| Our Leadership Joseph Mukiibi – Ugandan Permanent Trustee and Chair
Joseph has extensive international research experience. He worked at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria and has since served on many boards including the IITA, the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia, the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International (CABI), and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA). He now consults on institutional reforms in African agricultural research and chairs boards of several community based organisations. Currently, Joseph is working in South Sudan on a project for establishing an agricultural research system in the new country Esther Kahangi - Kenyan Permanent Trustee
Permanent Trustee
William S. Kalema – Ugandan
He previously chaired the Uganda Manufacturers Association and the Uganda Investment Authority. He was educated at Cambridge University and the California Institute of Technology and worked for the Du Pont Company in the USA. William was a member of the Tony Blair's Commission for Africa in 2005 that provided a rationale and momentum for such initiatives as extended debt relief, greater focus on trade reform, and improvements in the volume and quality of development assistance. Geoffrey C. Mrema - Tanzanian
From 1995 to 2001, he served as the First Executive Secretary of the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) in Entebbe, Uganda. Throughout the period 1980-2001, Dr. Mrema also worked as a short-term consultant and as a Member of the Boards of Trustees for various international agencies. In 2001, he joined FAO as the Director of the Agricultural Support Systems Division at its headquarters in Rome, Italy. In February 2005, Dr. Mrema was appointed FAO's Sub-Regional Representative for Southern and Eastern Africa based in Harare, Zimbabwe. In 2006 he returned to the FAO headquarters as Director of the Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division (AGS), and he served in this position until March 31st 2011 when he retired from FAO service on reaching the UN mandatory retirement age. He is now based at the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Land Planning of SUA where in addition to lecturing and research, he undertakes consultancy missions for international and national agencies. John Mutunga – Kenyan
Bachelor of Science, Agriculture (1988) University of Nairobi M.A. – Development Sociology (2003) University of Nairobi PhD – Socio-Economics and Environmental Studies (2008) Kenyatta University
The Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers (KENFAP). A part-time lecturer in Environmental Studies at Kenyatta University. A Development Consultant in PCM, Institutional Development and Organizational Strengthening (ID/OS), Disaster Management, Agricultural Extension and Education, Value Chain Mapping & Analyses as well as Agribusiness among others.
An advisor in public policy, PPP, and Lobby and Advocacy. A board member of three key international bodies viz; IPC, MaB, and GCARD. Has published widely in the focused study themes and consultancy domains.
 Vianney is a seasoned Businessman based in the East African Region,and graduated from The Maastricht School of Management (MSM) the Netherlands 2008,after his first Degree in B.com (Finance) from Makerere University 1989-92.He is currently spearheading the export of Horticulture products to EU,Middle East countries,and Congo Brazzaville under his Company Freshpak Rwanda ltd,involved in farming and development of farmers through outgrower schemes.
Vianney also has other business interests in Procurement and Distribution of East African Breweries products in Rwanda and Burundi under his company DataPro Distributors Ltd (Apponted Distributor), Garment manufacturing under Promota Creations Ltd,and Communications and Advertising under Radio flash and Tv plus the largest outdoor Advertising Company in the Great Lakes Region.He is also on various other Boards in Rwanda and Burundi.
These include: Service as audit partner in a big 4 international public accounting firm and as Finance Director for a multilateral financial institution. Finance Director for Not-for-profit organizations engaged in international development such as the Aga Khan Foundation USA and the Investment Climate Facility for Africa as well as Director Financial reporting for the Global Fund for Vaccines & Immunization ("GAVI"). He is has a working knowledge of financial management of donor funds and projects as well as fund raising and donor relations with Not-for-profit organizations engaged in international development. In retirement he has served as a member of the External advisory Team for GAVI and is a Board member of DFCU Limited. Justine Highstead -British Observer He has extensive experience working across Africa and Asia, including time living in Zambia and South Africa. Justin specializes in innovative approaches to catalyzing the growth of sectors, and has extensive experience designing and implementing programmes focused on making markets work for the poor, including the usage of different instruments such as challenge funds. Justin has worked across most areas of PSD. Nuhu Hatibu – Tanzanian
Before that (1983 - 2003), Nuhu was a professor at the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania where he was the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture in 1997 - 1998; and also for 12 years the leader of the Soil and Water Management Research Group, which is credited with research and promotion of rainwater harvesting, making it a central water management strategy in Tanzania. Nuhu has published one book, 12 book chapters, and more that 20 papers in international refereed journals. Nuhu is experienced in project development and management, knowledge management, strategy formulation, and in capacity building. He has particular experience in working with officials including Parliamentary Committees, Ministers, and Permanent Secretaries, and has organized and facilitated policy dialogues sessions of ministers and made key addresses to Summit Meetings of Presidents in East Africa. Since joining Kilimo Trust, he has developed skills and approaches for working with the private sector, especially agribusinesses and commercial banks, which now make him a recognized leader in the development of agricultural value chains in the East Africa Region. |
Joseph is a plant pathologist who has published widely on tropical crop diseases. He was professor and head of crop science at Makerere University and was responsible for set up the Ugandan National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). He was educated at Makerere and St Andrews (UK) and has undertaken research at universities in Kenya, Tanzania, and California.
Esther is Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research Production and Extension at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya. She has worked as a Regional Coordinator for BIO-EARN – the US$11million Regional Programme and Research Network for Biotechnology, Bio-safety and Biotechnology Policy Development. 
Laurence Cockcroft is a development economist who has worked either in Africa or on Africa related issues since 1966. His experience has been particularly focused on agricultural development and on agri-business and he has worked for Governments (Zambia, Tanzania), the corporate sector (Booker Agriculture International), international development organisations (as a consultant to FAO, IFAD,UNCTAD, the World Bank) and private sector Foundations. 
William is a management consultant based in Uganda where he is a prominent member of the private sector. He is a Director of DFCU Bank Ltd, Multichoice Uganda, and East African Breweries. He is a Director of African Agricultural Capital, a Trustee and Chairman of Uganda Gatsby Trust, a Trustee of the Shell Foundation and Investment Climate Facility for Africa.
Professor Geoffrey C. Mrema, a Tanzanian, holds a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering (Hons) from the University of Nairobi; M.Sc. and PhD in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, and University College, Dublin, Ireland respectively. 
Dr. Mutunga, a Kenyan holds the following qualifications:
Mr. Fred Lule a Ugandan is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Justin leads the work of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation in Africa. Justin previously spent five years with the Department for International Development as a Private Sector Development (PSD) Advisor, and five years as a management consultant with Accenture.
Before joining Kilimo Trust in October 2007, Nuhu was the founding regional coordinator of the Soil and Water Management Network for East, Central, and Southern Africa. With the support of IFAD the network accelerated the development and adoption of policy, institutional and technological innovations for holistic management of water for agriculture in the region. The main success was influencing regional and national policies and strategies with respect to holistic management of water for agriculture beyond just irrigation. Nuhu is currently serving as an "Ambassador" and member of the SC of the BMGF supported AgWater Solutions Project coordinated by IWMI.