the U.S. government.  Her professional experience also includes activities in the education/training, and health sectors, with field activities in Latin America and Africa. For the past twenty five years she has developed, managed and implemented projects that bridge agriculture and the conservation of biological diversity. 

Marleni is a big-picture thinker and led the development of the “Strategic Action Plan for the Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Mesoamérica”: a science-based, participatory project supported by the International Treaty. FAO has selected this as a model plan to follow. She also led the research Project on “Use of the Genetic Diversity of Capsicum Peppers in their center of origin in Peru and Bolivia” which aimed to the development of high value products and income generation for farmers and entrepreneurs of this diverse crop. Dr. Ramirez has also supported several initiatives on fine flavor cacao in Peru as well as the application of the Agrobiodiversity Index, a tool for the monitoring of status and use of agrobiodiversity for sustainable food systems. Dr Ramirez co-leads the implementation of the PACS concept that is being implemented in the Americas since 2010.  She is also a member of the One CGIAR Nature Positive initiative field team where she is spearheading the implementation of the novel concept of agroecotourism for agrobiodiversity conservation, use, improved livelihoods and cultural validation. Her long term interests include the development of incentives to farmers that recognize their role in  the conservation and use of diverse crops.

She was the Regional Director for the Americas for ten years at Bioversity International, based in Cali, Colombia and is currently the Representative of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT based in Lima, Peru. 

Dr. Ramirez has published broadly and maintains a steady calendar of presentations about our work.