New Director for Plant Production and Protection

Yurdi Yasmi has recently been appointed as the Director of the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division. He brings prior FAO leadership experience, having held positions as Deputy Regional Representative for Africa and as Representative to Ghana. In his new role, he will lead FAO’s support to Member Nations in the transition to sustainable crop production systems and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Alongside partners, the six teams in the division work to advance sustainable crop production and protection, while addressing the challenges facing agrifood systems, such as climate change and conflicts as well as economic and other challenges. 

“I am excited about this new role as the Director of the Plant Production and Protection Division and am fully aware of the scale of work that we need to accomplish,” Yasmi said. “We promote sustainable plant production and protection by producing more with less for improved availability of healthy foods for domestic consumption, commercial export, food assistance or emergency food reserves on a consistent basis. FAO facilitates the use of innovative technologies, science-based management practices and evidence-based policies that enhance the efficiency, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability of plant production systems,” he said.

Yasmi has served in high-level positions at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC). 

He has led agriculture, environment and forestry projects in over 20 countries, including in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Fiji, Ghana, Myanmar, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Zimbabwe, and more. 

Yasmi received a PhD and MSc from Wageningen University (with distinction) and BSc from Bogor Agriculture University (IPB).