The Consultative Group for International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), has announced that its current Board Member, Ms. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, would succeed Mr. Marco Ferroni as the group's system board chair.

This followed Ferroni's decision to retire and step down from his position as CGIAR after five years of service on December 31, 2022.

Ferroni said: "I take great pleasure in announcing that Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, will be CGIAR's next system board chair. Throughout her distinguished career, Sibanda has made substantial contributions to challenges facing global science for agriculture, food systems and the environment."

On his part, CGIAR's System Council Chair and World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development, Dr. Juergen Voegele, said: "I want to express my sincere appreciation to Marco Ferroni for his outstanding contribution to CGIAR, its science, people and mission, during his tenure as the system board chair.

In her acceptance speech, Sibanda said the that she is looking forward to taking up the role of the chair of CGIAR's system board, and keen to put her experience in science, agriculture, climate change and nutrition to work in advancing CGIAR's mission together with colleagues across the organisation, and partners around the world to deliver the science and innovations needed to tackle the many threats related to food, land and water and deliver a food-secure future,"