Dr Hans Hoogeveen was elected as Independent Chairperson of the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in June 2021. FAO Members elected him in July 2023 for a second term of two years. He is the former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to FAO.
Hans Hoogeveen is duly acknowledged as a consummate professional and a man of agriculture in the utmost degree. With unwavering focus on the stimulation and promotion of sustainable agriculture globally, food security and safety, he has served in numerous international functions. He is political advisor to the World Bank and special advisor to the UN Task Force. Board membership includes Yale University Governance, Environment and Market Initiative, and Fellow of Forest Trends, a leading International NGO on innovative natural policy in Washington D.C.
As Chairperson of the Seventh Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests Bureau, his leadership resulted in an international instrument deemed a landmark achievement by the UN Secretary General following fifteen years
of encumbered international negotiations – a highly noteworthy accomplishment within the forum, which earned Hoogeveen a UN award. He is one of the founding members and current co-Chair of the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (GACSA). In addition, he is founder member and current co-Chair of Champions 12.3, an international coalition of eminent commissioners and CEOs of companies, international organizations and NGOs, which focus on a 50% worldwide reduction on food losses and waste by 2030. Having worked in almost all UN capitals, including New York, Nairobi and Geneva, his broad and well-sustained international network is highly regarded. Among his many initiatives is a long list of international events, most of which have been organized by himself. Furthermore, he has experience in a variety of UN bodies other than FAO.
He chaired numerous bodies such as in the context of FAO (Chairperson of the Programme Committee for four years), IFAD (Governing Body) and WFP. Early in his career he became well-acquainted with various aspects of the policy field: the Brussels component, political current affairs, and other party negotiations. He came to regard it as the most integral policy domain, impressing upon him its crucial implications for all living entities – humans, animals, plants. Fully dedicated to contributing to a high goal in areas such as Food Security and the elimination of poverty, he feels strongly that activity through joint effort in a multi-lateral field ultimately leads to the achievement of certain pivotal objectives.
Hans Hoogeveen has authored a book on Sustainable Development Diplomacy as well as a number of articles on sustainable development and natural resources policies. His academic posts include Professor of Practice in Natural Resource Policy at the Fletcher School of Law, visiting Professor Sustainable Development Diplomacy at Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands, and lead lecturer in European Policy.
He holds a degree in Law obtained at Leiden University, the Netherlands, a Master’s degree in Public Management, and a Doctorate from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Boston and Wageningen University, the Netherlands.He hasreceived the following awards: Commander of Gregorius (Holy See), and Commander de l’Orde Grand-Ducal de la Couronne de Chene (Luxembourg).
