José Graziano da Silva
José Graziano da Silva | |
---|---|
8th Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) | |
In office 1 January 2012 – 31 July 2019 | |
Preceded by | Jacques Diouf |
Succeeded by | Qu Dongyu |
Personal details | |
Born | Agronomist | November 17, 1949
José Graziano da Silva (born November 17, 1949) is a
Early life and education
Graziano was born in Urbana, Illinois. His parents were Brazilians of Italian origin (from the Calabria region), making da Silva eligible for three citizenships: American (by jus soli), Brazilian and Italian (by jus sanguinis).
Graziano graduated as an agronomist in 1972, after attending the
Career
Graziano da Silva has had a professional career in the fields of food security, agriculture, and rural development. Since 1977, Graziano da Silva has devoted his efforts to issues related to rural development and fighting hunger while working in the academia, at the political level and with organized labour.
The "Zero Hunger" Program was not only President Lula da Silva's overriding priority, but also represents a significant innovation in the formulation of public policies to fight extreme poverty. Particularly relevant aspects of the program are its holistic approach, its openness to civil society participation in policy planning and resource allocation as well as its monitoring, and the focus on gender as reflected in cash transfers to women in households, as a means of empowerment and ensuring more effective use of the resources.
In addition, Graziano da Silva has actively engaged in promoting joint initiatives with other agencies of the United Nations, including
Academic career
Graziano da Silva has had a long and distinguished academic career from 1978 through the present day, serving as a full professor at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and Chair of the Master's and Doctoral Program in Economic Development, Space, and Environment at UNICAMP's Institute for Economics. As a professor, Dr. Graziano da Silva has been recognized for his valuable contribution to the training and preparation of a new generation of young Latin American professionals dedicated to rural development and food security.
Minister for Food Security
In 2001, Graziano coordinated the formulation of the
Career at FAO
In March 2006, Graziano became an Assistant Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and served as FAO's regional representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.[6] During his tenure, Graziano obtained from the countries of Latin America a commitment to eradicate hunger by 2025.[6] He also promoted a program on rural issues, which defends the strengthening of institutions and public policies aimed at achieving comprehensive and inclusive development in rural areas.
On 2011, Graziano launched his candidacy for the post of Director General of FAO. He was elected on June 26, 2011, by the agency's 37th conference in
Oxfam welcomed Graziano's victory, saying he had the expertise and commitment to "transform our broken food system and make the shift toward a new agricultural future".[7] The United States also welcomed Graziano's election, stressing the need for continued reform and a push for sustainable agricultural development, greater access to nutritional crops and more opportunities for women and small-scale farmers.[7]
Graziano da Silva was the sole candidate in the elections for
In his work for FAO, Graziano da Silva has sought to strengthen family farming and rural development as a path to enhanced food security. Also important has been his key role in fostering the "Hunger-Free Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative", which has made the region the first one in the world to commit itself to eradicating hunger by 2025.
Graziano da Silva has also promoted a substantive agenda connected to rural issues, advocating for the strengthening of the sector's institutions and for public policies to ensure full and inclusive development in the countryside, with particular emphasis on the problem of rural employment. On this front, three studies prepared by FAO's Regional Office deserve to be mentioned: Boom Agrícola y Persistencia de la Pobreza Rural (Agricultural Boom and the Persistence of Rural Poverty), La Institucionalidad Agropecuaria en América Latina, Estado Actual y Desafíos (Agricultural Institutional Framework in Latin America, Current Status and Challenges), and Políticas de Mercado de Trabajo y Pobreza Rural en América Latina (Employment Market Policies and Rural Poverty in Latin America).
Controversy
Graziano da Silva's controversies include recognizing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for "reducing hunger" in 2013 and 2015 while Venezuela was actually suffering acute food shortages[11][12][13] and attempting to hire former First Lady of Peru, Nadine Heredia, while under national indictment for corruption charges.[14] The UN appointment would have conferred the former First Lady with diplomatic immunity against corruption crimes[citation needed].
Works
Graziano is the author of important publications on rural development, food security, and agrarian economics. He has published 25 books, including De boias frias an empregados rurais ("From Bóias Frias to Rural Workers") and his most work, O que é a questão agrária? (English: What is the Agrarian Question?), originally published by the Brasiliense publishing house in 1980[citation needed].
Personal life
Graziano is married to journalist and lawyer Paola Ligasacchi. He has two children and five grandchildren[citation needed].
Awards and recognition
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (September 2018) |
Graziano is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, such as the
In April, 2013 Graziano was given the title of a
His other awards include the
References
- ^ "Some Strings Attached: Cash Transfers and Brazil's Continued Response to Poverty". University of Illinois. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ "Speakers' biographies | ФАО - Fao.org".
- ^ a b c d Graziano da Silva, José. Biography in: O que é Questão Agrária (in Portuguese). 13th ed. São Paulo: Brasiliense, 1980 (1st ed). vol. 18 (Coleção Primeiros Passos).
- ^ "Governo oficializa candidatura de José Graziano a órgão da ONU". 26 November 2010.
- ^ "Agrónomo brasileiro José Graziano poderá ser director-geral da FAO" Archived 15 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. O País. June 20, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Velásquez, Kelly (AFP). "José Graziano da Silva é o novo diretor geral da FAO" (in Portuguese). Yahoo! Notícias. June 26, 2011.
- ^ a b c d https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/06/26/world/europe/AP-EU-UN-Food-Agency-Chief.html?_r=3&ref=global-home [dead link]
- ^ "Incumbent Director-General only candidate for election" February 1, 2015
- ^ Nikolau, Lisa (2 December 2016). "U.N. job for former Peru first lady held up by inquiry back home". Humanosphere. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Nadine 'still on FAO payroll,' agency quoted saying". The Italian Insider. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "UN Congratulates Venezuela on Hunger". ABC News. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ "Venezuela's controversial FAO award". Devex. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ "Outrage: Venezuela wins UN award for combating hunger as its people scrounge for food - UN Watch". UN Watch. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ "Peru angry at ex-first lady's UN job". BBC News. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ Keresoma, Lagi. "FAO Director General bestowed a Samoan warriors matai title". Talamua Online. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "MALNUTRITION DEATH RATE BY COUNTRY". World Life Expectancy. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ "OTORGAMIENTO DE LA "MEDALLA DE LA REPUBLICA ORIENTAL DEL URUGUAY". DIRECTOR GENERAL DE LA ONU PARA LA FAO. JOSE GRAZIANO DA SILVA".
- ^ "FAO - News Article: Sudan recognises the role of Graziano da Silva in fighting hunger". www.fao.org. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.