A Norway national, Dr Regine Andersen’s main research interests are within the fields of international and national governance of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Her work examined the interaction of multilateral environmental and economic agreements relating to the governance of crop genetic resources and how this affects political priorities and action at the national level. Dr Andersen’s focus has been on developing countries, as well as considerable work on the situation in Europe. The implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is at the core of her research, and in this context particular efforts on implementation of the Treaty’s provisions on farmers’ rights.
Since May 2020, Dr Andersen held the position as Research Director, Biodiversity and Natural Resources, Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI); she is also currently sitting as Member of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Farmers’ Rights under the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. In her past engagements, she held the position as Executive Director, Oikos – Organic Norway (January 2013 – May 2017), Chair of the Committee on regulations related to organic production and marketing of organic products under the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (2014 – 2017), Chair of the Board of the Rainforest Foundation Norway (2006 – 2012), Executive Officer, Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft, Unit for Environment and Resource Management, Berlin (1992 – 93).
Dr Andersen has an impressive line-up of publications focusing on plant genetics and farmers' rights to crop genetic resources. She obtained her PhD in University of Oslo.