Dr. Agnes Kalibata

As President of AGRA, Dr. Agnes Kalibata leads the organization’s efforts with public and private partners to ensure a food secure and prosperous Africa through rapid, sustainable agricultural growth, improving the productivity and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers. Prior to joining AGRA in September 2014, Dr. Kalibata was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI). Dr. Kalibata has held several other leadership positions, including Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Deputy Vice Chancellor of University of Rwanda. She also worked for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Uganda, and various other agricultural development organizations. She sits on various boards including the International Fertilizer Development Corporation (IFDC), Bioversity International, Africa Risk Capacity, the Malabo-Montpellier Panel, and is a member of the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum. Kalibata received the 2012 Yara Prize for her great leadership in the transformation of food security and agricultural development in Rwanda in a relatively short period of time. Dr. Kalibata holds a doctorate in entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She received a master’s degree in agriculture and a bachelor’s degree in entomology and biochemistry from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. She holds a doctorate in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.