CGIAR Research Program Directors

Before his appointment to the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tuber, and Bananas for Food Security and Income, Graham Thiele spent 17 years with the International Potato Center (CIP), most recently as the global science leader for social and health sciences. At CIP, Graham coordinated the center’s work on targeting, priority setting, and the impact and adoption of new agricultural technologies.

Graham helped developed a novel visual approach to targeting, which overlays crop importance and livelihood indicators. He also contributed to the development of participatory impact pathway analysis. He supported implementation, documentation, and assessment of value chain work to better link farmers with markets, and institutional learning with partners, to facilitate technology uptake and policy analysis. Graham also led the Andean Change Program, a multi-country, multi-partner initiative to promote inclusive technology development, which ended in April 2011.
Previously, Graham worked as a technology transfer specialist for the United Kingdom’s Overseas Development Administration (now the Department for International Development, DFID).

Graham has a PhD in social anthropology from Cambridge University and an MSc in agricultural economics from the University of London. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.