Ibrahim Coulibaly, président du ROPPA (Réseau des organisations paysannes et des producteurs agricoles de l’Afrique de l’Ouest) et de la CNOP (Coordination nationale des organisations paysannes du Mali), et ancien président de l'Organisation panafricaine des agriculteurs (Pan-African Farmers’ Organization – PAFO), est un producteur agricole actif dans les domaines du maraîchage, de l’arboriculture et de la production de céréales (mil, maïs, sorgho, riz…). Il élève du bétail et produit du miel dans la région de Koulikoro.

Il est engagé dans les mouvements paysans à tous les échelons depuis l’avènement de la démocratisation au Mali en 1991, afin de promouvoir l’agriculture familiale. Il est notamment l’un des fondateurs de la CNOP (Coordination nationale des organisations paysannes du Mali), dont il assume la présidence depuis 2004.

Avec la CNOP, il a été l’un des instigateurs, en 2006, de la promulgation par le Parlement malien de la Loi d’orientation agricole, qui a inscrit le concept de souveraineté alimentaire parmi ses objectifs et reconnu la place centrale de l’agriculture familiale dans l’ensemble des politiques agricoles.

brahima Coulibaly a été nommé Ambassadeur des Nations Unies pour l’Année internationale de l’agriculture familiale en 2014. Il a porté, en 2007, l’organisation du premier Forum mondial sur la souveraineté alimentaire à Nyéléni. Dans ce même état d’esprit, il a été l’une des figures de proue ouest-africaines du mouvement de contestation des politiques de libéralisation du commerce agricole, notamment des Accords de partenariat économique conclus entre l’Union européenne et les pays africains. Depuis plusieurs années, Ibrahima Coulibaly prône, au sein du mouvement paysan, le développement d’une approche agroécologique des systèmes alimentaires et de la production, y compris les aspects fonciers.

Mustapha Abderrafik, an agricultural economist, has served since 2022 as Head of the Statistics Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests.

A graduate from the National School of Agriculture of Meknes (ENAM), specializing in Agricultural Economics, Mr Abderrafik is responsible for leading and coordinating statistical activities, including the annual agricultural survey programme, as well as general and thematic agricultural censuses. He works closely with various departments within the Ministry, as well as with national and international partners, to address the data and information needs of agricultural stakeholders. He also leads and coordinates numerous statistical partnerships with national and international institutions and organizations, aimed at strengthening data exchange, statistical cooperation, and the production and use of agricultural statistics.

Mr Abderrafik has played an active role in strengthening the agricultural data ecosystem, contributing to the design and implementation of decision-support tools and information systems, including the National Agricultural Register (RNA) and the Crop Growth Monitoring System (CGMS), among others.

As an active member of several working groups involved in assessment and evaluation exercises—including the evaluation of the Green Morocco Plan, Generation Green, MCC-Compact II (Land Governance), CAADP (African Union), and MOSAICC (FAO)—Mr Abderrafik has developed extensive experience in agricultural statistics, data systems, strategy, and policy analysis in support of agricultural development. He is also a member of the UN-CEAG Task Team on Agricultural Surveys, contributing to international discussions and efforts aimed at strengthening agricultural survey methodologies and statistical practices.

Putri Maha Lima has over 13 years of experience in inter-parliamentary cooperation. She has served as Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) since August 2023, providing strategic advice and operational support to the Secretary-General and overseeing the work of the AIPA Secretariat.

Since joining AIPA in 2017, she has contributed to the implementation of the AIPA Strategic Plan, strengthened parliamentary cooperation, and coordinated engagement among the Secretariat’s Directorates, AIPA Member Parliaments, and Observer Parliaments. She has led partnerships with UNICEF EAPRO, UN Women, UNOCT, FAO, the Tara Climate Foundation, and other partners on initiatives covering child protection, women’s political participation and leadership, counter-terrorism, responsible agricultural investment, and, most recently, climate governance. She also contributed to the initial development of AIPALync: AIPA Digital Law Library.

Prior to joining AIPA, she served as a Programme Coordinator at a German political foundation in Jakarta coordinating regional programmes such as the AIPA Capacity Development Project and the Policy Advice for Environment and Climate Change (PAKLIM) Project with GIZ. Putri holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the Indonesia University of Education and a Master of Arts in European Governance and Regulation from the University of Bonn, Germany. She is also trained in ASEAN law and policy through the ASEAN Law Academy of the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore. She speaks Indonesian, English, and German.

Michel Lévêque, head of the Europe and International Department at the General Directorate for Economic and Environmental Performance (DGPE) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-Food, and Food Sovereignty (MAASA).

Alumnus of the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA).

Graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (IEP Paris).

After beginning his career in education from 1992 to 1996, Michel Leveque held several positions, notably as head of the wine office at the Ministry of Agriculture and as head of the cooperation department at the Embassy of France (Angola).

He was then appointed to the position of deputy director in the human resources department (2009–2014) of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Agriculture, and then deputy director at the General Directorate of Education and Research (2014–2017) of the Ministry of agriculture.

He then served as agricultural Counsellor at the French Embassy in South Africa (2017–2020). After serving as an advisor in the office of the Minister of Agriculture on agricultural education issues (2020–2022), he has served as agricultural and food security Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of France to the FAO (2002–2026).

He was appointed, head of the Europe and International Department at the Ministry of Agriculture the 1st of June 2026.

Thomas Cooper Patriota has been head of the Special Advisory Unit for Internacional Affairs at Brazil's Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming (MDA) since 2023.

He previously worked in the same department at the MDA from 2011–2015. He holds a PhD from the Institute of Development Studies (ids) at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom; a Master's degree in African Politics from Pantheon-Sorbonne University (Paris1); and a Master's degree in Development Studies from Sciences Po Paris, where he also graduated with a degree in Social Sciences and Latin American Studies.

Ron Hartman is IFAD’s Director for Global Engagement, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization. He is responsible for leading IFAD's global engagement and multilateral relations including with the private sector; south-south and triangular cooperation, resource mobilization and funds management. Prior to his current position, Hartman served as IFAD Country Director and Representative at its South East Asia and the Pacific sub-regional office in Jakarta.

With over 25 years of professional experience, including over 18 years with the United Nations, Hartman has acquired an extensive managerial and operational experience in over 25 countries. He has specialized knowledge in promoting sustainable socio-economic development and poverty reduction, public policy and partnerships. In 2011, Hartman was awarded the IFAD Presidential Award for outstanding performance.

Philip Johan Odendaal was born and raised in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, where he grew up on a farm. His early life was deeply shaped by agriculture, rural communities and the realities of farming in an environment of significant economic and social uncertainty.

The Fast Track Land Reform Programme resulted in the loss of his family’s farm and coincided with a period of severe economic instability, hyperinflation and food insecurity in Zimbabwe. These experiences gave Philip an early and personal understanding of how quickly agricultural systems, businesses and livelihoods can be disrupted—and how important resilience is to farmers and rural communities.

Following the loss of the family farm, Philip moved into professional game hunting and guiding, working in some of Southern Africa’s most remote and challenging environments. This period developed his ability to operate under pressure, work with diverse communities and adapt to unpredictable circumstances.

Philip has spent his career working across different levels of agriculture, from small-scale and rural farming communities to large commercial agricultural enterprises. He has also developed and navigated his own farming ventures, including during periods of extreme hyperinflation, where conventional approaches to agricultural finance, production and business management were often challenged. His experience has included integrating commercial agricultural activity with support systems for smaller-scale farmers, with a focus on creating practical opportunities for rural communities to participate in productive agricultural economies.

He is a Nuffield Scholar, and his Nuffield research took him across seven countries around the world, examining a question that sits at the heart of his work today: what is happening to the human side of farming, and how can agriculture become more resilient?

His research focused on the often-overlooked human dimension of agricultural resilience. Rather than looking solely at productivity and economics, Philip explored the interconnected challenges facing farmers and rural communities, including mental and emotional resilience, economic resilience and ecological resilience. His international research examined how farmers in different countries respond to economic pressure, environmental change, social disruption and the increasing complexity of modern food production.

Philip believes that the future of agriculture cannot be measured only in yields, margins and production efficiency. Farmers and agricultural businesses must also be equipped to withstand adversity, adapt to change and maintain the wellbeing of the people and communities that underpin food production.

Professionally, Philip has more than 12 years of experience as the General Manager of a large, vertically integrated swine farrow-to-finish operation, giving him extensive practical experience in commercial livestock production, business management, people leadership and the challenges of operating complex agricultural systems.

He is also an Acumen for Business Leaders graduate, further developing his understanding of leadership, business strategy and decision-making.

Philip is fluent in English, Afrikaans and Shona, allowing him to communicate across diverse cultural and agricultural environments. He is also a father of two boys, and his perspective on agriculture is increasingly shaped by the question of what kind of rural and food-production systems the next generation will inherit.

Today, Philip's work sits at the intersection of agriculture, leadership, resilience and human wellbeing. His passion is to help farmers, agricultural businesses and rural communities build the mental, emotional, economic and ecological resilience required to navigate an increasingly uncertain world.