User:Emilefrison/sandbox

Emile Frison (Born 8 November 1954) is a Belgian scientist, member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food)[1]. He spent his career in international agricultural research for development. As Director General of Bioversity International, he developed a strategy entitled “Diversity for Well-being” focusing on the contribution of agricultural biodiversity to better nutrition, and the sustainability, resilience and productivity of smallholder agriculture. He is the lead author of the IPES-Food report From Uniformity to Diversity: a paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems[3]. Dr Frison is Chair of the Board of Directors of Ecoagriculture Partners[4] and a member of the European Commission Mission Board on Soil Health and Food[5].

Early years and education
Frison grew up on a farm in Belgium. He obtained an MSc (Ingénieur Agronome) in agricultural sciences from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium) in 1978 and a PhD in agricultural sciences from the Faculté Universitaire de Sciences Agronomiques of Gembloux (Belgium) in 1993

Career
Frison started his career in Nigeria at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture[6] in 1979. From 1984 to 1987 he worked as plant pathologist in Kaédi, Mauritatnia, after which he joined the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources in Rome, Italy. He became Regional Director for Europe at the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute in Rome in 1992 and Director of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain[7] in 1995. In 2003, he became Director General of the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute and changed its name in "Bioversity International"[8] in 2006. In 2015 he became a member if the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food).