Professor Abdulai Jalloh, AfricaRice Research and Innovation Lead

Prof. Abdulai Jalloh joined the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) in November 2021 as Research and Innovation Lead. He works directly under the supervision of the Director General and is based in Mbé, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire. At AfricaRice, this position is the new nomenclature for the position of Director of Research for Development.

Prof. Jalloh is a Sierra Leonean citizen with over 30 years of solid agricultural research-for-development experience, working in multidisciplinary teams and collaborating with local and international development partners as well as leading research teams and administrations. He has experience implementing and coordinating projects and linking research outputs with development outcomes, including food security and poverty alleviation in the face of climate change.

Prof. Jalloh has extensive contacts with many research and development stakeholders, including farmers organizations, civil society, researchers (from national agricultural research systems and CGIAR), as well as donors and development practitioners across Africa. Before joining AfricaRice, Prof Jalloh worked at West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), Dakar, Senegal, where he was holding the position of Director of Research and Innovation.

Prof. Jalloh is a member of the AfricaRice senior management team (Executive Management Committee) and the Lead of the Research group. In this capacity, he coordinates scientific strategic thinking, priority setting, planning, and coordination, so that they are aligned with the One CGIAR 2030 research and innovation strategy and the Center’s vision and mission.

Prof. Jalloh is responsible for ensuring that the research staff of AfricaRice follow scientific leadership guidelines provided by the One CGIAR Global Science teams and relevant One CGIAR system components, and that resources mobilized are used in the most effective and efficient manner to deliver on the mandate of the Center. He is responsible for coordinating and providing support to ensure the smooth operation of all research stations/offices of AfricaRice established in member countries.