Dr. M. J. Khan

Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr M. J. Khan is a distinguished agriculture policy expert and respected thought leader with over 30 years of leadership experience in Indian and global agri-food systems, agricultural trade, policy advocacy, and agribusiness development. Widely recognized for shaping national and international agricultural discourse, he has built influential institutions and platforms that connect governments, farmers, agribusinesses, development agencies, investors, and global stakeholders.
He currently serves as Executive Director & CEO of the World Agriculture Forum (WAF), where he leads global initiatives on food security, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, climate resilience, investments, innovation, and international cooperation. Before assuming this role, he served as Special Advisor to the Board, from where he was elevated to lead WAF’s global expansion and strategic partnerships. He is also the Founding Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) and now serves as its Chairman Emeritus.
An agriculture graduate from Meerut University, with an MBA in Business Management from AMU, India, and a PhD in Agribusiness Management from Prescott, UK, Dr. Khan combines academic depth with practical leadership. He began his professional journey with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, and subsequently worked with Glaxo India in the veterinary division, EID Parry in the seeds business, and the Indian Agrochemicals Association. These early experiences across public systems and agribusiness laid the foundation for his later role as one of India’s foremost agriculture strategists.
Driven by a mission to strengthen agriculture through knowledge, policy, and partnerships, Dr. Khan went on to establish several pioneering institutions and initiatives, including Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA), International Agriculture Consulting Group (IACG), Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), Agriculture Today Media Group, Institute of Agribusiness Management, Concept Agrotech Consultants Ltd., and the Alliance of Indian Farmers Associations, along with multiple national and global agriculture forums. Through these institutions, he has impacted farmers, agribusinesses, and the rural economy across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Dr. Khan has played a pioneering role in developing transformative policy concepts and sectoral initiatives, including the National Policy on Organic Farming, National Extension Policy, North Eastern Agriculture Development Plans, farmer market linkage models, agri trade facilitation frameworks, agribusiness entrepreneurship ecosystems, and climate-smart agriculture dialogues. Through CARD, ICFA, and associated initiatives, his work has directly and indirectly benefited over a million farmers, agrientrepreneurs, and other agriculture stakeholders.
A globally connected agriculture leader, Dr. Khan has led high-level delegations, strategic dialogues, and partnership missions across Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United States, China, Australia, Chile, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, UAE, and several Asian and African countries. He is widely respected for promoting South-South cooperation, agro-trade diplomacy, investment partnerships, and food systems transformation, and has worked closely with governments, multilateral institutions, farmer organizations, chambers of commerce, sovereign funds, and global agribusiness corporations.
Dr. Khan is also a prolific writer, commentator, and policy voice in food and agriculture. He has authored over 200 policy papers, position papers, and published articles, and is a frequent speaker at global summits, policy roundtables, agri-investment forums, climate dialogues, and media platforms. In 1998, he launched Agriculture Today, which remains one of India’s most respected agriculture media publications. His views are regularly sought by national and international media on agriculture, trade, food security, farmer issues, climate resilience, and policy reforms.
Over the years, Dr. Khan has served in numerous advisory and governance capacities, including government committees, governing boards, ministerial consultations, agriculture and trade policy task forces, public-private partnership forums, and global consultation platforms. He has been nominated by ministries and leading institutions for strategic advisory roles in agriculture, food processing, rural development, and agri-trade policy.
Dr. Khan’s leadership philosophy is defined by his unique ability to bridge policy and implementation, farmers and markets, government and industry, and national priorities with global opportunities. His work continues to focus on positioning agriculture as a key driver of economic growth, climate resilience, farmer prosperity, nutrition security, and international cooperation.
As Executive Director of WAF, he is currently leading efforts to establish WAF Country Councils globally, convene global food and agriculture dialogues, mobilize climate and agriculture investments, strengthen food trade partnerships, and create platforms for innovation, AI, bioeconomy, and carbon agriculture, while building a stronger voice for farmers and developing countries in global policy. Dr. MJ Khan was born on 1 November 1965 in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. He continues to serve as one of the most influential global voices in agriculture policy, food systems transformation, and farmer-centric development.