Former CIMMYT Director General Martin Kropff contributed a decade of his career to improving agri-food systems within CGIAR.
After ten years working at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and CGIAR, Martin Kropff is retiring as Managing Director for Resilient Agri-food Systems at CGIAR. Learn more about his decision and his career in the video below.
At CIMMYT, Kropff led the development and implementation of a new Strategic Plan (2017-2022) for science with impact at scale. He also helped frame the One CIMMYT philosophy, which encourages a shared mission and vision through scientific excellence, impact through partnerships, and capacity development. He was a strong promoter of CIMMYT’s integrated and systems approach to multi-disciplinary science and, under his direction, CIMMYT became a more efficient, effective, and impactful organization.
Kropff also played a critical role in the development of One CGIAR, of which he was an early champion, by leading the organization’s reform in 2016, serving on the first System Management Board, and acting as co-chair of the advisory group on the CGIAR 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy. Throughout his tenure, Martin’s leadership, vision, and commitment to the organization’s mission have been instrumental in advancing CGIAR’s research for development agenda.
Margaret Bath, Chair of CIMMYT’s Board of Trustees, said, “We cannot thank Martin enough for his visionary efforts and for his strong contribution to the integration process that we have successfully achieved. We are grateful for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
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