Tarifa Alzaabi

Director General at International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA)

Speaker

Dr. Tarifa Ajeif Alzaabi has been serving as the Director General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) since August 2022, becoming the first Emirati to assume this role since the Center’s establishment in 1999. She joined ICBA in August 2019 as Deputy Director General, bringing with her over two decades of leadership, executive management, and research experience across higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates.

In her capacity as Director General, Dr. Alzaabi leads ICBA’s research-for-development initiatives, driving sustainable agricultural development and the transformation of food systems, particularly in environments affected by salinity and drought worldwide. Her efforts are dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture and enhancing food security by empowering youth and women in the agricultural sector through training, capacity-building programs, support for entrepreneurship, and the development of innovative climate change adaptation solutions. Throughout her tenure, Dr. Alzaabi has launched and overseen several strategic programs and initiatives focused on capacity development.

Dr. Alzaabi holds a Doctorate in Education from The British University in Dubai, where her research focused on educational leadership and institutional development. She also earned an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration with honors from the University of Sharjah, as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Business Administration from the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates.Additionally, she is a graduate of the UAE Government Leaders Program (Executive Leadership) and the Executive Education Program in Climate Change: Economics and Governance at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).