Dhaka: Dr Md. Golam Mahboob, a seasoned agricultural scientist with over two decades of experience in research and natural resource management, joined the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) in Dhaka as its new director on Tuesday (September 1). He assumes charge of the regional centre with a mandate to strengthen agricultural cooperation, research, and knowledge sharing among SAARC member states, according to a press release.
According to United News of Bangladesh, prior to his new role, Dr Mahboob served as Chief Scientific Officer (Forestry) at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), a position he held since September 2025. He began his career at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) in 2006 and subsequently held several scientific positions across BARI and BARC. He also founded the Agro-Environmental Remote Sensing and Modeling Lab at BARI, focusing on the application of geospatial technologies in agriculture and environmental management.
Dr Mahboob holds a PhD from Gifu University in Japan, a postgraduate diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing in India, as well as an MS in Agroforestry and a BSc in Agriculture from Bangladesh Agricultural University. An expert in agroforestry, remote sensing, GIS, and natural resource management, Dr Mahboob has authored and co-authored numerous research papers in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to various books and book chapters. His research interests encompass climate change adaptation, digital agriculture, and sustainable natural resource management.
His appointment comes as South Asia faces growing challenges from climate change, food insecurity, and natural resource degradation. As director, Dr Mahboob is expected to drive regional collaboration on climate-resilient agriculture, innovation, and sustainable agri-food systems.