In Memory of Former ICRAF Director General, Dr. Pedro A. Sánchez
20 January 2026, Africa: Dr. Pedro Sánchez passed away on 12 January 2026, leaves behind a legacy of courage, curiosity, and compassion – rooted in soils, sustained by science, and dedicated to a more just and sustainable world.
Pedro was a visionary scientist, leader, and advocate whose lifelong commitment to sustainable land use, agroforestry, and global food security helped shape ICRAF into the institution it is today. As Director General from 1991 to 2001, he brought scientific excellence together with practical, farmer-centred solutions, championing approaches that placed landscapes, livelihoods, and long-term resilience at the heart of development.
Pedro’s leadership was marked by intellectual rigor, generosity of spirit, and an unwavering belief in the power of science to restore degraded lands and improve lives. He believed deeply that good science, when grounded in local realities, could reduce hunger, protect forests, and offer dignity and opportunity to smallholder farmers.
Leadership at ICRAF and the CGIAR
Appointed as ICRAF’s third Director General at the moment the Centre joined the CGIAR system, Pedro led a pivotal transformation. Under his leadership, ICRAF evolved from a development-focused information centre into a globally respected scientific institution, known for hypothesis-driven research, methodological innovation, and conceptual leadership in agroforestry and land use science.
He positioned ICRAF at the forefront of emerging global environmental agendas, linking agricultural research to the newly formed Rio Conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification. He initiated and secured funding for the CGIAR’s Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn (ASB) programme, distinguished by strong national participation in both research and governance.
Pedro also launched a major programme on soil fertility replenishment in Africa, emphasizing locally available phosphorus sources and the biological management of soils. His work demonstrated that improving soil conditions could unlock the benefits of biological nitrogen fixation, boosting productivity while reducing pressure on forests.
A strong proponent of science–policy engagement, Pedro ensured that ICRAF scientists contributed to global processes such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He chaired the CGIAR’s first Intercenter Working Group on Climate Change and led the first global IPCC study on the climate effects of land-use change, well before such links were widely accepted.
Global Scientific Contributions
A renowned soil scientist, Pedro was internationally recognized for pioneering solutions to degraded tropical soils and for advancing agroforestry as a pathway to sustainable intensification. His work spanned Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa, always focused on practical, scalable solutions for smallholder farmers.
After leaving ICRAF, he joined Columbia University’s Earth Institute, where he directed the Tropical Agriculture and Rural Environment Program and the African Soils Information Service (AfSIS). As co-chair of the UN Millennium Project Hunger Task Force, he helped link soil science directly to global development goals and food security strategies.
Through the Millennium Villages Project, Pedro and his colleagues used soil science to double or triple food production across 12 African countries, each representing a major agroecological zone – demonstrating that hunger was not inevitable, but solvable.
Pedro received global recognition for his work, including the World Food Prize (2002) and a MacArthur Fellowship (2004), reflecting his transformative contributions to tropical soil science, sustainable agriculture, and society.
A Lasting Legacy
Pedro’s legacy is felt not only through institutions and policies, but through transformed landscapes and lives. His research introduced sustainable practices, such as agroforestry systems and the use of rock phosphate, that turned nutrient-depleted soils into productive farmland. He was a tireless advocate for smallholder farmers, insisting on solutions that were scientifically sound, economically viable, and locally grounded.
He also invested in future generations, establishing the Sanchez–Palm Girls Scholarship Fund to support girls’ education in rural Africa. In 2019, Pedro published a revised and expanded second edition of Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics, first released in 1987 – a definitive text still used in universities around the world.
In His Own Words
Reflecting on decades of work across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa, Pedro emphasized that soil fertility depletion was the primary biophysical constraint to food production in smallholder systems. “Throughout my professional career, I’ve been working on tropical soils to help reduce world hunger and do it in tune with the environment,” he said.
Even in later years, based in Florida, he remained committed to tropical Africa and to building food security and environmental programmes in Cuba, his native country. He passed away two years after the death of his beloved partner in life and science, Dr. Cheryl Palm.
Also Read: Beyond the Grain: How Rice-Field Ponds are Forging Climate Resilient Livelihoods in Cambodia
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