Bonn, Germany
2 March 2026

The Crop Trust kicks off 2026 with new leadership that brings new vision to the effort to secure the future of food. Three new members were appointed to the Executive Board, each with decades of leadership in biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture. These fresh perspectives strengthen the Board’s capacity to advance the Crop Trust’s mission to protect crop diversity for the future.

Starting on 1 January 2026, the Executive Board welcomes new members: Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Ali of Jordan, Dr Usha Barwale Zehr and Dr Niels Peter Louwaars. They will help guide the Crop Trust in its mission toward global food security. Each of the new Board members brings extensive experience and expertise gained through distinguished careers in environmental activism, academia and the private sector.

“We are pleased to welcome new members of our Executive Board,” said Dr Stefan Schmitz, Executive Director of the Crop Trust. “Botanical gardens and the private sector both play a crucial role in conserving crop diversity and making it available for use to overcome challenges. New perspectives in the Executive Board can help strengthen our collaboration and advance our core mission of protecting crop diversity for the future.”

The appointment of new Executive Board members comes at an important moment for the Crop Trust. An external review completed in 2025 assessed the organization’s achievements over the past decade and outlined recommendations to guide its strategic direction over the next five years. This external review will inform and support incoming Board members and all leadership in their decision-making to advance the Crop Trust mission. Explore the full external review here. 

The Crop Trust’s Executive Board consists of:

• Four members nominated by the Donors’ Council of the Crop Trust
• Four nominated by the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the Plant Treaty)
• Two appointed by the Executive Board itself
• The Executive Director of the Crop Trust
• Two technical non-voting members representing the CGIAR and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN 

Princess Basma bint Ali was appointed by the Governing Body of the Plant Treaty for her inspiring work on biodiversity conservation in Jordan over the past 30 years. She co-founded the Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan in 1995 to protect the country’s coral reefs and founded the Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan in 2005 to conserve its native flora. Basma bint Ali also chairs the National Biodiversity Committee of Jordan (Ministry of Environment) and serves on the board of Botanic Gardens Conservation International as chair of the International Advisory Council. Basma bint Ali has received global recognition and national awards for her conservation work from HM King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein. 

Dr Usha Barwale Zehr was appointed by the Donors’ Council for her career-long efforts to improve agricultural productivity and enhance farmer incomes. As Chair and Executive Director of Grow Indigo Private Limited (GIPL), she has advanced sustainable agriculture, including India’s first carbon-farming initiative for smallholder farmers. Dr Zehr is also the Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Board of Mahyco Private Limited, India’s pioneering hybrid seeds company.

Dr Niels Peter Louwaars, another Donors’ Council appointee, is a leading expert in seed systems and agricultural policy. His work spans the entire seed chain from genetic resources and breeding to multiplication, marketing and the diversity of farmers and farming systems. It also includes the development of effective seed regulatory frameworks. He has served as Managing Director of Plantum, the Dutch seed sector association, following previous work at the Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands, and has held influential board roles with the European Seed Association, the International Society for Horticultural Science and the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands.

The Crop Trust is grateful for the valuable contributions by Jean-Christophe Gouache and Mercedes Aráoz, who are stepping down as Board Member and Vice-Chair of the Executive Board, respectively.

The Executive Board plays a central role in ensuring that Crop Trust policies and actions align with its mission – conserving and making crop diversity available for use globally, forever and for the benefit of everyone. The Board oversees the organization’s support for the Plant Treaty and adherence to the guidance provided by its Governing Body. The Board also approves the Crop Trust’s fundraising strategy and the policies and regulations that safeguard fiscal and operational efficiency, accountability and integrity. Together, these responsibilities position the Board at the heart of the Crop Trust’s governance and long-term success.

Quotes: 

“The Crop Trust is a platform that allows me to live my core values and faith, that we as humans own nothing of this earth and take nothing with us, yet we carry a profound responsibility to act as its custodians for future generations,” said Princess Basma bint Ali.

"Conserving our genetic resources for the future is critical for humanity, and I am excited to be a small part of this effort working with Crop Trust in the coming years," said Dr Usha Barwale Zehr.

“I am honoured and energized to contribute to the Crop Trust, an essential service supporting global crop resilience and food security; the conservation and use of plant genetic resources," said Dr Niels Peter Louwaars.

The Crop Trust is an international organization working to conserve crop diversity that protects global food and nutrition security. At the core of Crop Trust is an endowment fund dedicated to providing guaranteed long-term financial support to key genebanks worldwide. The Crop Trust supports the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and coordinates large-scale projects worldwide to secure crop diversity and make it available for use, globally forever and for the benefit of everyone. The Crop Trust is recognized as an essential element of the funding strategy of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Learn more at www.croptrust.org

Website: http://www.croptrust.org

Published: March 2, 2026