Mr. Alysson Paulinelli served as a Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, President of the National Confederation of Agriculture, Congressman, Secretary of Agriculture for Minas Gerais State and Professor and Dean of Lavras University.

Mr. Paulinelli has a distinguished career devoted to the agricultural sector and government. He has been a Director of Verde Agritech Plc since January 14, 2014. In 2006, he was awarded the World Food Prize. Mr. Paulinelli received his Agronomy Engineering degree in 1959 from the Federal University of Lavras, in Minas Gerais State, where he later served as Professor and Dean, having been integral in establishing the school as one of the top agricultural universities in Brazil.

Mr. Paulinelli is also a farmer: Grain producer (soy, corn, rice, beans), Irrigated Fruit – culture (banana) and Cattle Raising (Nelore cattle, Dark Swiss and crossbreeds).

Making our agricultural systems more sustainable is a fundamental pre-requisite to feeding a growing world population. Preserving and using the biodiversity of our food plants and livestock is key and I am therefore very please to be able to lend my voice to the Food Forever initiative.