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Tom Osborn

Steering Committee Ambassador

I grew up in an agricultural community in the Midwest of the United States. I am passionate about the environment and helping people. Because of that I became an international agricultural development professional and have lived and worked in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and the Pacific to improve the livelihoods of rural farm families. I have produced a number of publications and articles related to my field of work. I have worked for the United Nations in the Food and Agricultural Organization, international and national non-governmental organization, national governments, and community organizations helping farmers adapt to climate change through using adapted crop varieties and better production practices. While living in Fiji in the late 90s and working in the Pacific islands and territories, I became a scuba diver. I witnessed one of the first major bleaching events in Fiji and subsequently scuba diving at many of the premier diving sites around the world. Some of the diving was through the Ocean Geographic Society. All divers have witnessed and are concerned about the degradation of coral reefs and reduction in fish population and increases in pollution. I have witnessed the impact of climate change on the atolls in the Pacific, i.e., Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and Tuvalu. I have a master’s degree from the University of California at Davis and graduation studies in seed technology. I live with my wife in Rome, Italy. Besides English, I speak French and with a good comprehension of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.