Speakers
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe
Jessica Fanzo Ph.D., Professor Lindiwe Majele Sibanda is a food systems scientist, policy advocate, academic and global leader in agriculture, climate resilience and sustainable food systems. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Linds Agricultural Services and serves on several international boards, including Nestlé. She is Co-Chair of the Food Planet Prize, Chairwoman of the Governing Council of the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Zimbabwe, an SDG 12.3 Champion, and an Extraordinary Professor in Agriculture and Natural Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Globally recognized for her leadership, she has advised numerous international initiatives on food security, sustainability and agricultural transformation. Her previous leadership roles include Chair of the CGIAR Integrated Partnership Board, Director and Chairwoman of the African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (ARUA-SFS) at the University of Pretoria, CEO and Head of Mission of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), and Vice President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). She has received numerous distinctions for her contributions to agriculture and food security, including the M. S. Swaminathan Global Leadership Award (2025), South Africa’s Science Diplomacy Award (2015), the FARA Award for Exemplary Leadership (2014), and the Yara Prize, now the Africa Food Prize (2013). She holds a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Alexandria, Egypt, and MSc and PhD degrees from the University of Reading, United Kingdom.
« Go Back