Joseph K. E. Okumu
Agribusiness & Agriculture Specialist and Crop Scientist
Nairobi,KENYA
Summary
A well-rounded crop scientist with over ten years of local and international experience in horticulture and agronomy, project management, program management, sales, business development, agrochemicals, seed business, marketing strategy, branding, portfolio management, business planning, value pricing, product development, market segmentation, advertising, and customer service.
Familiar with legal procedures, current agricultural trends, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Analytical, innovative, and driven to enhancing farm product production while maintaining a strong sense of integrity throughout the process.
Initiative combined with superb interpersonal communication abilities, sound business judgement, and exceptional managerial leadership.
Pursuing a full-time role that presents professional challenges and leverages interpersonal skills, effective time management, and problem-solving expertise.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Field Support Agronomist
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Nairobi, Kenya
01.2021 - Current
- Collaborated with stakeholders to define strategic priorities and initiatives for new developments inside and outside core operations
- Managed strategic relationships related to new opportunities, including value chain partnerships and sustainability initiatives
- Identified and evaluated possible strategic initiatives, including feasibility, risks, contribution, and impact
- Monitored and assessed strategic projects' development, creating frequent reports and presentations to keep management informed of their status and consequences
- Collaborated with subject matter experts across the organization to develop new innovative value propositions
- Provided technical support to farmers and partners on managing crops in controlled environments and open fields to ensure optimal production levels are achieved and maintained
- Created plans, relying on local resources, to address the flaws in regional agricultural systems, considering the Country Programmatic Framework and Agriculture Strategic Plans of FAO, and keeping them up to date throughout the project's duration
- Conducted on-farm tests in designated Pilot Development Projects (PDP) to determine whether the chosen technological packages were appropriate for use in the respective region(s)
- Participated in the project design and evaluation
- Analyzed farmer innovation and acceptance of new agricultural technologies
- Created appropriate and culturally acceptable methodologies for diagnosing the issues and opportunities facing farmers
- Determined training needs for farmers and field workers, developed training modules, and tracked trial outcomes and acceptance rates
- Collaborated with national and county teams to provide training, resources, and platforms to educate smallholder farmers on best practices
- Coordinated FAO agriculture field activities with partners, NGOs, local communities, and government agencies, adhering to the country's programmatic structure and strategic plans
- Collaborated with industry stakeholders to implement innovative, digital platforms and tools to enable Smallholder Strategy
- Collected seed, plant, soil, and irrigation water samples for analysis of nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, pest infestation, disease infection, or other needs.
Independent Agribusiness Advisor
Consultant
Nairobi, Kenya
07.2020 - 12.2020
- Developed and built channel distributions and go-to-market strategies for clients
- Analyzed complete value chains in key markets and designed & implemented new business initiatives within the value chains to enable new revenue streams
- Generated disruptive models and opportunities within the broader agricultural industry that result in possible new revenue streams
- Determined opportunities for expanding and improving the client's business by analyzing business performance and long-term trends and presenting findings to internal stakeholders
- Led initiatives within channel distribution marketing as well as working with sales and merchandising stakeholders to develop, implement, and execute programs and projects that align with channel distribution sales strategy
- Planned, analyzed, and managed marketing programs and projects to support the client’s sales initiatives
- Interacted and met with Channel Distribution Partners to create and implement marketing strategies, plans, and activities that increase the client’s sales abilities and meet revenue goals
- Influenced and supported the marketing leadership of partners to enhance and further develop their marketing and business strategies
- Worked with demand, supply, and pricing teams to ensure accurate forecasting, lead-time estimating, and pricing for products/solutions under management
- Analyzed line results at the company and segment level to establish a realistic and effective Risk Management Policy
- Performed necessary support functions to offer clients highly relevant and useful services to improve their agricultural efficiency
- Provided support in connection with agricultural research, seed, pest control, soil testing, and the implementation of new technological advancements
- Introduced new technological developments, new tools, and equipment to generate good agricultural output, and persuade marketers and developers to avail technical support
- Utilized the organization's tools and techniques to provide clients with effective technological support functions, to attain a remarkable increase in agricultural productivity
- Helped clients to design, plan, develop, and organize various agricultural functions to improve production output
- Utilized technological advancements to prepare necessary documentation and records to monitor the development of farm operations, and to have a valuable feedback system to help track the production and supply to the factory
- Designed the content of the client's advisory leaflets, press releases, and advertisements; to communicate useful advice, and manage critical information to market the client's advisory services
- Provided contracted farmers with useful advice to apply environment-friendly tools and techniques to preserve environmental balance
- Promoted effective production techniques that ensure safety, and healthy environment management
- Approached local manufacturing companies in efforts to collaborate with them in developing, producing, and availing farm equipment
- Proactively identified emerging issues and developed strategic recommendations to improve results
- Participated in the evaluation of procedures and processes regularly and made observations and/or suggested improvements.
Program Manager, Seeds Stream, East Africa
Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, East Africa (SFEA)
Nairobi, Kenya
07.2017 - 06.2020
- Managed the commercial and non-commercial arms of the Syngenta Foundation East Africa Ltd
- (SFEA) Seeds’ stream
- Oversaw field operations and ensured the effective and timely completion of projects, the delivery of quality outputs, and the achievement of results that had the maximum possible impact on beneficiaries
- Developed overall project implementation strategies, systems, approaches, tools, and materials for various projects
- Identified and managed all research and development projects to be implemented within East Africa
- Directed and monitored organization staffing which included employee recruitment, selection, training, career development, performance assessment, workload planning, recognition, salary actions, and disciplinary actions
- Identified and planned for technical skill requirements for project implementations
- Prepared work plans and schedules for different projects
- Tracked, measured, and reported on the status of different projects throughout their entire life cycle
- Ensured that relevant technical quality and standards were considered and respected during project implementation
- Coordinated and managed changes in the project implementation process
- Managed Seeds2B Africa Ltd, a seeds company registered and owned by Syngenta Foundation East Africa Limited that provided various commercial services in the seeds systems to seed companies and related stakeholders
- Partnered effectively with Finance and Operations departments to monitor Seeds2B Africa Limited sales reports, sales forecasts, sales trends, and pricing trends, to increase gross margins and resource/equipment utilization
- Responsible for all contract deliverables, on-time delivery, and operational compliance following the standards established in the statements-of-work documents
- Ensured that project records and documents were adequately prepared, compiled, and filed
- Oversaw the digitization of all data collection, aggregation, and reporting processes
- Developed an SFSA Field Trials application with the help of a software developer from RESONANZ Group that gathers, organizes, manages, generates reports, and stores all the trial data on a secure server for later use
- Supported, facilitated, and conducted communication and liaison tasks to actively consult and involve beneficiaries, key informants, actors, partners, and stakeholders in project design and execution
- Coordinated and collaborated with key agriculture players and stakeholders to cultivate good relations and synergies through regular attendance of technical meetings and bilateral meetings
- Identified opportunities to collaborate and coordinate efforts with other organizations to ensure synergy
- Defined the structure of the program team and developed project organizational charts
- Participated in the procurement planning processes, launched procurements required for the project(s), and followed up procurements closely in collaboration with the Logistics Department
- Followed up on project stock levels in coordination with logistics, and monitored current, pipeline, distributed, and required stock
- Participated in the clearing processes for materials and products entering or leaving countries
- Managed the SFEA Seeds’ stream annual budget
- Crosschecked expenditures for project activities and maintained the financial cost tracker using Syngenta Program Cost Management tools
- Forecasted quarterly, half-yearly, and yearly monetary requirements for various projects
- Participated in budget development and review processes
- Planned and organized internal quality assurance checks by the project team
- Undertook regular field visits to provide technical guidance and supervision as well as monitor the progress of project activities. During these visits; discussed, planned, and delivered appropriate corrective actions
- Contributed to the drafting of external project progress reports, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information provided
- Participated in communication activities through the regular album of pictures and stories related to project activities
- Participated in new proposal development processes through the provision of expert programmatic advice related to contextual knowledge
- Generated yearly business cases with funding requirements, resources needed for risk assessment, benefits analysis, and metrics for measuring success
- Offered technical support and inputs to other projects in similar sectors
- Supported local public breeding programs (KALRO and Universities), regulatory bodies like KEPHIS, National crop Councils, and the Ministry of Agriculture with funds to implement their projects, hold conferences, make publications, etc
- Supported Syngenta Foundation activities in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.
- Any other tasks assigned by the line manager.
- Trained personnel in equipment maintenance and enforced participation in exercises focused on developing key skills.
- Established performance goals for employees and provided feedback on methods for reaching those milestones.
Business Development Manager for Horticulture
Syngenta Nigeria Limited
Lagos, Nigeria
10.2014 - 06.2017
- Created and maintained awareness of issues and approaches to modern farming techniques, hybrid seed, crop protection, and Good Agricultural Practices
- Prepared case studies, guidelines, presentations, reports, and publications in support of sales, demand creation, product knowledge, and awareness
- Worked with the Nigeria Horticultural Research Institute (NIHort) and National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), the bodies charged with regulating trials, release, and registration of vegetable seed varieties to the Nigerian market
- Worked directly with the management of specific large-scale farms (Dangote Tomato, Abacha Farms, Obasanjo Farms, Long-Cottage Agro-Ventures, Jos Tomato, and Wacot) and their out-growers to ensure increased production for them and adoption of Syngenta technologies in hybrid seed, herbicides, seed care products, and crop protection products
- Planned and coordinated multi-location seed variety trials and ensured above-optimal performance that guaranteed release to the market
- Engaged, Created, and maintained networks of collaborations among horticultural stakeholders to enhance sales, gather information, and promote awareness, marketing, and product development
- Collaborated with relevant stakeholders to formulate and implement vegetable projects that are sustainable and guaranteed to enhance demand and sales both in the short and long term
- Contributed to the formulation of targeted strategies in the overall achievements of the company
- Analyzed critical challenges and threats to vegetables and other short-cycle crops and advised the next course of action
- Provided technical support and expertise, market intelligence, and forecasts to the sales and other departments
- Managed customer complaints and ensured satisfaction while documenting, labeling, and safely returning any material that was to be returned.
Sales Agronomist
Syngenta East Africa Limited
Bungoma, Kenya
03.2012 - 09.2014
- Established and managed Horticultural Centers of Excellence that offered holistic, practical, and scalable training on different horticultural value chains in Bungoma, Kakamega, and Busia Counties
- Identified and recruited active horticultural producer groups into the project
- Introduced new scalable farming technologies across the farmer groups
- Planned and organized training programs for recruited farmers
- Participated in market linkage activities for the target value chains for the recruited farmers
- Actively engaged in sales and marketing activities for the company’s range of products by aligning all the project activities toward sales generation
- Managed the regional budget and ensured that all activities were aligned with the budget
- Supervised and closely collaborated with Technical Assistants in meeting set project targets
- Prepared integrated (seeds, crop nutrition, and crop protection) demonstration plot protocols for the Horticulture Center of Excellence and satellite centers
- Recruited and supervised demonstration plot attendants and other laborers
- Maintained an updated database of farmers that had been recruited, and trained, in acreage under production, forecasts, harvests, and sales
- Worked with the project manager, monitoring and evaluation officers, and USAID-KHCP field managers in updating weekly; monthly, and quarterly project progress reports and ensured their timely submission
- Represented Syngenta in zonal meetings called by USAID-KHCP field managers and provided the required project updates.
Factory/Processing Manager
Gicheha Farms Limited (Brookside Dairies Ltd)
Taveta, Kenya
06.2011 - 02.2012
- Coordinated and organized seed field separation for male and female lines in preparation for harvesting
- Managed harvesting and transportation to the factory
- Oversaw grading, processing, packaging, storage, and dispatch
- Planned, organized, supervised, and coordinated labor, machinery, farm, and factory equipment, factory servicing, and distribution of materials
- Actively took part in the budget-making processes
- Recruited laborers and promoted supervisors
- Provided timely and accurate reports and forecasts on work performance
- Provided technical support and advice on general crop agronomy
- Ensured that all the above processes met Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) seed production regulations and requirements.
Sales Agronomist
Twiga Chemical Industries Ltd
Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia And Vihiga Counties, Kenya
01.2010 - 05.2011
- Created and developed demand for a relevant product range (agrochemicals) for the region through attending and actively participating in radio talk shows, introducing new products and ensuring delivery to key accounts, ensuring the efficient distribution of products by key accounts, advising farmers and distributors on the efficient use of products, setting and establishing on-farm demonstration sites, organizing company Field-Days, representing the company by attending and actively participating in Agricultural Field Days and shows, attending and participating in tendering activities in the region, participating in stakeholder meetings on behalf of the company, monitoring and reporting competitor activities as observed in the field, receiving and working on complaints from customers, attending and actively participating in monthly, quarterly, half-year, and yearly sales meetings, closing sales/order taking, organizing Van-sale routes, orders, and deliveries, attending and actively participating in market promotions and road shows, conducting poster campaigns and organizing wall brandings, and performing other relevant duties required by supervisors and customers.
Breeding Technician
Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), National Plant Breeding Research Centre (NPBRC)
Njoro, Kenya
06.2009 - 12.2009
- Worked with wheat, sweet potato, and cassava breeding projects
- Responsibilities included data collection and collation, conducting controlled crossings, scouting, general maintenance activities, advising and demonstrating to farmers during field days and visits, and supervising and organizing labor.
Landscape Designer
Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed
Nakuru, Kenya
05.2009 - 06.2009
- Responsibilities included land preparation/design, design of irrigation and fertigation structures, recruiting and organizing labor, ornamental plant selection and establishment, advice on maintenance.
Student Field-Attaché
Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), National Plant Breeding Research Centre (NPBRC)
Njoro, Kenya
05.2007 - 07.2007
- Responsibilities included scouting, data collection, setting experimental plots, and other duties required by supervisors and project leads.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Horticulture -
Egerton University
Njoro, Nakuru County, KenyaHigh School Diploma -
Kakamega High School
Kakamega , KenyaSkills
Teamwork
Diligence
Diplomacy
Decision making
Problem-solving
Adaptability
Organization
Planning
Communication
Presentation
Leadership
Risk management
Stakeholder management
Budgeting
Forecasting
Extension services provision
Horticultural Knowledge
Personal Information
Nationality: Kenyan
Languages
Swahili
Native language
English
Proficient
C2
Interests
To be engaged in a work environment that utilizes skills and creativity involved with the system to effectively contribute to organizational growth and fulfill personal career growth goals
Timeline
Field Support Agronomist
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
01.2021 - Current
Independent Agribusiness Advisor
Consultant
07.2020 - 12.2020
Program Manager, Seeds Stream, East Africa
Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, East Africa (SFEA)
07.2017 - 06.2020
Business Development Manager for Horticulture
Syngenta Nigeria Limited
10.2014 - 06.2017
Sales Agronomist
Syngenta East Africa Limited
03.2012 - 09.2014
Factory/Processing Manager
Gicheha Farms Limited (Brookside Dairies Ltd)
06.2011 - 02.2012
Sales Agronomist
Twiga Chemical Industries Ltd
01.2010 - 05.2011
Breeding Technician
Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), National Plant Breeding Research Centre (NPBRC)
06.2009 - 12.2009
Landscape Designer
Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed
05.2009 - 06.2009
Student Field-Attaché
Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), National Plant Breeding Research Centre (NPBRC)
05.2007 - 07.2007
Bachelor of Science in Horticulture -
Egerton University
High School Diploma -
Kakamega High School
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