Manila, April 1 -- Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Paz Benavidez II has been elected chairperson of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA), making history as the first Filipino to hold the position.

The Commission is the only permanent intergovernmental body of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) dedicated to biological diversity for food and agriculture, and focuses on policies for the sustainable use, conservation, and equitable sharing of these essential resources.

In a news release on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Benavidez's election during the commission's 20th session in Rome, Italy held March 24 to 28, ...