Board of Directors

Professor RAZAFINJARA Aimé Lala is a soil scientist by training. He did his university studies at the University of Antananarivo and his postgraduate studies at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) where he obtained his Master of Science and Doctorate (PhD) degrees in Soil Science.  He is currently Director-General of FOFIFA, the National Center for Applied Research in Rural Development, and the main research institute in the field of rural development in Madagascar. In the past, he was the Head of the Soil Science Laboratory of FOFIFA. Subsequently, he administered several high responsibilities in the coordination and management of scientific research in Madagascar. From 2001 until his appointment in 2008 as Director-General of FOFIFA, he held the positions of Director of Research, Director-General of Research and Secretary General of the Ministry in charge of scientific research in Madagascar. Currently, he is a member of the Board of the University of Antananarivo and of many other research and extension organizations in Madagascar. At the international/regional level, he was a member of the Board of Directors of AfricaRice (Vice-president), member of the Board of Directors of ASARECA, member of the Regional Committee CROST/PRéRAD (Indian Ocean Commission) and member of the FARA Board of Directors. He is a member of the National Experts Committee (NEC) of AfricaRice. Besides his passion for research, RAZAFINJARA Aimé Lala is a Full Professor and teaches Soil Science at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Antananarivo. He supervises doctoral, master's and engineering students. RAZAFINJARA Aimé Lala is Chancellor of the Malagasy Academy. He was promoted to the Dignity of Grand Officer of the National Order of Madagascar.

Employment resume: Dr. Lepheana is a Director General of Veterinary Services, Lesotho in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition. Previously she was a Director Veterinary Field Operations, a Veterinary Officer in Leribe and Maseru Lesotho respectively. In the past she was a part-time lecturer at the Lesotho Agricultural College. 

Work Experience: Multi-stakeholder project coordination (8 years), Disease control strategy development and implementation (over 5 years), Disease surveillance (14 years), Data analysis (over 8 years), Information management systems module development (over 5 years). 

Academic profile: Dr. Lepheana holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine degree (University of Zambia), Postgraduate Certificate in Participatory Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology (University of Nairobi), Master of Science, Veterinary Science, Paraclinical Sciences (University of Pretoria). She authored 3 peer-reviewed publications, 5 training manuals in animal disease prevention and control.

Amanda Nthati Chembezi is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of expertise in civic leadership, strategy, research, consulting, and facilitation with a track record in implementing programmes and stakeholder management. Amanda has worked with global clients based in Europe, the U.S, Africa, and the United Kingdom. She is the Co-Founder of Girls for Girls Botswana, the largest girl’s mentorship non-profit organization in Botswana directly impacting 300 girls and reaching over 3000 youths. Girls for Girls Botswana operates in 4 districts across the country, empowering girls in villages, small towns, and cities to lead by providing them with access to curated professional skills and mentorship. Amanda is also a Network Lead at the African Leadership Academy where she works with over 500 youth across Africa on how to engage in policy-making platforms in their countries. She is a 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow and a 2022 One Young World Scholarship Delegate. In 2015, Amanda was a recipient of the prestigious Botswana St Louis Top 40 under 40 catalyst award for her community engagement in Botswana. She has worked with civil society organizations such as Emang Basadi Women’s Shelter, African Leadership Academy, Change the World Trust and worked in numerous initiatives such as the Africa Climate Action Advocacy Initiative (ACAAI). In 2012, she was recognized as a Moremi Initiative Top 25 under 25 women in Africa promoting the empowerment of women and girls. She holds a Master’s degree in International Development Studies from the University of Portsmouth and a BA (Hons) Degree in Finance from the Botswana Accountancy College. She has a Leadership in Civic Engagement Certificate facilitated by the Presidential Precinct based at William & Mary College and the University of Virginia in the United States of America. In her spare time, Amanda runs an online Podcast called The Tokoloho Talks Podcast where she curates’ conversations about equity, justice and personal liberation. She is interested in pursuing a PhD research programme in the areas of gender, leadership, and decolonization. To learn more about Amanda, you can go to her website: www.amandachembezi.com

Employment resume: Dr Kayula is the Executive Director for the National Association for Smallholder Farmers (NASFA) in Zambia. He is also a part time senior lecturer at the University of Lusaka (UNILUS), chairperson for Africa Agribusiness Broadcasting Network Television (ABN TV) and President and Board of Directors for Kaypro Group of companies (KG) and Director at the Gideon Robert University (GRU). Dr Kayula is also a board member of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). 

DR Kayula previously worked as Programs Officer at Research Into Use (RIU), Regional Manager for Environment and natural resources at Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf), District Coordinator for Agriculture Support Program (ASP), Chief Agriculture Supervisor in the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), District Planning Officer in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing (MLGH) and national facilitator for Participatory Extension Approaches (PEA). Country iFEED Champion to promote agriculture, food and climate change action. 

Management Experience: Strategic planning, Monitoring and evaluation, project evaluations, Project proposal writing, Business proposal writing, Team building, Partnership building, Finance for nonfinance managers, Participatory Staff Training, Development of organizations and alliances and management of farmer programs. 

Academic Profile: PhD in rural entrepreneurship, Doctorate in agribusiness, Masters in development studies (Agricuture), Undergraduate degree in Development studies (Agribusiness), Diploma in Agriculture with specialization in Crop Sciences, Co-authored iFEED methodology, Book on Innovation Platforms, 2 training manuals and 4 practicing manuals, 8 academic papers, facilitated over 20 conferences/workshops presented at more than 40 workshops /conferences. Promoted agriculture activities on at least 1 media house per week, supervised at least five agriculture related PhD thesis, 35 Masters Dissertations and over 300 undergraduate dissertations and tutored over 1300 university students in the past 12 years. 

Interests: Dr Kayula has interest in research, training and rural development. His research interests are in rural social economic development, climate change and agriculture productivity enhancements. He also enjoys meeting with people and travelling.

Mr Eddie B. S. Hasheela is a Deputy Director responsible for the Division of Crop Research and Production under the Directorate of Agricultural Research and Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Republic of Namibia. He oversees the crop research and seed multiplication activities carried out at Crop Research Stations. Previously, he worked as a Chief Agricultural Scientific Officer heading an Agricultural Training Institute responsible with building capacity of youths and small scale farmers with interest in crop farming to acquire farming skills. Furthermore, as a Chief Agricultural Scientific Officer he also headed the Division of Plant Health in acting capacity charged with the protection of crop sector in the country through ensuring the implementation of Phytosanitary measures and regulations. He is a member of the Ministerial Training Committee and Research Ethic Committee in the Ministry.

Mr Hasheela holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture (Crop Science) obtained from University of Namibia, Master of Science in Crop Protection (Entomology) obtained from University of Nairobi. He also completed a course on Management Development Program (MDP) designed to improve management skills for middle managers offered by Stellenbosch University.

He has an interest in empowering farming communities to improve their production and productivity, and conducting research to deliver new climate smart farming technologies which can be adopted to minimise challenges caused by climate change while ensuring food security. He also has a target to make an impactful contribution to the operationalization of the seed system through finalisation of required legal framework tools.

Qualifications

• Master of Arts in Development Studies
•  BSc Agriculture (Honours) in Agriculture Economics
• Diploma in Rural development (2002) Galilee College, Israel

Positions held

• Chief Director Strategic Planning and Business Development, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Zimbabwe 
• Director Business Development, Markets and Trade and Acting Chief Director Strategic Policy Planning and Business Development
• Dean – Agriculture Food and Beverages , One-Stop Investment Service Centre (OSISC) [Office of President and Cabinet] Zimbabwe 
• Director (Economics and Markets), Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement
  Chief Economist / Acting Head Business Development, Agriculture and Rural Development Authority, Zimbabwe 
• Agriculture Economist / Senior Agriculture Economist), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Resettlement
• Board of Trustees Vice Chairman (Ministry representative) - Centre for Agriculture and Food Policy (CAFP)
• Board Member (Ministry Representative),  Grain Marketing Board (GMB), Zimbabwe

Mr Domingos Gove  is trained as Marine Ecologist, with specialisation in Marine Crustaceans (University Eduardo Mondlane – (i) Marine Biology, Mozambique; University of Gothenburg – (ii) Marine Zoology, Sweden; University of Lisbon – (iii) Marine Crustaceans, Portugal).

Professionally, he has been the (i) Head of Marine Biological Station of Inhaca Island, Mozambique; (ii) Lecturer of General and Marine Ecology at University Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique; (iii) Principal Technical Advisor for the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme, Ministry for Coordination of Environmental Affairs, Mozambique; (iv) Director of National Fisheries Research Institute, Mozambique; (v) Regional Marine Coordinator for Western Indian Ocean Region (mainland East Africa, Indian Ocean Island States, and Asia), WWF Coastal East Africa Global Initiative, Tanzania; (vi) Director of RARE, an American NGO working in Natural Resources Conservation, Mozambique; and (vii) Director of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, SADC, Botswana.

Experience: He has more than 32 years of working experience, in the areas of Coastal and Marine Resources Management, Conservation and Protection (Coastal Dunes, Mangroves, Seagrasses, Coral Reefs, Terrestrial and Marine Protected Areas, etc); Institutional Management; Human Resources Management; Leadership; Lecturing; Coastal Zone Planning (Macro-zoning, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment); Fisheries Research, Management and Governance, including Small-Scale, Semi-Industrial and Industrial Fisheries – Shrimp, Demersal and Pelagic, including Tuna; Regional Fisheries and Marine Resources Governance – South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission, Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. Currently addressing regional agriculture (crops, livestock, forest and fisheries/aquaculture, food security), wildlife, environment and tourism policies and strategies".

Aggrey Agumya, a Ugandan national, is the third Executive Director and Head of Mission of FARA coming after Monty P Jones and Yemi Akinbamijo. An alumnus of the University of Melbourne, Aggrey holds a doctorate degree in Geo-Information Sciences. He comes to this exciting position at such a momentous period in the evolution of FARA. Dr Agumya has been a part of the FARA story for the last 17 years when he joined the Secretariat as a Programme Officer of the sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme (SSA-CP), a well-recognized continental Flagship programme of FARA. Thereafter, he served in key programme and leadership positions in FARA, including as Technical Advisor to the two Executive Directors. In 2020, Aggrey was appointed as the Director of Research and Innovation at the Secretariat, where he also serves as the de facto Deputy Executive Director. It is noteworthy that Dr Agumya has been closely associated with most of the significant achievements of FARA, wherein he has served at the Director level for half as long as he has been a staff of FARA. Aggrey comes ready with an intimate understanding of the context, configurations, corporate philosophy and partnerships of the agriculture research and innovation institutions in Africa.

Dr Earnshaw holds a PhD and an M.Sc in Plant Pathology and she is a Senior Lecturer in the University of Eswatini, Faculty of Agriculture. She has been lecturing at this university for 26 years.  During this period she has been involved in several national projects, including empowerment of women on mushroom production, developing of national strategies for biodiversity framework.  She is currently leading a team of researchers that is doing a baseline study of GMOs in the country in both maize and cotton.  She is an active member of several boards in the country and a member of several committees within the university.