Leonardus Vergutz

Chair Professor (Morocco)

Dr. Leonardus Vergütz is a professor and soil scientist currently developing the Chair of Soil Science at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University – UM6P. He is an agronomist with MSc and DSc in Soil Science and Plant Nutrition and has great experience with the highly weathered and acidic soils commonly found in the tropics. Before arriving in Morocco, he was a professor for 7 years at Universidade Federal de Viçosa – Brazil. He has more than 50 peer reviewed publications and is interested in understanding the mechanisms controlling the fate and behavior of elements in the soil-plant-human continuum aiming to build more sustainable and productive agricultural systems. He was part of the advisory group commissioned by the European Commission that wrote the policy paper that should guide the R&I cooperation between Africa and Europe for the Green Transition in Africa. This paper was released early 2022 during the AU-EU Summit and brings soil security to the core of the Green Transition in Africa.