CURRICULUM VITAE

I.  PERSONAL

 

Name: Maria Alexandra Barreiros Jorge
Languages: Portuguese, English and French

 

 

 

II.  EDUCATION

 

Academic Courses

 

Feb/96 to Aug/2003 

  • DPhil on Plant Physiology/Biotechnology, under the theme “Factors affecting the hardening and acclimatisation of tissue culture cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)” with special focus on simple and low input technologies for semi-arid environments. Crop Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Jan/84 to Dec/87   

  • Degree in Agronomy. UNIVERSIDADE EDUARDO MONDLANE, Maputo, Mozambique.

 

Other Courses

  • On the job training, on tissue culture methodologies. UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE VIÇOSA - Tissue Culture Laboratory, under Prof. Silvio Teixeira (FAO consultant) supervision, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 27 September - 27 October 1990

  • On the job training, on tissue culture technologies. UNIVERSIDADE CENTRAL DE LAS VILLAS - Tissue Culture Laboratory, Santa Clara, Cuba. 02-07 October 1990

  • VII National Intensive Training Course of Cassava. CNPMF (Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Mandioca e Fruticultura) - EMBRAPA, Cruz das Almas, Brazil. 13-24 August 1990.

 

III.  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

Positions Held

 

2007 up to date

Responsibilities:

  • Develop best practices and strategies for the cost effective genebank management of global public goods in the CGIAR Center’s collections

  • Develop a knowledge base on genebank management as an on-line training tools freely available via internet to support capacity development within the System and for the NARS.

 

2003 to 2007

 

  • Postdoctoral scientist on germplasm health at Forage Diversity - ILRI - Ethiopia (www.ilri.org)

Responsibilities:

 

  • Morphological and agronomical characterization of forage germplasm with emphasis on forage grasses (Cenchrus, Panicum, Cynodon) and legumes (Lathyrus).
  • Cleaning viruses and phytoplasma from infected materials, using tissue culture techniques (Mucuna pruriens, Pennisetum purpureum, Psophocarpus).
  • Regeneration of forage plants and seeds with low viability using tissue culture and rapid micro-propagation techniques.

 

2002 to 2003

  • Consultant on in vitro and ex vitro multiplication, with special emphasis on food security crops, particularly high yielding, drought tolerant, short cycle and high nutritional content root crops. On-going projects in different agro-ecological zones of Senegal and Cape Verde.

  • Coordination on pest and disease field surveys on cassava, in collaboration with IITA.

  • Collaboration with Hortivar (Horticulture Cultivars Performance Database), from FAO.

1988 to 1995

  • National coordinator. Root and Tuber Crops National Research Program, INIA (National Institute for Agriculture Research), Mozambique.

 Responsibilities:

  • Establishing, characterizing and management of germplasm bank of root crops.

  • Evaluation and selection of germplasm, conduction of on-station and on-farm agronomic trials of cassava and sweet potato.

  • Coordination on the installation of demonstration trials aiming at the adaptation of technologies to farmer's needs, as part of the “fight against poverty campaign”

  • Coordination on the release of new locally adapted varieties, spreading of technologies based on a sustainable approach and root crops activities performed by other institutions (Word Vision, Food for Hunger International, farmer’s associations, extensionists) in Mozambique.

1988 - 1994

  • National counterpart in the FAO (UNDP) project GCP/MOZ/036/AGF of Assistance in Multiplication of Cassava and Sweet Potato in Mozambique.

 Responsibilities:

  • Establishment of a tissue culture laboratory at Umbeluzi Research Station (the first and only in the country) from conception to operation and maintenance.

  • Coordination of the establishment of root crops rapid multiplication centres in the rural areas of several agro-ecological zones, in Mozambique.

  • Writing bi-annual activity reports and the final report of the project.

1988 - 1993

  • National coordinator for ESARRN (East and Southern African Root Crops Research Network) in Mozambique, including financial administration of funds, elaboration of reports, presentation of results (posters, oral presentations, publication of articles and leaflets), organizing training courses and workshops.

Teaching

  • Curso sobre Extensão Agrária (Cassava and sweet potato crop management). Maputo, Mozambique. 07 November - 06 December 1994.

  • Formação sobre a Produção e Tecnologia de Sementes (Seed technology and production: Cassava and sweet potato variety improvement, evaluation, characterisation and maintenance). Maputo, Mozambique. 27 November - 10 December 1994.

  • Curso de Formação em Sistemas de Produção Consociada (Integrated planting systems: Cassava agronomy and planting methods). Maputo, Mozambique. 11 July - 09 September 1994.  

  •  Root and Tuber Crops Training Course (General guidelines for field trial installation, conduction and data collection). Maputo, Mozambique. 15-25 November 1989.

Membership in Scientific Societies

  • International Society for Tropical Root Crops (ISTRC).

  • The International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)

 

IV. PARTICIPATION ON TECHNICAL/SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

  • 27th International Horticultural Congress & Exhibition – Global Horticulture: Diversity & Harmony, COEX (Convention & Exibition), Seoul, Korea, 13-19 August 2006

  • Regional workshop on strategies for ensuring clean germplasm for distribution and use. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 3-7 October 2005.

  • XXVIth International Horticultural Congress & Exhibition – Horticulture: Art & Science for life, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 11-17 August 2002

  • Rockefeller Forum Graduate Student Retreat – Livingston, Malawi. 25-28 October 1999

  • Cassava Biotechnology Network - CBN IV. Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. 03-07 November 1998

  • Cassava Biotechnology Network - CBN III. Kampala, Uganda. 27-31 August 1996.

  • Nacional de Investigação Agronomica (National meeting on agricultural research). Maputo, Mozambique. 29 August - 02 September 1994.

  • Integrating the Management of Pests, Weeds, and Diseases of Cassava in Africa. Kampala, Uganda. 27 June - 01 July 1994.

  • Transfer of Needs Assessment Methodologies and Post-Harvest Technology for Non-Grain Starch Staple Food Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa - Regional Needs Assessment Workshop. Morogoro, Tanzania. 21-26 March 1994.

  • Regional Workshop on Integrated Control of Arthropod Pests of Root Crops. Mombassa, Kenya. 10-14 August 1992.

  • First Afro-Brazilian Cassava Seminar. Maputo, Mozambique. 27-31 July 1992.

  • 9th Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops (ISTRC), Accra, Ghana. 20-26 October 1991.

  • Root Crops Research Collaborators Meeting. IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria. 11-13 June 1991.

  • 1o Seminario Nacional de Conservação de Recursos Fitogeneticos (1st National seminar on conservation of fitogenetic resources). Maputo, Mozambique. 10-13 December 1990.

  • 4th East and Southern Africa Regional Root Crops Workshop. Mansa, Zambia. 29 October - 02 November 1990.

  • 4th Meeting of Root Crops Research Collaborators in Africa. IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria. 06-07 June 1990.

  • Heads of Root Crops Programs Meeting. Kikambala, Kenya. 11-13 October 1989.

 

 

V.  COMPUTER SKILLS

Current with the following software:

  • AXUM

  • EXCEL

  • HARVARD GRAPHICS

  • LOTUS 1-2-3

  • MINITAB

  • MSTAT-C

  • PAGEMAKER

  • POWERPOINT

  • QUATTRO

  • SAS

  • STATGRAPHICS

  • SYMPHONY

  • WINDOWS

  • WORD

  • WORD PERFECT

  • WORDSTAR

 

VI.  PUBLICATIONS

  • Staiger-Rivas, S., Galié, A., Hack, B., Jorge, A., Meadu, V., Salokhe, G., Tateossian, F. and White, N. 2009. ‘Learning to share knowledge for global agricultural progress’, Int. J. Web Based Communities, in press.

  • Dulloo M.E., Thormann I., Jorge M.A. and Hanson J., editors. 2008. Crop specific regeneration guidelines [CD-ROM]. CGIAR System-wide Genetic Resource Programme, Rome, Italy. 6pp. http://cropgenebank.sgrp.cgiar.org/images/file/other_crops/Introduction_ENG.pdf

  • Jorge M.A. 2008. Regeneration guidelines: cassava. In: Dulloo M.E., Thormann I., Jorge M.A. and Hanson J., editors. Crop specific regeneration guidelines [CD-ROM]. CGIAR System-wide Genetic Resource Programme, Rome, Italy. 9pp. http://cropgenebank.sgrp.cgiar.org/images/file/cassava/Cassava_ENG.pdf

  • Jorge M.A. and Galsworthy D. 2008. Quality Systems for genebanks: viability study. Internal report to submit to SGRP, CGIAR System-wide Genetic Resource Programme, Rome, Italy. 45pp. http://cropgenebank.sgrp.cgiar.org/images/file/iso_for_genebanks.pdf

  • van de Wouw, M., Mohammed, J., Jorge M.A. and Hanson, J. 2008. Agro-morphological characterisation of a collection of Cynodon germplasm. Tropical Grasslands, in press

  • Jorge, M.A.B., van de Wouw, M., Hanson, J. and Mohammed J. 2008. Characterization of a collection of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris). Tropical Grasslands 42:27-39

  • van de Wouw, M., Jorge, M.A., Bierwirth, J. and Hanson, J. 2008. Characterization of a collection of perennial Panicum species. Tropical Grasslands 42:40-53

  • M.A. Jorge, M. Eilittä, F.J. Proud, B.V. Maasdorp, Hanna Beksissa, A.K. Sarial, J. Hanson Mucuna Species: Recent Advances in Application of Biotechnology. Fruit, Vegetable and Cereal Science and Biotechnology 1(2): 80-94

  • Jorge, A., Hanson, J., Gebremariam, G. and Proud, J. 2007. Natural Plant Extracts for the in vitro culture of Mucuna Pruriens. Acta Horticulturae (ISHS) 764:247-256
    http://www.actahort.org/books/764/764_33.htm
     Abstract and poster

  • Robertson, A.I. and Jorge M.A.B. 2003. Pushing the limits in plastic tunnels in the tropics and the need for shade. Acta Horticulturae, 618:407-414

  • Jorge, M.A.B., Robertson, A.I., Mashingaidze, A.B. and Keogh, E. 2001. Distinguishing the effects of light and temperature variations on the growth, development, multiplication potential and ex vitro survival rates of in vitro cassava. Annals of Applied Biology 138:363-370. 

  • Jorge, M.A., Canhao, M.T. and Robertson, A.I. 2000. Factors affecting the acclimatization of ex-vitro cassava in the semi-arid regions. In: Cassava Biotechnology, Proceedings IV International Scientific Meeting Cassava Biotechnology Network, pp. 396-407. November 1998, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. L J C B Carvalho, A M Thro and A D Vilarinhos (Eds). Brasilia, EMBRAPA/CENARGEN/CBN.

  • Jorge, M.A.B, Robertson, A.I., Mashingaidze, A.B. and Keogh, E. 2000. How in vitro light affects growth and survival of ex vitro cassava. Annals of Applied Biology, 137:311-319. 

  • Robertson, A.I. and Jorge, M.A. 2000. Constraints on the RAPD multiplication of in vitro elite cassava clones. In: Forum 4: Programme and Extended Abstracts. Fourth Regional Meeting of the Forum for Agriculture Resource Husbandry, pp. 211-212. 10-14 July 2000, ACSJ, Lilongwe, Malawi. Forum Working Document No. 1.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1996. Cassava acclimatization in Mozambique. African Journal of Root and Tuber Crops 2(1&2):216-219.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1995. Assistance in Multiplication of Cassava and Sweet Potatoes - Project findings and recommendations. GCP/MOZ/036/AGF Terminal Report, Maputo, Mozambique. 50pp.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1995. Germplasm characterisation of cassava and sweet potato in Mozambique. ROOTS, Vol.2 N-1 September 1995. pp.10-14. Maputo, Mozambique.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1994. Produção e consumo da mandioca. Secção Tecnologia Agraria, revista EXTRA n-15, Maio/Agosto, 1994. pp.24-25.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1994. Programa de Mandioca e Batata Doce. In: INIA Relatorio Anual 1993. Maputo. Mozambique. May 1994. pp.24-30.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. and Zacarias, A.M. 1994. Mozambique Root Crops Research: 1992. In: Akoroda, M.O. (Ed). Root crops for food security in Africa - Proceedings. 5th Symposium ISTRC-AB, 1994:pp.427-429. 

  • Jorge, M.A.B. and Echenagusia, J.A. 1993. Mandioca: A multiplicação no viveiro. Secção Tecnologia Agraria, revista EXTRA n-12, Janeiro/Abril, 1993. pp.24-26.

  • Echenagusia, J.A. and Jorge, M.A.B. 1992. Toxicidade da mandioca. Secção Tecnologia Agraria, revista EXTRA n-11, Setembro/Dezembro, 1992. pp.39-40.

  • Barreiros Jorge, M.A.L. & Zacarias, A.M. 1992. Plant protection for cassava and sweet potato in Mozambique. In: Allard, G.B. et all (eds.). Root and Tuber Pest Management in East and Southern Africa - Proceedings of a regional workshop held in Mombassa, Kenya, 10-14 August 1992. pp.125-126.

  • Percy-Smith, A. & Barreiros Jorge, M.A.L. 1992. A review of the cassava pest situation in Mozambique. In: Allard, G.B. et all (eds.). Root and Tuber Pest Management in East and Southern Africa - Proceedings of a regional workshop held in Mombassa, Kenya, 10-14 August 1992. pp.135-138.

  • Francisco, J.C.; Jorge, M.A.B.; Zacarias, A.M. 1992. A cultura de mandioca em Moçambique: Estado actual e suas potencialidades. Revista brasileira de mandioca. Cruz das Almas (BA), 11(2): 156-163,jun. 1992.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1992. Rapid multiplication and distribution of cassava and sweet potato planting materials in Mozambique. Tropical Root and Tuber Crops Bulletin, Volume 6, Number 2, July 1992.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1992. Manual das culturas de mandioca e batata doce. Prepared under request of UNDP. Maputo, Mozambique. June 1992. 69pp.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. and Echenagusia, J.A. 1992. Mandioca: Métodos de multiplicação rápida em viveiro. Serie Agricultura/Divulgação/n-6, INIA, Ministerio da Agricultura. 1992. 25pp.

  • Jorge, M.A.B. 1991. Evaluation of cassava varieties at two planting dates in Mozambique. In: Ofori, F. and Hahn, H.K. (eds.). Tropical Root Crops In a Developing Economy - Proceedings of the Ninth Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops. Accra, Ghana. 20-26 October 1991. pp.516.

  • Barreiros, M.A. 1991. Exotic cassava germplasm in northern Mozambique. In: Alvarez, M.N. and Asiedu, R. (eds.). The Role of Root Crops in Regional Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture. Fourth Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Workshop on Root and Tuber Crops. Proceedings. Mansa, Zambia, 1990. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria. pp.55-58.

  • Barreiros, M.A. and Echenagusia, J.A. 1990. Mandioca e batata doce: O "milagre" da multiplicação rápida. Secção Tecnologia Agraria, revista EXTRA n-5, Setembro/Dezembro, 1990. pp.24-26.

  • Barreiros, M.A. 1990. Processamento de mandioca: melhor qualidade e produtividade. Secção Tecnologia Agraria, revista EXTRA n-3, Janeiro/Abril, 1990. pp.35-37.

 

VII.  PAPERS PRESENTED IN SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS (not published)

  • Maria Alexandra Jorge and Janice Proud, 2005. Elimination of diseases by tissue culture.

    In: Strategies for ensuring clean germplasm for distribution and use, Proceedings of a regional workshop held on Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 3-7 October, 2005.

  • Texto de apoio para o tema: Mandioca e Batata Doce. Prepared for Formação sobre a produção e tecnologia de sementes. Maputo, Mozambique. 27 November - 10 December 1994. (Mimeographed)

  • Programa Nacional de Investigação das Culturas de Raizes e Tuberculos. Reunião Nacional de Investigação Agronomica. Maputo, Mozambique. 29 August - 02 September 1994. (Mimeographed)

  • Cultura de mandioca: Agronomia e Metodos de Cultivo. Prepared for Curso de Formação em Sistemas de Produção Consociada. Maputo, Mozambique. 04 July - 08 September 1994. (Mimeographed)

  • Effect of harvest date on the performance of sweet potato in Southern of Mozambique. Fifth Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops - Africa Branch (ISTRC-AB), Kampala, Uganda. 22-28 November 1992. (Mimeographed)

  • O programa de mandioca em Moçambique. 1st Afro-Brazilian Cassava Seminar. Maputo, Mozambique. 27-31 July 1992. (Mimeographed)

  • Root crops activities and technology transfer, progress report, in Mozambique, 1990/91. Root Crops Research Collaborators Meeting. IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria. 11-13 June 1991. (Mimeographed)

  • Cassava and sweet potato exotic germplasm evaluated in two zones of Mozambique. 4th Meeting of Root Crops Research Collaborators in Africa. IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria. 06-07 June 1990. (Mimeographed)

  • Cassava and sweet potato research in Mozambique. Heads of Root Crops Programs Meeting. Kikambala, Kenya. 11-13 October 1989. (Mimeographed)