Hometown: Kigali, Rwanda
Briefly describe your role:
A: - Planned, launched, and oversee the Rwanda national conservation agriculture pilot program spanning 30 districts, impacting thousands of farmers since 2022 in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rwanda Agriculture Board
- Plan and direct Conservation Agriculture community and government training programs for farmers, extension officers, NGOs, and college students and graduates
- Co-lead the Foundations for Farming (FFF)/ Conservation Agriculture stewardship centre in Rwanda
- Oversee management of B2R Farms FFF/conservation agriculture demonstration farms and M&E programs
- Build and manage relationships with key partners and agriculture stakeholders in Rwanda and abroad
Q: Is what you’re doing now what you always pictured you would do?
A: No, I never saw myself becoming a farmer. Farming wasn't a glamorous career growing up; it was what people did when they were out of all other options. Growing up, I wanted to be an astronaut and then a computer engineer. In college, I studied entrepreneurship and accounting. Becoming a farmer caught me by surprise right before college graduation.
Q: Who has inspired you in your life/career?
A: A man called Brian Oldreive, the founder of Foundations for Farming International.
Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring professional?
A: Many things in life look scary before one takes action, but go ahead and start anyway. When I jumped into farming I didn't know what would happen, but I trusted God and the process and it became the most rewarding time of my career so far.
Q: What's been the secret to success?
A: Start even when it looks scary! Learn all you can from everything and everyone! Apply the knowledge and do it all over again. It works!