On October 25, 2020, the Council appointed Mr. Daren Tang as the Secretary-General of UPOV for the period from October 30, 2020, to September 30, 2026, in a procedure by correspondence.
In an intervention made by Mr. Tang, at the opening of the Council of UPOV, held by virtual means on October 30, 2020, the Secretary-General outlined his vision for UPOV.
“The UPOV community – our community - has an exciting journey ahead. This is because plant breeding has a critical role to play in responding to the challenges we face today in making the world more sustainable. Our future needs to be greener – and plants are what make the world green.
"The pandemic has also brought back the importance of our basic needs, particularly health and access to food. In going back to basics, countries have placed high priority on ensuring the continuing supply of seed. Simply put, without seed today, there will be no food tomorrow."
"To achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world will need to rely on two key actors, farmers and plant breeders. For many plant breeders, the UPOV system of plant variety protection will be essential in delivering the varieties that farmers will need to meet the challenge."
"New varieties of plants with features such as improved yield, resistance to pests and diseases, salt and drought tolerance, or better adaptation to climatic stress are key to increasing productivity and product quality. At the same time, new varieties can help reduce the pressure on the natural environment. Due to the continuous evolution of new pests and diseases as well as changes in climatic conditions and users’ needs, there is a constant demand by farmers and growers for new plant varieties."