Gael Pressoir, PhD, is the founder of Chibas, the Haitian Center for Innovation in Biotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture. Gael Pressoir is an applied plant breeder. His current crop science research portfolio goes far beyond the traditional disciplinary delineation seen in typical plant breeding programs, which clearly indicates his awareness that replicating the conventional “northern” research model would not serve Haiti as effectively.
Gael Pressoir continues to expand the footprint of its research programs and the leadership of Chibas in Haitian agriculture. If Chibas has less than 10 years of existence, its impact is already considerable on Haitian agriculture. Gael Pressoir has selected several varieties of sorghum resistant to the invasive sorghum aphid (Papèpichon was released in 2017 and three others, Baton Moyiz, 2kabès and Tinen-2, are in the process of being distributed).
His research team (10 scientists with new recruits each year) is also working on other species of local staple (maize, beans, cowpeas, groundnuts, pigeon peas, edible jatropha, rice, sweet potatoes and cassava) in plant breeding and agronomy, animal nutrition, cropping systems and food technology.
His research team currently collaborates with some of the most renowned agricultural research centers in the world including CIAT, CIP, CIRAD, Cornell University, Kansas State University, INTA in Costa Rica, CERAAS in Senegal, and the Montpellier School of Agriculture.
0 Comments