Dr. Mark Holderness has been appointed as new Executive Secretary of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR).

Dr. Holderness began his working career in Papua New Guinea and has worked in science related to international agricultural development for 20 years. A Council Member of several scientific societies, he is now also a Board Member of the World Vegetable Centre. Originally a plant pathologist, his interests cover a wide range of scientific areas and are particularly concerned with knowledge and innovation flows between science and society and their implications for institutional structures and rural development. He plays a leading role in the International Assessment of the Role of Agricultural Knowledge Science and Technology in Development. He has recently served as Director of Agriculture and is currently Director of Membership and Partnerships for CAB International.