Global Millet Leaders

Joanna Kane-Potaka

Smart Food Founder / Former ICRISAT Leader

Smart Food / ICRISAT / GFAiR

Global narrative builder for “good for you, good for the planet, good for the farmer” crops.Millet Relevance:...

Dr. Chrispus Oduori

Director, Finger Millet Breeder

KALRO Food Crops Research Institute, Kisii

East Africa’s long-term finger millet improvement champion.Millet Relevance: Worked for decades on improved fi...

Representative of China’s deep foxtail millet heritage and modern research systems.Millet Relevance: Works wit...

Chef Pierre Thiam

Chef, Author

Yolélé and Fonio

The chef who made fonio visible to global consumers.Millet Relevance: Uses cuisine, storytelling and social en...

Dr. Himanshu Pathak

Director General

ICRISAT

Institutional leader at one of the world’s most important dryland crop research centers.Millet Relevance: As I...

Chef Fatmata Binta

FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa

Fulani Kitchen Foundation

Fulani cuisine ambassador connecting food culture, women farmers and traditional grains.Millet Relevance: Pro...

Elizabeth Mpofu

Farmer Leader Former General Coordinator, La Via Campesina

ZIMSOFF

Global food-sovereignty voice representing smallholder farmers.Millet Relevance: Links traditional grains such...

Jessica Fanzo

Professor

Columbia University

Nutrition-policy voice connecting millets with sustainable diets.Millet Relevance: Frames millets within globa...

Dr. Wolfram Spreer

Agricultural Engineer and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist

Technology and sustainability voice for post-harvest and value-chain work.Millet Relevance: Represents the imp...

Dr. C. Tara Satyavathi

Director, ICAR-IIMR

ICAR-IIMR

Pioneer of micronutrient standards in pearl millet release policy.Millet Relevance: Introduced minimum iron an...

Dr. B. Dayakar Rao

Principal Scientist, ICAR-IIMR | Millet Processing and Value-Addition Leader

ICAR-IIMR

Bridge between research, processing technology and millet entrepreneurship.Millet Relevance: Helped make mille...

Dr. Vilas A. Tonapi

Former Director

ICAR-IIMR

Institution builder for modern millet research and innovation infrastructure.Millet Relevance: Strengthened IC...

Dr. Khader Vali

Padma Shri Awardee | Siridhanya Millet Revival Advocate

Grassroots health advocate who popularized small millets among the public.Millet Relevance: Popularized five s...

M. Prasanna Srinivas Sarakadam

Founder and Chairman, MBF Universe | Millet Ecosystem Architect

Entrepreneurial ecosystem builder connecting media, training, stores, manufacturing and health awareness.Mille...

Dr. M. Vetriventhan

Principal Scientist, ICRISAT | Small Millet and Genetic Resources Specialist

Researcher strengthening small millet diversity, breeding and climate-resilience work.Millet Relevance: Works...

Dr. Are Ashok Kumar

Principal Scientist, ICRISAT | Sorghum and Nutrition Breeding Specialist

Biofortification and nutrition-focused dryland crop researcher.Millet Relevance: Works on improving sorghum an...

Prof. Fred Kanampiu

Sustainable Agriculture Research Leader, KALRO Ecosystem

African sustainable agriculture leader connecting millets with climate-smart systems.Millet Relevance: Represe...

Debal Deb

Conservation Scientist and Seed Keeper

Biodiversity defender preserving traditional crop varieties and seed knowledge.Millet Relevance: Represents th...

Shree Padre

Agricultural Journalist and Farmer Knowledge Communicator

Storyteller of farmer innovations and traditional agriculture.Millet Relevance: Uses journalism to document fa...

Bharat Mansata

Natural Farming Writer and Sustainable Agriculture Advocate

Advocate of chemical-free farming, crop diversity and ecological agriculture.Millet Relevance: Connects millet...