Events - The Global Bean Project

Events

September Public Meeting: Legume Policy in Action

📅 Tuesday, September 2, 2025
🕔 5pm CEST
📍 Online (Zoom)

How can policy drive the future of beans and legumes in our food systems? Join leading voices from Europe, Africa, and global advocacy networks for an inspiring discussion on Legume Policy in Action.

Speakers:

Donal Murphy-Bokern – Independent agricultural and environmental scientist (Ireland).
With 40 years of research in agronomy, farming, and food systems, Donal works closely with policymakers to strengthen sustainable farming.
He will discuss the challenge of increasing legume adoption on European farms and how science and policy can work hand in hand.
Jean Claude Rubyogo – Global Bean Program Leader, Director of the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT/CGIAR.
Jean Claude has led major innovations in seed systems and partnerships that now support food security for over 42 million smallholder farmers across Africa.
He will present how beans evolved from a subsistence crop to a highly valued food, and the role of research and policy in this transformation.
Asma Lateef – Chief of Policy and Advocacy Impact, SDG2 Advocacy Hub (USA).
A longtime advocate for food security and nutrition, Asma has shaped international policy through her leadership at Bread for the World, the SUN Movement, and the UN.
She will share actionable policy pathways to boost bean adoption by farmers and consumers, and equip decision-makers to act.
Marin Vandamme – Co-founder of The Protein Project (Belgium).
With a background in agricultural strategy development across Africa at McKinsey, Marin now focuses on reshaping Europe’s food system.
He will discuss The Protein Project’s work to depolarize the protein debate and present a roadmap for fava beans in Europe.