Former Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn Joins the AGRA Board

Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has joined the Board of Directors of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
Commenting on his appointment to the AGRA Board, Hailemariam stated, “I am delighted to be joining AGRA, an organization that has a mandate to transform African agriculture by helping African farmers become successful and practice sustainable agriculture. I strongly believe that African countries and partners can accelerate the implementation of the AU Malabo Declaration to ensure that food is available, accessible and affordable.”
AGRA is a pan-African institution working with governments, public and private sector stakeholders and other partners to increase the incomes and improve the food security of millions of smallholder farmers across Africa.

Prior to joining AGRA, Hailemariam served as the 2nd Executive  Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 2012 to 2018 and is credited with sustaining the country’s rapid and double-digit economic growth during his tenure off the back of a thriving agricultural sector.
He also served as the Chairperson of the African Union from 2013 to 2014 and was appointed AU’s champion of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), a continental leadership role in which he led by example and then called on other African leaders to make policies and strategies with the aim to end hunger on the continent by 2025.

Strive Masiyiwa, AGRA Board Chair, congratulated Hailemariam on his appointment noting that AGRA will benefit greatly from his extensive knowledge of how to build a thriving agricultural economy. Mr. Masiyiwa notes.
“AGRA is extremely fortunate to have such an accomplished and renowned addition to our Board. H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn has helped transform agriculture in Ethiopia especially for smallholder farmers focusing on building skills and access to finance, as a way of driving the country towards a sustainable future. As AGRA supports government leaders to advance their national agricultural visions at scale, his experience as Prime Minister of Ethiopia championing the need for home-grown solutions to transform Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness will prove invaluable.”

Prime Minister Desalegn’s first engagement as an AGRA Board member was at the 2018 African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), September 5-8 in Kigali, Rwanda, where he joined with President Paul Kagame and other continental and global leaders to put a spotlight on the type of leadership required to drive agricultural transformation.