Agri-ProFocus is very pleased to introduce Lucas Simons, Director of ForeFinance, and Caroline Figuères, Director of IICD, as our new Board members. They will replace Board members Adrie Papma (vice-president) and Eric Heinen (member) who resigned as of June 2011. With the new Board members, we hope to be ready for the exciting challenges ahead of us: joint action, joint learning and joint resources mobilisation to promote farmer entrepreneurship and strengthen organised farmers for increased food security.

Caroline Figuères has a background and network in water and environment and a long-term consultancy experience with the private sector. She also has worked within the academic and NGO worlds. Currently, she is Director of the International Institute for Communication in Development, a member organisation of Agri-ProFocus which specialises in information and communication technologies (ICT) as a tool for sustainable development.

Lucas Simons is founder and Director of NewForesight, a consultancy firm working on sustainable market transformation of agricultural commodities. Simons introduced the concept of ForeFinance, a credit-scoring mechanism with which sustainable farmer organisations can build up a credible track record with banks. For this inventive approach he was honoured as a Young Global Leader 2011 by the World Economic Forum. In the Board of Agri-ProFocus, he will represent the financial branch of our members.

At the next Board meeting, which will take place on 14 September, Figuères and Simons’ membership will become official. Also, the new Vice-Chair will be elected from among all Board members.