Dr. Anthony Anyia

Chief Plant Health Officer

The Chief Plant Health Officer for Canada plays a key leadership role in the policies related to plant health in Canada at the domestic and international level.

Dr. Anthony Anyia is the Senior Director of the Plant Protection Division in the Policy and Programs Branch at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Dr. Anyia has over 20 years of experience in agriculture (plant sciences), research and innovation in Canada. He graduated from the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, in 2001, with a PhD in Crop Sciences, specializing in plant stress physiology.

Dr. Anyia has a wealth of executive experience across provincial and federal governments in Canada.

He joined the National Research Council (NRC) in 2016 as Director of Research and Development in the Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre and has led research teams developing innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Prior to joining the NRC, Dr. Anyia worked at Alberta Innovates (formerly Alberta Research Council) in Edmonton for 14 years (from 2002 to 2016), where he held progressive leadership positions, including Executive Director of the Agri-Food and Forest Products sectors.

As an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta in Edmonton, Dr. Anyia has trained several graduate students and served on many national and international committees. He has co-authored several peer-reviewed papers, including scientific articles and book chapters, and delivered numerous invited presentations at national and international conferences.

As Chief Plant Health Officer, Dr. Anyia provides leadership in strengthening plant health systems by fostering communication and partnerships among federal, provincial and territorial governments, industry, academia and other stakeholders with a role in plant health. Dr. Anyia is responsible for domestic, import and export policies related to the sector, including the protection of plants, crops and forests from regulated pests and diseases.