Cameroonian born prof Djikeng Appolinaire appointed director general at international institute for livestock research
Professor Appolinaire Djikeng has becomes the first African to hold this position in the institute’s history. He was appointed by the Board of Directors of the International Institute for Livestock Research, ILRI as Director General and Senior Director of GRAI’s Livestock-based Systems recently.
Professor Djikeng who succeeds Dr. Shirley Tarawali is a world-renowned expert in the development of multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, and global research and development programs focused on agricultural development, livestock development and human health.
He is expected to take up office in April 2023.
According to P rof Djikeng, he is delighted to take up the position and is committed to helping in finding a solution to some of the problems related to food systems.
“The development of livestock is very close to me personally. It is therefore an immense honor and privilege to take the head of the world’s leading livestock development organization, focused on improving results for farmers, solving problems related to our environment, the sustainable use of natural resources, and providing solutions to our increasingly vulnerable food systems,” he said.
Professor Djikeng joins ILRI and CGIAR after working at the University of Edinburgh, where he is currently a professor and holder of the Chair of Tropical Agriculture and Sustainable Development, as well as Director of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, CTLGH based at the Roslin Institute.
He will retain his affiliation with the Roslin Institute of the University of Edinburgh to strengthen the partnership with the ILRI and the CGIAR system.
Professor Djikeng previously worked with the ILRI from 2009 to 2016 as head of technology, then Director of the East and Central Africa Biosciences Center in ILRI.
He has received many awards, including the Nelson Mandela Prize for Justice 2020. He has also been recognized by the Decade of Health as one of the 10 people in the United Kingdom who brought change to the health system.
