Speakers

Dr Maximo Torero is the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He joined the Organization in January 2019 as Assistant Director-General for the Economic and Social Development Department. Prior to joining FAO, he was the World Bank Group Executive Director for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay since November 2016 and before the Bank. Torero led the Division of the Markets, Trade, and Institutions at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). His major research work lies mostly in analyzing poverty, inequality, importance of geography and assets (private or public) in explaining poverty, and in policies oriented towards poverty alleviation based on the role played by infrastructure, institutions, and on how technological breakthroughs (or discontinuities) can improve the welfare of households and small farmers. His experience encompasses Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.

Prof Sheryl Hendriks is a Professor and Head of the Department for Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development at the University of Pretoria and Lead for UN Academic Impact Hub for SDG2. She has served two terms on the UN Committee on World Food Security’s High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition and as a current member of the Montpellier Malabo Panel. She led the food security component of the African Union/NEPAD Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme from 2007 – 2010. She is a food security policy expert with extensive experience in policy analysis and programme design. Her research focuses on food security and nutrition policy analysis and monitoring and evaluation of food security at the household, national and global information system levels. She teaches food security policy analysis and monitoring and evaluation.

Panelists

Prof Padmini Murthy is a globally recognized health professional/educator in her roles as a physician and public health expert and in the realm of global health diplomacy. She is a Professor and Global Health Director at New York Medical College School of Health Sciences and Practice, USA and chair of the International Health Section of American Public Health Association and Global Health lead for the American Medical Women’s Association and the NGO rep to United Nations and is a well-respected global NGO leader. Dr Murthy has been working with UN ambassadors and missions to promote women’s health for the past 20 years on various projects with local efforts in Malawi, India, Suriname, Grenada, Liberia, and Nepal. Murthy has served on boards and held leadership positions on national and international boards working on women ‘s health and human rights.

Dr Jessica Jin is a senior lecturer in nutrition at de Montfort University and representative of UNAI Hub for SDG16

Dr Annemieke Farenhorst is the Associate Vice-President (Research) and the Director of Research Ethics and Compliance at the University of Manitoba. Dr Farenhorst is a Full Professor in the Department of Soil Science and a Registered Professional Agrologist. She holds a Doctorandus in Physical Geography and Soil Science from the University of Amsterdam and a Doctoral degree in Geography from the University Toronto. Dr Farenhorst was the Prairie NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering from 2011-2020 and directed the NSERC CREATE H2O program for First Nations Water and Sanitation Security from 2013-19. Previously, from 2005-14, she also led a large network to advance food security for small-scale farmers in Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. Dr Farenhorst has been recognized for her professional contributions through a range of awards including being a 2016 WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women award winner.

Participants

Omar Hernández is a Public Information Officer and Program Manager of the United Nations Academic Impact initiative, and a focal point on Sustainable Development Goals and institutions of higher education. Previously he served as Volunteer and Conference Management Specialist at the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat and as a Consultant for the Education for Justice initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Moreover, Omar volunteered with the Liaison Office of the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees and also with the World Federation of United Nations Associations, as well as for the United Nations Association of Venezuela. Furthermore, for almost five years, Omar worked in his home country, Venezuela, as an International News Analyst and Editor in a local newspaper, including various assignments as a Temporary Correspondent at the United Nations in Geneva covering the Human Rights Council and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In addition to this and also in Venezuela, Omar taught for a decade and a half at the Andrés Bello Catholic University, courses of International Journalism, International Public Law, and International Human Rights Law, while providing training to civil society on UN human rights mechanisms and being an Advisor of student delegations in Model UN conferences. At the same time he was an active member of the Academic Council on the United Nations System conducting research about a wide range of issues related to multilateral diplomacy and international affairs, and he was a frequent guest analyst of international relations and foreign affairs in several media outlets (TV, radio, online media and printed press). Omar was a Fellow in International Law of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, has a Master’s degree in Cooperation for Development with Specialization in International Humanitarian Aid by the Jaume I University in Spain, a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Freedom of Expression and Right to Information by the Andrés Bello Catholic University in Venezuela, and graduated with honors as First of the Class, as Bachelor in International Studies at the Central University of Venezuela.