13 Facts About Monty Jones

Monty Jones was born on February 5,1951 and is a plant breeder and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security of Sierra Leone.

Monty Jones previously held the position of Special Adviser to the President of Sierra Leone and Ambassador-at-large until his appointment to cabinet.

Monty Jones is the immediate past Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa and co-winner of the 2004 World Food Prize.

Monty Jones won the award based on his discovery of the genetic process to create the New Rice for Africa, which gives higher yields, shorter growth cycles and more protein content than its Asian and African parents.

Monty Jones was awarded an honorary degree in Doctor of Science by his alma mater, Birmingham University, in July 2005.

Monty Jones began his career at the Rice Research station in Sierra Leone, where he worked as a breeder for 13 years.

In 1991, Monty Jones moved to the West Africa Rice Development Association now known as AfricaRice Centre, to become its principal breeder.

Monty Jones then disseminated NERICA through participatory approaches by working at multiple levels of associates from scientists to extension workers and farmers organizations to governments and NGOs.

At the time he left WARDA to join FARA in July 2002, Monty Jones held three offices, first as its Principal Rice Breeder, Rain-fed Program Leader and Deputy Director of Research.

Monty Jones is the immediate past chairperson of Global Forum on Agricultural Research.

In January 2014 Monty Jones was nominated president of EMRC, a not-for-profit Belgium-based association founded to encourage and facilitate private sector investment in Africa.

Monty Jones replaced Professor Pierre Mathijsen, professor of European Law at the University of Brussels and Managing Partner of the law firm Eurolegal EEIG, who had been at the helm of EMRC for a decade.

In September 2001, Monty Jones received the National Order of Merit of Cote d'Ivoire given by the Ivorian President.