Prof Paco Sereme is a Research Director in plant pathology at the National Agricultural Research Institute of Burkina Faso (INERA). Graduated as Agronomist in Crop protection from the University of Niamey (Niger), he then obtained a PhD and the French Doctorat d’Etat Es-Sciences in plant pathology from the Universities of Rennes I (France) and Cocody (Côte d’Ivoire) respectively.

He has shown the pathogenic variability of pearl millet downy mildew fungus in Burkina Faso used for improving control of the disease. He has also revealed a third taxon of Colletorichum as responsible of cowpea brown blotch disease in Burkina Faso, contributed to improve knowledge of the bio-ecology of the main pathogens of this disease, developed suitable use of indigenous plants extracts from the country for the control of seed-borne diseases of the main staple food crops. He has published more than 40 scientific articles in peer review journals.

Having served successively as Director of INERA (8 years), Executive Director of CORAF/WECARD (10 years) and involved in several committees, Board of trustees (FARA, ICRAF, ICRISAT, Agreenium, Africa Harvest), Prof SEREME has played an active role in the various reforms for improving agricultural research aims at transforming agriculture in West and Central Africa (WCA). CORAF/WECARD’s new vision 2007-2016 developed under his leadership and implanted successfully through important regional programs such as the West African Agricultural Productivity Program strengthened the role of this institution as a privileged tool for agricultural research in cooperation in WCA.

Funding member of the National Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters of Burkina Faso, Prof SEREME received recognitions from Burkina Faso (“Officier de l’Ordre National”), Côte d’Ivoire (“Chevalier de l’Ordre de Mérite de l’Education Nationale”), CAMES (“Chevalier de l’Ordre International des Palmes Académiques”). He was also granted with award recognitions from CORAF/WECARD, ICRAF and FARA.