Steve Staal, leader of ILRI’s Policy, Trade and Value Chains program (photo credit: ILRI).

Steve Staal, who for the past 15 months has served the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Los Baños, the Philippines, as regional representative for East and South Asia, this month takes up leadership of ILRI’s Policy, Trade and Value Chains program and is now based in Nairobi. An American agricultural economist raised in developing countries and with long experience in smallholder agricultural systems in Africa and Asia, in agricultural research and in livestock research management, Staal has held various positions in ILRI, including director of a market opportunities theme and deputy director general—research.

Staal’s career in international agriculture began with several years as a fish culture extension agent in central Africa. He joined ILRI following his graduate studies. Over the years he has played a range of roles addressing research in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia…