CGIAR Research Program Directors

Dave Hoisington oversees ICRISAT’s global research-for-development activities that address the needs of poor smallholder farm families in the tropical dryland areas of Africa and Asia, focused on crop improvement (sorghum, millets, chickpea, groundnut, and pigeonpea), natural resources management, markets, policies and institutions.

Dave joined ICRISAT in March 2005 as the global theme leader for biotechnology. Before that he served for 16 years in various positions at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), leading the Genetic Resources Program and the Applied Biotechnology Center. Prior to working at CIMMYT, Dave was an assistant research professor in the Agronomy Department at the University of Missouri.

Dave has a BS in botany and plant pathology from Colorado State University, and a PhD in plant biology from Washington University, St. Louis. He has published over 100 journal articles and 30 book chapters, and has made numerous invited presentations at international conferences.