CGIAR Research Program Directors

Bernard Vanlauwe joined the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Kenya, in March 2012 to lead its Central Africa hub and natural resource management research areas. In this capacity, he plays an oversight role for three CGIAR Research Programs: Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics; Water, Land and Ecosystems; and Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security.

Prior to this Bernard led the Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) program of the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility research area at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (TSBF-CIAT). He joined TSBF-CIAT in 2001 and led the development, adaptation, and dissemination of ISFM options in various agro-ecological zones in sub-Saharan Africa. In September 2010, he was appointed a visiting professor in the Soils and Environment Department, Swedish Agricultural University, Uppsala.

Bernard held positions at IITA in Nigeria, from 1991 to 2000, and the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, from 1989 to1991. He focused on unraveling the mechanisms underlying nutrient and soil organic matter dynamics in tropical agro-ecosystems.

Bernard obtained a PhD in applied biological sciences in 1996. He has published over 100 papers in scientific journals and over 120 in other forms. He has supervised or co-supervised over 30 MSc and 10 PhD students.