Julian Ramirez Villegas

Julian Ramirez-Villegas is a Special Professor on Agricultural Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation at Wageningen University's Plant Production Systems group and a Principal Scientist/Leader of Data Science for Climate Action at CGIAR (Rome). He holds a PhD from the University of Leeds (UK). His research focuses on climate adaptation in farming systems, particularly in low/middle-income countries, with over 60 peer-reviewed publications in journals like PNAS and Nature. Recognized by the United Nations for climate adaptation work, he leads a team of researchers specializing in agricultural modeling, climate services, and socio-economic analysis.

At Wageningen, his key research questions address adaptation effectiveness, interplay between adaptation forms (coping/systems change/transformation), and trade-offs between adaptation/mitigation in tropical systems. His work bridges academic research with global policy, emphasizing data-driven solutions for climate-resilient agriculture.

Publications highlight innovative approaches in climate data modeling (e.g., CMIP5 projections, EcoCrop model applications), biodiversity conservation strategies, and policy frameworks for climate-smart agriculture. He collaborates widely with CGIAR centers and international organizations to translate research into actionable climate adaptation strategies.