Board of Directors
President of the Board
Jhenifer Mojica Flórez
President of the Board
She is the current Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. She is a lawyer specialist in procedural law, with more than 15 years of professional experience working and protecting human rights. She was the Director of Ethnic Affairs of Unidad de Restitución de Tierras (URT) [Land Restitution Unit]. She was Deputy Director of the Colombian Commission of Jurists (CCJ) [Comisión Colombiana de Juristas] and has been a member —as a lawyer— of various processes with Asociación de Autoridades Arhuacas de la Sierra Nevada [Association of Arhuaco Authorities of Sierra Nevada] and Comisión para el Esclarecimiento de la Verdad [Clarification of the Truth Commission].
Alfonso Valderrama Martínez
Delegate of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Director of Innovation, Technological Development and Sanitary Protection (In Charge)
Representation of ICA
Juan Fernando Roa Ortiz
Principal Member
Juan Fernando is a lawyer from Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia (2014) and a specialist in administrative law from Universidad del Rosario (2018). He has been working at ICA as an administrative career official since 2017 and currently holds the position of Assistant Manager of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Regulation. He has acted as general manager in charge on various occasions, as well as Head of the Legal Advisory Office and Technical Director of National Affairs.
He has led fundamental processes to achieve new admissibility of agricultural products such as mango, pork meat, milk and dairy products, Hass avocado, and beef to destinations such as the United States, Singapore, Chile, Cuba, and Uruguay, among others.
Likewise, he has promoted the implementation of best regulatory practices and optimal models for the judicial and extrajudicial defense of the entity, as well as articulating the Institute with the intellectual property policies of the country.
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.
Representation of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation
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.
John Alexander Benavides
Delegate of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
Surgeon, physician, and Magister in Health and Safety at Work. Doctor in collective health. CTeI Manager at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
Researcher with more than 15 years of experience in research and extension in environmental and occupational health problems. He has experience developing research projects on environmental health problems with national and international funding sources. He is a coordinating member for Colombia at the Ecosalud Network. He is a Knowledge Management Network in Health and Safety at Work member.
Representation of the Associate Private Research Centers
Luz Marina Mantilla
Principal Member
She has a degree in Biology and Chemistry. She has a Master's Degree in Biology (Mycology area) from Universidad de los Andes and also a Master's Degree in Government and Public Policy from Universidad Externado de Colombia. She has been a researcher and university professor and has directed bachelor programs in Biology and of Biology.
Since 1997, she has been the Director General of Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI. During her administration, she has managed to consolidate scientific research topics related, among others, to flora, fauna, and microbiota inventories; the use of the biodiversity offer of the Amazon region through the generation of knowledge, innovation, and technology transfer for local communities; the generation of information for the country in terms of the Amazon; knowledge of the borders, and the necessary aspects that must be considered for the design and implementation of public policies that contribute to the sustainable development and conservation of the Amazon region.
Fredy Garcés Obando
Alternate 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.
Representation of Associated Guilds
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.
Representation of Associated Universities
Aníbal Orlando Herrera
Principal Member
Anibal is the current Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota headquarters. He is a food engineer with an M.S. in agricultural economics and a Ph.D. in science, food technology and chemical engineering. Anibal has been Director of the Department of Agronomy of the same faculty and of Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos (ICTA) of Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He is a Senior Researcher at Colciencias, with more than 50 scientific and academic publications, and Director of the Horticulture Research Group, classified in category A1 by Colciencias. He teaches food science and technology, agribusiness, postharvest, quality control, and research methodology. Before entering Universidad Nacional de Colombia, he worked in private companies and SENA as an Instructor and an Advisor in the Industry and Primary Sector Divisions. He also worked as a teacher at different private universities.
William Ballesteros Possú
Alternate member
He is the current Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Universidad de Nariño and a representative for the deans at the Academic Council. He is an Agroforestry Engineer with two master's degrees, one in Agroforestry for Sustainable Development and the other in Agricultural Sciences with an emphasis on crop production; Thanks to a Fulbright Commission scholarship, he completed a Ph.D. in Natural Resources with an emphasis in applied ecology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the United States. He is a Junior Researcher at Minciencias, with more than 30 scientific and academic publications, and Director of the Agroforestry and Natural Resources Research Group. He is a professor at Universidad de Nariño in the areas of Agroforestry and Natural Resources, and Statistics, the Director of the Association of Agroforestry Engineers-ASINAF, and President of the Agroforestry Network of Agroforestry Universities of Colombia-RAUC. Before he entered Universidad de Nariño, he worked in the regional autonomous corporation of Valle del Cauca - CVC through the Netherlands agreement.
Representation of territorial entities and associations and cooperatives of small agricultural producers
José Fernando Pito Zamora
Principal 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).
Giovanny Moncayo
Alternate 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).
Representation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
German Alonso Vélez Ortíz
Principal Member
He is an Agricultural Engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín Headquarters from 1988. He completed an M.Sc. in Agroecology and Rural Development in Latin America and Spain (2000) at Universidad Internacional de Andalucía (Spain). Between 1988 and 1993, he conducted research on agroforestry systems of Amazonian indigenous chagras at Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas (SINCHI). From 1994 to date, he has served as Director of Corporación Grupo Semillas [Seed Group Corporation], where he accompanies indigenous, Afro-Colombian, and peasant organizations in actions for the defense of territories, the common goods of biodiversity, and seeds, agroecology, and food sovereignty. He is an expert in rural public policies on agrobiodiversity, peasant rights, agroecology, family, peasant, community agriculture, biotechnology, and transgenic crops. He is the Director of Revista Semillas since 1994. He is part of the editorial committee of the magazine Biodiversidad, sustento y culturas, published by the Biodiversity Alliance of Latin America. He participates in the coordination of Red América Latina Libre de Transgénicos (RALLT) [Latin America Free of Transgenics Network], Red de Semillas Libres de Colombia [Free Seeds of Colombia Network], and Alianza por la Agrobiodiversidad de Colombia [Alliance for the Agrobiodiversity of Colombia].
Adriana Patricia Fuentes López
Principal Member
She is a lawyer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, a Specialist in Constitutional Law, and an M.Sc. in Environment and Development from the same university. She also has an M.Sc. degree in Political and Constitutional Studies from Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales de Madrid [the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies of Madrid] (Spain), in which she obtained one of the two awards given to the best research presented by students. She has been a university professor and researcher, was the National Deputy Director of Unidad de Restitución de Tierras [the Land Restitution Unit], and currently works as a specialized adviser and independent consultant on human rights issues from a comprehensive perspective, constitutional law, lands and territories, agrarian and environmental law, peasantry and the right to food, issues in which she has more than fifteen years of experience, of which she is the author of several publications.
Clarita Bustamante Zamudio
Alternate Member
She is a Veterinary Doctor from Universidad de La Salle, with a Master's Degree in Sustainable Development of Agricultural Systems from Universidad Javeriana and a broad experience of more than 25 years in the design, management, coordination, and implementation of processes and projects related to the construction of an operational sustainable development framework, based on the comprehensive study of the territory, the evaluation of sustainability, zoning and environmental management, the reconversion of agricultural production systems and the promotion of green businesses, including nature tourism and the formulation of environmental guides.
She has worked in the public sector in public policy analysis through sectoral and intersectoral action plans incorporating strategic environmental assessments of the agricultural sector and its biodiversity. Likewise, she has worked as a university lecturer and in designing and implementing methodologies and protocols that increase decision-makers' capacities and skills to analyze, plan, and manage rural landscapes and farms in a comprehensive regional context.
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.