The University of Pretoria (UP) is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Lindiwe Majele Sibanda as the new System Board Chair of CGIAR. CGIAR is the world’s largest publicly-funded network of research centres, dedicated to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis for a food- and nutrition- secure future. Prof Sibanda is currently Director and Chair of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems at UP.

Prof Sibanda is an animal scientist and a practising farmer with extensive experience, serving as a policy advisor to numerous African governments and global institutions. She is a member of the Board of Nestlé and serves on the Board of the World Vegetable Centre (WorldVeg). She is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and member of Champions 12.3, accelerating progress on UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 12.3, halving global per capita food waste.

Announcing her appointment, the current CGIAR System Board Chair, Dr Marco Ferroni, said that throughout her distinguished career, Prof Sibanda has made substantial contributions to challenges facing global science for agriculture, food systems and the environment. “She has a proven track record of harnessing partnerships in research and innovation to drive food systems transformation and foster sustainable food and nutrition security. In addition to formal training in governance and management of change processes, Lindiwe is trained as a multi-cultural dialogue moderator and has a strong track record working with diverse teams in international environments. Her appointment is made following a robust selection process and will ensure a seamless transition in the System Board’s leadership.”

UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe welcomed and congratulated Prof Sibanda on her appointment. “This is a major coup for CGIAR, and her appointment to this role includes a number of firsts, such as being the first woman and African as well as the first person from the Global South to chair this important organisation. Prof Sibanda is an accomplished scientist and strategist with a formidable vision and leadership skills. I know that she will do an excellent job in her new role, and I wish her all the best with her new responsibilities.”

Prof Sibanda will continue to be associated with UP.