Dr. Marcio Carvalho Marques Porto obtained a Ph.D. degree in agronomy and plant genetics (cellular and developmental biology) from the University of Arizona at Tuscon, U.S.A. in 1983.  He obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1992 at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil and his masters degree in Agronomy in 1975 from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. 

Dr. Porto joined Embrapa in 1973 as a researcher at Embrapa´s  National Research Center for Cassava and Tropical Fruits, located at Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil.  He was engaged in research on cassava physiology and was head of the Plant Physiology Laboratory and the Agroclimatology Laboratory, Coordinator of the National Cassava Research Program, and Technical Director.

In 1989 he joined the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) as a CIAT scientist posted at Ibadan, Nigeria, with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), where he stayed until 1994. In 1994 he joined IITA as the Agronomist and Assistant Coordinator of the Southern Africa Root Crops Research Network (SARRNET), posted in Maputo, Mozambique and working in the 11 member countries of SADC.  In January 1995 he returned to Brazil as the Director for Research and Development at Embrapa Cassava and Tropical Fruits.

In August 1998 Marcio Porto joined FAO as the Chief of the Crops and Grassland Service (AGPC), Plant Production and Protection Division, Department of Agriculture, posted at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. In February 2001 he returned to Brazil where he occupies the post of Head of Embrapa Secretariat for International Cooperation at Embrapa Headquarters, Brasília.