The Board of Trustees of the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), also known as WorldFish, with Headquarters in Penang, Malaysia, has selected Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar as chair with effect from July 1, 2019.
This was contained in a statement by the centre, a copy of which was sent to Blueprint Sunday.
WorldFish is an International non-profit research organisation founded in 1975, under the umbrella of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) with offices in Asia, Africa and the Pacific.
The organisation’s mission is to harness the potential of fisheries and aquaculture to reduce poverty and hunger in developing countries.
“This is the first time that the board is appointing an African as its chair in the center’s 44-year history. Nigeria is one of the three focal countries for WorldFish in Africa along with Zambia and Tanzania, while Egypt serves as a research hub and training center for aquaculture capacity development in the continent.
“Prof. Abubakar was the pioneer executive secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) and is currently the pro-chancellor/chairman, governing council of the newly established Gombe State University of Science & Technology, Kumo as well as visiting Professor at the University of Abuja.
“Previously, he served internationally in various capacities as member, CGIAR council representing Sub-Saharan Africa for eight years; Chairman, governing board of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF /WECARD); member, governing board of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA); member, expert panel on the development of science agenda for agriculture in Africa; member, executive board, technical Center for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), representing West Africa for five years; and most recently, vice chair, board of trustees of WorldFish center.
“He earned his first degree in agriculture, top of his class, from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as well as being an Ivy League graduate of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, where he obtained his Masters and Doctorate degrees in animal breeding and quantitative genetics.
“Prof. Abubakar was a recipient of the Nigerian National Honours Award of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR)and the CORAF/WECARD award of Honour for invaluable contribution to agricultural research and development in West & Central Africa,” the statement said.
