Dr. Matina Joshi Vaidya

Joint Secretary ,Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALD) , Government of Nepal

Dr. Vaidya is the Joint Secretary and Division Chief of the Food Security and Food Technology Division under Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development since September 2024. She previously served as Director General of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) in two terms (2019–2020 and 2021–2024) and was the Province Secretary for Bagmati Province’s Ministry of Agriculture (2020–2021).

Dr. Vaidya holds a PhD in Food Science from the University of Ballarat, Australia (2012), an MSc in Food Science and Technology from Ghent University, Belgium (2002), and a B.Tech. in Food Technology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal (1994). She is a life member of WIST (Women in Science and Technology), NEFOSTA (Nepal Food Scientists and Technologists Association), NADAN (Nutritionists and Dieticians Association of Nepal), and ANNA (Association of Nepalese Alumni from Australia), contributing significantly to food security and policy advancements in Nepal.