Farmcrowdy turns 5 on Sunday 14th November!  As part of the celebrations, we assembled a great panel to engage with Agriculture and Food enthusiasts in Nigeria.  

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PANELIST  

Dr. Andrew Kwasari is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture as well as the Head of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development/Projects for Agricultural coordination and Execution (FMARD/PACE) Secretariat  

Dr. Angel Adelaja-Kuye @missadelaja is a development consultant and entrepreneur. She also works as a consultant to the Governor of Ogun state as a Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture. She is founder of Fresh Direct Produce and Agro-Allied Services, an urban farming and Ag-tech company in Abuja. They bring together communities/technology, and focus on engaging youths in agriculture with technology. Dr. Angel is on the Advisory Board of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeepers Program and a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. She currently mentors aspiring young entrepreneurs. Dr.Angel will be speaking on the topic - 'The Agritech Dream and how best to increase investments in the Agriculture Industry'.  

Ibrahim Maigari is the Founder of @riceafrika_ and Co-Founder of Livestock 247. Livestock 247 is an Ag-tech company connecting stakeholders in the livestock value chain with profitability. From studying Law at the University of Maiduguri and an MBA at Ahmadu Bello University, he uses his businesses to promote food security, improved livelihood, and access to a structured market in the food value chain

‘Tope Sanni (@topesanni) is the Co-founder and Managing Partner in charge of Marketing, Sales and Operations of Olojede Farms Company (@olojedefarms), which aims to be a reputable livestock farm that produces, distributes, and sells highly nutritious and healthy animal products including white meat (turkey and chicken), and eggs to its customers all over the country at prices relatively cheaper than the average market prices. Olojede Farms is committed to raising its livestock according to high animal rearing standards, adopting sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and an MBA (Marketing) with a focus on Consumer Behaviour from The University of Lagos. ‘Tope Sanni is very passionate about ensuring Nigerians have access to healthy, affordable proteins with their new product #FeedaNigerianFamily and is actively campaigning against the use of harmful chemical preservatives and growth hormones for farm products.

Mashel Nyagilo Ouko is an agronomist and farmer with a good understanding of horticulture crops management having achieved over 6 years experience. He is an avid environmental conservation campaigner for ORGANIC farming techniques. In Macadamia, he is involved in Avocado for export, which minimizes pollution through innovation and creativity by promoting apiculture, vermicomposting and aquaculture projects in Africa, mainly in Kenyan communities.

Mr. Mashel bagged his first degree in Horticultural sciences from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and his second degree in Hydroponics and Agribusiness Management from the California Miramar University. In his professional career he is actively volunteering for organisations centered on agricultural innovation and development. Some of these organizations include; African Association for Vertical Farming, Green Border Foundation, Thika Limitless Group to mention a few.

Currently serving as a Consultant Agronomist for the Versatile growers on a part-time basis, Mr Mashel's goal in the agricultural sector is to ensure that African women and youths are empowered and fully engaged in the practice of agriculture in Kenya and Africa at large.

Chidinma Ezeh describes herself as a Global poverty fighter, an Agro and Climate advocate with a heart for rural development and inclusion for national growth. She is a passionate Researcher and Production Agriculturist who is dedicated to improving the state of Agriculture in Africa through AI and technology by improving the livelihood of rural farmers through Agricultural training and innovations that foster better yields and profit.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Ekiti State University, Nigeria. With a heart for the world and head for business, she is enthusiastic about social change and development as she has volunteered over 5 years with ENACTUS in developing several community-based projects that address various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) while proffering remarkable and sustainable solutions to her immediate community challenges. Currently, she works as a greenhouse assistant for the Emperor Integrated Farms and Projects. On a part-time basis, she handles training for the Raise a Farmer Initiative at Ado-ekiti, Ekiti state.

Katlego Ngwane is the founder and CEO of Katika Consulting. Katli, as she's affectionally known, has a bachelor of laws (LLB) and a PG Dip, Management Principles from Henley. She is passionate about agriculture and sustainability and therefore aims to assist agricultural players in finding value added solutions to their legal compliance needs and challenges. SImilar to what we do over here, She also hosts Legal Boeremeisie podcasts on issues related to the agricultural sector.

She is also the co-founder and still currently a director of Kreamfields, an established waste management company focused on sustainable manufacturing, growing the circular economy and regenerative design of waste material, which she and her co-founder launched as a start-up.

She joins us all the way from South Africa.

Akintobi Olanrewaju is the CEO of Lanse Farms Nigeria, he is an Agricultural Extension Specialist with a focus on Agricultural technology to foster food security in Africa. he's the innovator behind Usurvey, a data collection mobile app for Agricultural researchers.

Mr Akintobi had his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics and Extension from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, his Master’s degree in Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology from The University of Abuja and currently, he is on his third degree in Agricultural information technology. Mr Akintobi is a lecturer of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development at the University of Dutsinma, Katsina state. He serves as business development manager for a fast-growing technology company, Wellahealth. He has also published research works both local and international in Agriculture and rural development. He created NaijaFarmer on Twitter where he shares farming and developmental information to foster good relationships with farmers and helps them maximize productivity.

Salam Habeeb Abayomi is an experienced Agripreneur, farmer and Agro-allied consultant. He's the founder of OTTAB Synergy Farms & Agro-Allied, an indigenous agribusiness, agro-allied and engineering contracting firm with notable experience in the Agricultural Engineering field, spanning a decade. Salam Habeeb Abayomi is a graduate of Agricultural Engineering from LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY ,OGBOMOSO and has his masters degree from the same institution.

His farm, Ottab Synergy Farms is a 6000 capacity Broiler farm with 2000 layers capacity located in Kuta Road, Agbale, Ede, Osun state. He is also a cattle and Palm plantation owner. He has an appreciable experience, workforce and well-trained engineers that handle turnkey Agricultural projects such as Farm sitting/planning and Civil works (Livestock Building Construction), installation of Agricultural Machines as well as involvement in the supervision/project management in livestock welfare and management.

He joined us virtually all the way from Osun State.

Florent Okry is the Regional Representative - West & Central Africa for Access Agriculture, a non-profit organisation that showcases agricultural training videos in local languages.

He is a graduate of the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin and obtained a PhD in Social Sciences at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. He has worked for more than 12 years with national and international organisations in agricultural R&D throughout West Africa during which he steered rural learning interventions, evaluated interventions dealing with farmer-to-farmer training videos and supported multi-stakeholder projects. Florent has a keen interest in local knowledge and development dynamics, and today, he will be speaking on the topic "The role of effective training for Agribusinesses"

Keneilwe Raphesu is an animal farmer, with major interest in Cattle is the Director of Mogalemone (PTY)Ltd farm in Gauteng, South Africa. A pretty young farmer that she is, she takes the reins as second in command of Mogalemone farm, a 405-hectare mixed farming enterprise home to cattle, pigs and hundreds of hectares of soya beans, yellow and white maize meal. As the youngest of four children, Keneilwe would often mimic her father’s every move as she came from a generation of farmers and passed down their own skills to her father, former Limpopo University lecturer Dr Mamabolo Raphesu.

Olumuyiwa Adepitan is the CEO of Integrated Cassava Processing & Allied Industries, a cassava farming & processing enterprise located in Ipele, Owo LGA of Ondo State, Nigeria. He graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria with a bachelor's degree in Architecture in 2004. Mr Olumuyiwa developed a passion for Agriculture as a result of his heritage as a son and grandson of farmers. He has a passion to #empower Rural dwellers and Promote Rural Development through the Growth of Agribusiness in Nigeria. Over the years, he has also acquired skills in project management, architecture, Construction, Agribusiness, etc, and industry knowledge in Business Strategy, Feasibility Studies, Design Research, etc. 

Joining virtually all the way from Ondo state, Please join me to welcome Mr Olumuyiwa Adepitan on Tough Talk on Agric Radio.