Celebrating Jimmy and Charmaine Smith

I would like to recognize Dr. Smith for the outstanding job he has done since assuming the position of DG of ILRI in 2011. His leadership has been crucial to ILRI’s continued growth and for now being considered among the premier livestock research organizations in the world, positively impacting the livelihoods and health of small-holder producers.

You have always shown an amazing ability to recognize and pull out the very best potential from every individual who crosses your paths. Thank you for being an extraordinary boss! May you be as blessed in your retirement as you’ve been a blessing to others in multiple ways!

Dr Jimmy Smith has led ILRI with distinction and can be very proud of the organization and what they have achieved. As the only dedicated livestock research institute in Africa, Jimmy’s leadership has been critical to highlighting the importance of livestock to smallholder farmers and the wellbeing of Africans.

Your journey at ILRI and ILCA, has been a journey for Africa. Your journey at ILRI and ILCA has been a journey for Ethiopia. Your journey at ILRI and ILCA, has been one to make better lives through livestock. To make better lives through livestock become a reality. A journey which we are immensely proud of, in your company. We all agree you have a big heart for livestock, and for agriculture.

Under your tenure, ILRI continued to expand its remit to a broader agenda, from farm to fork. And with diverse disciplinary work conducted under one roof, ILRI has pioneered the systems approach that is so central to the One CGIAR vision. I, along with the rest of CGIAR’s senior leadership team, have been enormously grateful for your thought- thoughtprovoking insights and perspective—always delivered with flair and often provoking with elegant humour—along the way.

Jimmy is someone with extraordinary strength of character, absolute integrity and with outstanding leadership qualities—which are essential for the role he has so ably filled as DG of ILRI and influential member of the CGIAR family. His leadership is distinguished even more by his ability to know when to be strong and forthright and when to be supportive and to show humility—and not forgetting, too, his great sense of humour. He will be sadly missed by all at ILRI and by the CG System.

Jimmy, it was great to work together on the Consortium Board and later as DG colleagues and now as colleagues in the resilient agrifood systems science group! A long history of change in the CGIAR and you made sure that livestock was seen as a cornerstone in our agenda.