b"One-on-One with East-West Seeds May Chodchoey2024 priorities, building on core values, gender politics, and the value of supporting small-holder farmers.Madeleine BaergKANOKWAN (MAY) CHODCHOEYis a well-known name in the global seed industry, having most recently served as executive director of the Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA). In September 2023, she shifted gears, stepping across to the pri-vate sector as group head of public affairs with East-West Seed. We caught up with Chodchoey to chat about the changes in her role and the impact she continues to make in the seed industry.Seed World (SW): May, you started in the corporate world, moved to leading an association, and have now returned to the corporate world. How does the impact you can make differ between corporate and association? In which role do you feel you can make the most impact?Chodchoey: I firmly believe that clear core values and a passion for serving the seed sector should drive impact regardless of the organization type. From my first job to the present, my goal has been to make a positive and progressive impact, especially in the public sector. In the corporate sector as a quality lead, I understood practical challenges influenced by policy, especially around international seed movement. As an executive director at APSA, I facilitated a platform for members to connect and address challenges in delivering high-quality seeds.Having worked in both corporate and a regional seed asso-ciation in APAC, I now better understand how to connect and form alliances for a global impact in the seed sector. Instead ofWhile it may sound simple, understanding diverse approaches comparing roles, it's about maximizing your current role for theby country or region requires significant effort. My goal is to organization. This approach, rooted in dedication and purpose,bridge the gap between the public and private sectors on seed opens doors for future opportunities. I believe in finding connect- movement, seed quality, and plant variety protection.ing dots in your path and staying focused on life's purpose for a lasting impact. SW: Do you see the world moving towards free trade or more protectionism, and how should the seed industry respond?SW: What are your big priorities for 2024? When you lookMC: I observe simultaneous trends, with the pandemic and back over the year at the end of 2024, what are you hopingclimate change accelerating both initiatives. Some countries are youll have achieved? shifting toward protectionism for local seed production, aiming MC: As the Group Head of Public Affairs at East-West Seed, myfor self-sufficiency, especially in crucial crops. Conversely, some main priorities for 2024 include focusing on capacity building fornations envisioning innovation and the integration of quality our operations team on key seed-related policies. I aim to collab- seeds lean toward free trade zones to bolster R&D and seed orate with our alliances, primarily seed companies and industryproduction programs.associations, at national, regional, and global levels. AdvocatingAs a seed industry representative, it's essential to engage with for a science-based approach and predictable policies to sup- the public sector, guiding countries based on scientific insights port freedom to operate is crucial.into crop production. Collective emphasis on the significance of 22/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2024"