Deputy Director of the Plant Production and Protection Division appointed

Rome - Chikelu Mba has been appointed Deputy Director of the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP). Mr Mba has been working for the Organization for 13 years and, until this appointment, led the Seeds and Plant Genetic Resources Team of NSP. He holds the degrees of PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics; Postgraduate Diploma in Education and BSc in Botany – all from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. He has mother tongue abilities in English and Igbo, and speaks fluent Spanish and conversational Italian.

His previous professional appointments include leading the Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory of the Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratories of the Joint FAO – International Atomic Energy Agency Centre for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna and Seibersdorf, Austria. Previously, at the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT – currently the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT), Cali, Colombia, Mr Mba was a Research Fellow in cassava molecular genetics and Coordinator of the Cassava Biotechnology Network, Latin America and the Caribbean. Earlier still, he was Plant Breeder Geneticist and Cassava Program Coordinator at the National Root Crops Research Institute in his native Nigeria.

Chikelu Mba took office on 1 July officially and his appointment was announced today during the NSP Management Team Meeting. All team leads and colleagues expressed their heartfelt congratulations to Mr Mba, highlighting his dedication and professionalism. He shared his gratitude for the recognition implicit in this promotion and asserted his readiness for, and commitment to, his new role, underlining his invigorating sense of responsibility.

Jingyuan Xia, NSP Director, congratulated Chikelu Mba and commented that his appointment is the right decision for the right person in the right position and at the right time. Mr Xia appreciated Mr Mba’s leadership skills, his highly professional profile, experience, good relationship with all NSP teams, capacity, qualifications and loyalty. The whole division wishes Chikelu Mba success in his new position.