Jacqueline Hughes, the outgoing Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), will hand over the charge to Stanford Blade, who will serve as the Interim Director General.
Blade, currently the Deputy Director General (Research) at the institute, will lead the institute until the new Director General, Himanshu Pathak, assumes the position next year.
Hughes, who is stepping down as Director General, will take over as the Secretary General of the World Agriculture Forum. Pathak, currently Union Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of ICAR, will succeed her at ICRISAT early next year.
Hughes expressed confidence in Blade’s ability to guide ICRISAT during this period. Blade, in his new role, aims to strengthen ICRISAT’s position as a leader in dryland agricultural research by focusing on scientific innovation, resilience-building, and partnerships. He views his role as a bridge to ensure a smooth transition until Pathak’s arrival at the Hyderabad-based institute.