The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) mourns the passing of Dr. Djimé Adoum, a member of IFPRI’s Board of Trustees and a trusted friend of the Institute. Dr. Adoum passed away on December 15, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Dr. Adoum served on IFPRI’s Board of Trustees since May 2019 and we were fortunate to benefit from his thoughtful guidance to the Institute during a time of change, including the global pandemic, high levels of food price inflation, CGIAR and IFPRI’s restructuring, as well as his own personal health challenges.
Prior to and during his service to IFPRI, Dr. Adoum led the Permanent Inter-States Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) as their Executive Secretary from 2013 to 2020. In 2021, Dr. Adoum was appointed Roving Ambassador and Special Envoy for Chad to the Sahel as well as High Representative of the Coalition for the Sahel. Dr. Adoum also worked with USAID’s mission in Chad, the World Bank, and USDA, and served as Chad’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.
Throughout his career, Dr. Adoum advocated for human rights, food security, and strongly supported South-South cooperation. Dr. Adoum will be remembered well for his utmost dedication to serving the needs of vulnerable people and strengthening the development of communities near and far.