Philippe Petithuguenin

Philippe brings a wealth of experience and a calm, guiding presence to iCRA’s Supervisory Board. Trained as a farming system agronomist in France, Philippe has dedicated 40 years to Agricultural Research for Development, with 20 of those years spent working in Africa and Latin America.

His expertise lies in linking research activities to development processes, particularly within tropical farming systems and the cocoa/cacao sector. Philippe’s career spans various roles at Cirad and includes advising on international cooperation for the European Commission in Brussels.

Currently, Philippe is the General Director for Research and Strategy at Cirad, in France. He is actively involved in multiple European and international initiatives, such as the EU-Africa HLPD STI Working Group on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture. Until June 2021, he coordinated the H2020 project LEAP4FNSSA, fostering partnerships between Europe and Africa in agricultural research, and continues to contribute to Horizon Europe projects.

Beyond his professional life, Philippe is passionate about gardening, cultivating his own fruits and vegetables. He also finds joy in singing as a dedicated tenor in a local choir.

As the chair of iCRA’s Supervisory Board, Philippe’s mission is to provide guidance to the iCRA leadership, facilitate meaningful exchanges between board members and staff, and promote iCRA to potential partners and funders.