I am a plant breeder and plant pathologist with more than 12 years’ experience in international development project management on beans, maize, cassava and sweet potatoes, at HarvestPlus Program under CIAT (International Centre for Tropical Agriculture) as a country manager and Country Representative for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This work involved market research, product and business development, training and capacity building, community engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and market access. A significant portion of this experience has been in managing partnerships and relationships with stakeholders at all levels (producers, agro dealers, suppliers, public services, local, national and international organizations) as well resources mobilization.

Prior to this and as agronomist, I worked for more than 10 years with the NARS (National Agricultural Research System); especially with INERA (National Agricultural Research Institute), where I was involved on the implementation of different projects related to food and nutrition activities. As professor at the University of Lubumbashi (UNILU), I have also a long and proven experience in capacity building of farmers as well as actors and stakeholders.
As a resourceful professional expert in managing agricultural-based projects through technical coordination and quality assurance operations, I have a wide-ranging experience in planning and leading operations involving cereals (maize, rice, sorghum, millet), legume (beans, soybeans, groundnut and cowpeas), root and tuber (cassava, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes), vegetable crops product development and related technologies’ transfer targeting small-holder farmers in DRC.
Some of the roles that I had been previously tasked with include; implementing and managing agricultural research and development projects, preparing research work plan and financial budgets/costs and implementing, establishing experiments/trials and their management (including collection and analyses of data), managing, supporting and training staff , partners and stakeholders, monitoring and evaluation along the bio fortified maize, beans, cassava and Sweet potatoes seed and food value chain.

Having worked as senior staff on projects funded by BMGF, FCDO (DFID), AfDB, USAID, GAC and World Bank, as well as in collaboration with other international development and strategic partners such as FAO, ENABEL (former BTC), GIZ, World Vision, Mercy Corps, CRS and Sub-regional organizations and programs (ASARECA , PABRA, TASAI, TAAT, PRESAR and PICAGL) across different provinces of DRC; I am familiar with concepts, approaches, strategies, policies and procedures of different donors at working with multicultural teams.

With different stakeholders including farmers’ organizations, government, private sector, civil society, NGO, strategic partners and beneficiaries, we have been able to introduce, produce, disseminate and promote bio fortified crops as well best agricultural practices through innovative approaches of sustainable food production.