Martha Carvajalino Villegas

President of the Board

The current Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development is a lawyer with a specialization in constitutional law and a Master's Degree in law. All of her studies were carried out at Universidad Nacional de Colombia. 

This prominent jurist, an expert in agrarian and environmental issues, has served as Judicial Attorney II in agrarian and environmental matters in the Attorney General's Office. This experience is preceded by an outstanding career in state entities, international organizations, and civil society organizations focused on promoting rural development, democratizing the agrarian structure, and promoting peasant and community economy. 

She is the promoter of the Agrarian Reform in Colombia. Since her time as a Public Official, she has promoted compliance with the agrarian regime and has accompanied the struggles of peasant communities and ethnic peoples for the recognition of their territorial, political, and social rights. As Vice Minister of Rural Development, between June 2023 and January 2024, she reactivated the National Agrarian Reform System and designed the instruments to streamline land redistribution processes in the country.

Santos Alonso Beltrán Beltrán

Delegate of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

Political scientist, public administrator, and industrial engineer with an M.Sc. and a doctorate in political science. He is of peasant descent and has been a university professor for more than two decades in different university centers in the country's capital. He is a public servant in various state entities, serving as director and manager of intervention projects in vulnerable communities. He is a social researcher, a frequent contributor to magazines and political analysis centers, and a writer.

He is the son of a large peasant family that emigrated to the city in the seventies; he participated in grassroots or communal struggles for land ownership and the collective construction of neighborhoods in the south of the city of Bogotá.

He currently serves as Director of Innovation, Technological Development, and Health Protection at Colombia's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Paula Andrea Cepeda Rodríguez

Principal Member

The General Manager of Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA) is an industrial engineer from Universidad Tecnológica de Colombia, a specialist in project management from Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD) and a specialist in economics for engineers from Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito. In addition, she has a master's degree in public management from Universidad de los Andes.

She currently holds the position of Administrative and Financial Assistant Manager of ICA. She has served as General Manager of Instituto de Fomento y Desarrollo de Boyacá, General and Government Secretary of the Mayor's Office of Paipa, and advisor on several occasions for the Government of Boyacá.

Luis Gerardo Arias Rojas

Alternate member

The Assistant Manager of Plant Protection of ICA is an agricultural engineer from Universidad Pedagógica and Tecnológica de Colombia (UPTC) and a specialist in ecology from the same university. He has an M.Sc. in international trade from the European School of Management and Business and an M.Sc. in management for development from Universidad Externado de Colombia. He has complementary training in the circular economy, entrepreneurship, innovation, and project management areas, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) methodology, advanced political management and governance studies, and territorial planning.

During his professional practice he has served as Secretary of Agriculture of Boyacá on two occasions, Director of Planning, Management and Execution of Projects of the Rape Central Region, Advisor to the Local Mayor's Office of Usaquén in Bogotá, Advisor to the Mayor's Office of Paipa (Boyacá ), Secretary of Economic Development of Tunja, Office Advisor of the Mayor's Office of Tunja, National Technical Secretary of the Vegetable Chain of the Ministry of Agriculture, Technical Assistant of IICA, Asohofrucol, CCI and a university lecturer.

Yesenia Olaya Requene

Representation of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation

She was born in the Colombian Pacific, exactly in Tumaco, Nariño. She has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, where she also completed an M.Sc. in Pedagogy. Her professional training began in public education at Universidad de Caldas, where she graduated as a sociologist.

She has broad experience in the academic world. Specifically, she has served as the Academic Coordinator of the Certificate in Afro-Latin American Studies of the Afro-Latin American Research Institute of Harvard University. She has also been a graduate and postgraduate professor at various universities in Latin America.

During her professional career, she has led the inclusion and academic training of students from 26 countries in Latin America, the United States, and Europe, including social leaders, public officials, and undergraduate and graduate students in Afro-Latin American studies. Furthermore, she was also previously Vice Minister of Talent and Social Appropriation of Knowledge of Minciencias.

Fredy Garcés Obando

Principal Member

He obtained his Agricultural Engineer degree from Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Medellín campus in 1996, focused on agricultural biotechnology. Later, he worked as one of the first COLCIENCIAS "Young Researchers" at the Colombian Sugar Cane Research Center CENICAÑA, under the guidance of Dr. Jorge Victoria, and later replaced Phytopathologist II in 1998. At the end of 1998, he was part of the team that created the Ecuadorian Sugar Cane Research Center CINCAE. From 2007 to 2011, he completed his doctoral studies at the Louisiana State University under Dr. Jeff Hoy, Sugarcane Plant Pathologist, and at the LSU-AgCenter Proteomics Laboratory, receiving the Edgerton Honor Award as a graduate student. Upon his return to CINCAE, he continued working on disease-preventive management projects. In the clone evaluation and selection process, he included molecular techniques to select clones resistant to systemic diseases and complementing the field work with brown rust resistance markers. Since May 2016, he has worked at CENICAÑA as a phytopathologist and, later in 2018, as Director of the Variety Program. As of July 2019, he is the Director General of this research center.

Alexandre Patrick Cooman

Alternate Member

General Director of CENIPALMA.

Jorge Enrique Bedoya

Principal Member

Jorge Enrique has an M.S. in economics from Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá and Public Policy from Harvard University. He has extensive trade experience. Further, he has been part of the team of Federación Nacional de Cafeteros and presided over Federación Nacional de Avicultores de Colombia (Fenavi). From 2011 until 2015, Bedoya was the Vice Minister of National Defence, where he assisted the Minister in formulating and evaluating policies, and strategic and sectoral objectives in this matter. Before joining the Farmer Society of Colombia (SAC, for its acronym in Spanish), he was Director of Fundación Bavaria y Desarrollo Sostenible, a position in which he has managed the design and implementation of the entity's investment programs to benefit the neediest communities in Colombia. He has been a lecturer at Universidad Javeriana and an Assistant Professor at Harvard University. He is currently also President of the National Trade Association Counsel and a member of various boards and boards of directors of entities related to the agricultural sector.

Jose Gustavo de Silvestri

Alternate Member

He is the current technical Director of Fedegan-Fondo nacional del ganado, a traditional cattle breeder and zootechnician with a long career as an association and business leader. In addition, he stands out for his experience in managing private companies linked to the agri-food sector in the country, lecturer, coordinator of the zootechnics area, and Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of educational entities. To the title of zootechnician from Universidad Nacional, he has a Master's Degree in International Cooperation and Project Management and a specialization in Tropical Bovine Production. He has also taken diplomas, including Management of Livestock Companies, Tropical Bovine Nutrition, Bovine Production for the Tropics, Reproductive Biotechnology Update, and New Approach to Bovine Nutrition.

Luis Ernesto Rodríguez Molano

Principal Member

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Cristóbal Lugo López

Alternate Member

Universidad de los Llanos

Giovanny Moncayo

Principal member

He is the Agricultural and Rural Development Secretary of Palmira (Valle del Cauca). Giovanny is an agricultural engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia with an M.Sc. in administration from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, a Specialist in environmental management and sustainable development from la Universidad Santiago de Cali, and a Specialist in domiciliary public services of Uniexternado Bogotá.

He has extensive experience in the public sector. He has served as Secretary of the Council of Palmira (1995-1997), Representative for Environmental Protection (1993-1994), Councilor of Palmira for 4 periods (1998-2011), President of Asociación de Ingenieros Agrónomos del Valle [Association of Agricultural Engineers of Valle del Cauca] (ASIAVA, Palmira chapter, 2002-2005), National Secretary of FENACON (Councilors of Colombia), Legislative Work Unit Congress of the Republic Bogotá (2013-2014), Contractor Supervisor of Minagricultura Projects Bogota (2016), Advisor to the Minambiente Office Bogota (2017 -2018), UNGRD Bogota Office Advisor (2020), and Technical-Commercial Advisor of CANNABISHEALTH Company S.A.S (2020-2023).

José Fernando Pito Zamora

Alternate Member

He is a Business Administrator specializing in Social Management from ESAP, has a diploma in Strategic Marketing-UCC and has training in Formulation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Social Programs and Projects-CEPAL.

He has served as Coordinator of the Land Program and Primary Basic Education of the extinct PPR, Manager of Inversiones Agropecuarias Tequendama S.A., Manager of Lotería del Cauca, Manager of Empresa Minera Indígena del Cauca-Emicauca, Associate Manager of the companies Megatecnología Colombiana and Vittal Médica S.A.S, Consultant in various NGOs, Technical Professional with the ACIN-FORD Agreement, Consultant in Economic Management, Field Professional of the Colombian Alliance of Public Institutions of Higher Education-RED SUMA, and Coordinator of the Planning Path of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca CRIC - Nacional, where, for more than 40 years, he has been a leader and social activist. He is currently part of the Advocacy Team of the Political Program of the Self-Government System in the city of Bogotá.

He participated in the International Seminar on Solidarity Against Injustice (Strasbourg-France), the International Donations Workshop Seminar (North South Foundation), the Seminar on Marketing and Packaging Practices and Trends for Exporting Processed Food to the United States (Adicomex-Proexport), the Conference on the transfer of best national and international practices in cultural heritage management (Universidad de Barcelona and Unicomfacauca), and in the First Conference on productive chaining, processing process and added value, Productive chain of Medicinal, Aromatic and Condimentary Plants, and Planning for Competitiveness (Mining and Energy Planning Unit, Ministry of Mines).

Juliana Millán

Principal Member

Anthropologist with a Master's degree in environment and development from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, with doctoral studies at the Faculty of Anthropology at Universidad Autónoma de México.

She has collaborated with interdisciplinary teams from civil society organizations, public institutions, and international cooperation agencies to strengthen peasant, indigenous, and union organizations to build fair, equitable, and inclusive agri-food systems.

Currently, she is the Political Director of the Association for Interdisciplinary Work (ATI, for its Spanish acronym), where she contributes to the progressive construction of the right to food. She is also one of the advocacy liaisons for the National Family Farming Network (RENAF, for its Spanish acronym) and serves as the spokesperson for the Expanded Roundtable Network for Peasant, Family, and Community Agriculture (ACFEC, for its Spanish acronym).

Carlos Lozano

Principal Member

A professional with extensive experience at the intersection of sustainability and development. He holds a law degree from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and an LL.M. in Environmental Law from the University of Oregon, United States, obtained as a Fulbright scholar. He has been a researcher for the "Policy and Legislation in Biodiversity, Traditional Knowledge, and Access to Genetic Resources" (Plebio) group at the Genetics Institute of Universidad Nacional de Colombia; a Senior Attorney for the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense; a member of the World Commission on Environmental Law of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); a university professor; and a consultant on environmental and human rights issues. He is an expert in water issues and has extensive experience in biodiversity and climate change.

Claudia Liliana Cortés López

Principal Member

Business administrator with an M.Sc. in Economics, both from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. She is currently enrolled in an M.Sc. in Markets and Competition from Universidad Externado de Colombia. She has experience in the Colombian agricultural and international cooperation sectors; project formulation, management, and evaluation; research on issues, such as inequality in rural lands in Colombia, socioeconomic analysis of rural territories, urban-rural conflicts, agricultural legislation, family farming, food marketing, supply, and food security. She is currently the General Director of UPRA.

María Emérita Ibarbo

Alternate Member

A leader in the defense of territory and life, a theologian, a mediator of equity, and a defender of the memory of her ancestors. She was born and raised in the rural sector of the special district of San Andrés de Tumaco. She has actively participated from her territory in multiple public policymaking forums to strengthen human rights and women's rights, such as the reform of the 1991 Constitution, Transitional Article 55, and Law 70 of 1993. She has participated in the revision of Law 1448, Decree-Law 4635 on Afro-Colombian victims, and in the peace talks that resulted in the ethnic chapter in the peace agreement signed in 2016. She also contributed to the revision of Resolution 464 in 2024 and the development of the National Peace and Security Plan for Women under the framework of the armed conflict and International Resolution 1325. She has participated in dialogues with the ELN and the Expanded Peasant Family Ethnic Roundtable. She founded REDHPANA and has been part of the national organization of Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal, and Palenquero communities. She represents the self-government of the Village Countryside Life Relationship of the Black Afro-Colombian communities of the special district of San Andrés de Tumaco. She was a National Congress of Senior Women member and National Coordinator of the Association of Women Leaders (ASMUL, for its Spanish acronym). She participated in constructing the prototype for the historical memory of Black and Afro-Colombian communities and in creating the circle of thought at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, a social work method with an ethnic emphasis.

Currently, she is the national coordinator of the Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal, and Palenquero people, and through her association –ASMUL– has promoted the "Ancestral Market Exchange" project since 2025. She is also a territorial peace counselor for the special district of San Andrés de Tumaco, as an environmental leader and human rights defender with an ethnic and social approach.

German Antonio Cardoza Sánchez

Alternate member

He is a business administrator from Universidad Surcolombiana, a Specialist in public management from Escuela Superior de Administración Pública (ESAP-USCO), and has an M.Sc. in rural development from Universidad Javeriana. He has over 40 years of experience in socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, and rural extension issues, assistance to peasant settlements and work with rural and ethnic communities, credit supervision, participation in the constitution and consolidation of peasant reserve zones, and other agricultural public policy issues.

Héctor Mondragón

Alternate member

IICA Consultant. Advisor of the Ministry of Agriculture. For 40 years, he was an advisor for peasant and indigenous organizations. He served as a professor at the Barrancabermeja branch of Universidad Cooperativa and at Cogeae of Pontificia Universidad de São Paulo, Brazil. He was awarded the Oak Prize from Colby College in Maine and an Honorary Doctorate from Universidad de Sucre.