CGIAR Integrated Partnership Board, Member
Mauricio Lopes is a leading expert in agricultural research and innovation, with a deep understanding of the interplay between science, policy, and international cooperation in tropical agriculture. He is currently a Senior Researcher at Embrapa Agroenergy, focusing on sustainability metrics, impact assessment of agricultural technologies, modeling, and future studies to better integrate agriculture into the bioeconomy. Dr. Lopes also contributes his expertise to various public and private advisory bodies dedicated to food systems, agriculture, and sustainable energy, shaping policies and strategies for a more sustainable future. Previously, he served as President of Embrapa, Brazil’s premier agricultural research organization, guiding it through transformative growth from 2012 to 2018. During his tenure, he implemented innovative management models, fostered public-private partnerships, and established a strategic intelligence platform to align Embrapa’s research with global sustainability objectives.
Dr. Lopes has extensive international experience, having led Embrapa’s cooperation initiative in Asia, promoting collaborative research and partnerships. He also chaired the Task Force responsible for defining the 2021-2030 Strategic Plan for the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria. His global influence extends to serving on advisory boards of key organizations, including the Agropolis Foundation, the Global Crop Diversity Trust, the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, and the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy.
He holds a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Arizona and an MSc in Genetics from Purdue University, where he was honored with a Doctor of Agriculture Honoris Causa. His leadership has been pivotal in advancing sustainable agricultural practices and fostering innovative, multifunctional production models globally.