Tamara P. Duran has been with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for more than five (5) years now. As the Assistant FAO Representative (AFAOR) for Programme, she oversees the programme development and management of FAO’s portfolio in the country, which currently includes initiatives that seek to promote food security and nutrition; introduce technologies that would help improve agri and fisheries productivity and incomes, as well as sustainable management of natural resources; and increase the resilience of the sector and its stakeholders to both natural and human-induced threats and emergencies. Prior to her appointment as AFAOR, she has been providing direct support to the implementation of FAO projects, in coordination with their key counterparts such as the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Agrarian Reform (DAR), among others.

Tamara has been in the field of agriculture and rural development for more than 10 years, starting with her stint in the agribusiness investment arm of the Department of Agriculture in 2007. During this time, she served as focal for the bioethanol feedstock program of DA and also supported in marketing/private sector linkage of farming communities. In 2011, she joined the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Staff of the National Economic and Development Authority, where she was tasked to analyze the government’s programs, policies and plans that specifically relate to agricultural commodities. While there, she was also involved in the review of new agri and fisheries projects that underwent the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) approval process. This was her last engagement before joining FAO.

Her academic background is in the field of economics, earning a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, and a Master in Development Economics from the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

Grahame Dixie is the executive director of Grow Asia, a multi-stakeholder partnership that catalyses inclusive agricultural development in in five ASEAN countries: Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, plus Papua New Guinea. The platform mobilises 480 partners into 44 working groups. They collectively solve pre-competitive issues in specific value chains, as well as at sectorial and policy levels. The key targets are focused on improving smallholder farmers’ profitability and productivity as well as the environmental sustainability of agriculture.

Mr Dixie has more than 35 years of professional experience as a practitioner in agricultural development. He has worked in over 75 countries, including an early career in the private sector. Prior to Grow Asia he served as the World Bank's agribusiness adviser.

Mr. Rodolfo V. Vicerra was appointed as the Undersecretary for Policy for Planning at the Department of Agriculture in early 2020. He was Director-General of the Congressional Planning and Budget Department for six years from 2004 to 2010. Over the last eight years, Mr. Vicerra has been doing independent consultancies and advocacy work in the civil-society and non-government sector, including short-term projects with ADB, UNDP, AusAID, FAO, and two years as legislative consultant at the Senate Committee on Food and Rural Development. Mr. Vicerra graduated cum laude in BS Business Economics from the University of the Philippines and has a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from Williams College, Massachusetts, USA.

Karlo Nograles currently serves as Cabinet Secretary, appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte in November 2018 to head the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat. Secretary Nograles serves as close adviser to the President, and ensures close coordination among the different agencies of government, such as DILG, DPWH, DSWD, DOH, and others.

Karlo is committed to helping the President deliver on his promise to bring development to all regions, provide more opportunities to those living in the provinces and uplift the economy in the countryside. He is also a staunch advocate of advancing programs against hunger, to end and overcome hunger concerns in different parts of the country, find solutions to water shortages in households while expanding irrigation in agricultural lands; and to finally achieve long-term peace in Mindanao.

Before he was appointed as Cabinet Secretary, Karlo was Chair of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations which approves the national budget for the annual expenses of the government. He served as a three term Congressman of the 1st District of Davao City. A lawyer by profession, he previously worked for the Nograles law firm in Davao City.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards as an outstanding legislator. He received the Golden Globe Awards for Excellence in Public Service in 2015 and 2016. He was also recognized as an Outstanding Congressman in 2012 and 2015 by Superbrands Marketing International.

Karlo is a graduate of Philippine Science High School. He holds a degree in BS Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University and a Juris Doctor from the Ateneo de Manila Law School. He was born and raised in Davao City, the second among four children of Prospero Nograles, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Rhodora Bendigo- Nograles, a cousin of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Dr. Mary Ann P. Sayoc is the Public Affairs Lead of East West Seed International. She has 19 years of professional experience in the seed industry. She was former General Manager of East-West Seed Philippines, a Dutch company engaged in research, development, production and distribution of vegetable seeds. East-West Seed is market leader for tropical vegetable seeds in Asia and developing markets in Africa and Latin-America.

Dr. Sayoc is active in the local and international agri-food scene. She is currently the President of the Philippine Seed Industry Association. She is the Chair of the Committee on Fruits and Vegetables of the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Food. She is the Co-Chair of the Agriculture Committee of ECCP. She is the Executive Vice President of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. She is past president of the Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA). She is a member of the Board of the International Seed Federation and a member of the Executive Board of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, an international organization working to safeguard crop diversity, forever.

Prior to her stint in the private sector, Mary Ann had a long career in government. She held key positions in the Department of Agriculture as Regional Director of DA RFU 4 and Executive Director of the Agricultural Training Institute.

She holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of the Philippines.