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Mar 8, 2024 Vice Secretary-General in top 20 most influential leaders in seed sector

International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants celebrates recognition of Vice Secretary-General among most influential leaders in seed sector

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 Record number of new protected plant varieties and the expansion of UPOV membership with Armenia and Ghana highlight the impact of UPOV under the leadership of Yolanda Huerta.

Geneva, March 8, 2024.  The list of 20 most influential women in the seed sector announced today by the specialized press recognizes the importance of the Vice Secretary-General Yolanda Huerta for the work of UPOV.

“I am inspired by this recognition in the context of the importance of plant variety protection to address the needs and aspirations of farmers, growers and society, for instance, with new varieties that resist the diseases introduced by global warming.  We are working together with more countries to enable these developments, as illustrated by the recent accessions of Armenia and Ghana to the worldwide UPOV community,” said Ms. Huerta.

More than 160.000 new protected varieties are available within the 79 members of UPOV, covering 98 States, with a rate of innovation surmounting 27.000 new candidate varieties in 2022.  Many of these improved plant varieties are reaching farmers and growers through public-private partnerships and SMEs, increasing investments in agriculture and horticulture (examples at:  https://www.upov.int/about/en/benefits_upov_system.html).

The broad recognition of Yolanda Huerta’s influential role in the seed sector was welcome by her collaborators, often describing her enthusiasm and passionate leadership style as bringing the best out of people. “Seeing the bigger picture brings focus to her daily work,” described a teammate.

20 Most Influential Women in the EU Seed Sector in 2023 - Seed World

 

Feb 2, 2024 Armenia Promotes Plant Breeding Joining the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

UPOV Press Release No. 141

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