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An Agronomy PhD. graduate of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, he is an agricultural consultant/ researcher with 27 years’ experience in the strategic development of commodities in the agricultural value chains. His experience spans the continent working for sector leaders such as for Japan International Cooperation Agency, German International Development (Competitive Africa Rice Initiative) Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nation and United Nation Women. He currently serves as the regional consultant to Coalition for African Rice Development based in Nairobi.

Frank’s career spans 35 years as a leading global rice trader, including at the world’s leading rice brokerage, Schepens and Co. He also co-founded and built Switzerland based Novel Commodities to become the largest trader in rice and leading global soft commodity player. Bringing his unique depth of insights, and knowledge of the rice market, Frank co-founded and architected the Rice Exchange, the first global digital rice trading platform or its kind, that leverages Blockchain technology and delivers significant cost and time efficiencies along the trading value chain.

Yinka, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Economists, and former director of Nigerian Investment Promotion commission (NIPC), is an investment consultant and chairman of Foreign Investment Network (FIN), a UK publishing and consulting firm that produces FIN Magazine, published in English, Chinese and French. As a lead at FIN, Olayinka organizes investment and business events globally, promoting inward investment to Africa. Her work with youth and women is internationally recognized, and she runs the NGO, The African Youth and Women Empowerment Network.

Mark worked in Banking for 15 years with a focus on emerging markets. At Standard Chartered, he was Global Head of Client Engagement. Mark is now a private investor specialising in five sectors: 1) Agricultural Technology; 2) Educational Technology; 3) Legal Technology; 4) Insurance Technology and 5) Distributed Ledger Technology. Mark graduated from Oxford University in 1997 with a degree in Chinese Studies and from the Wharton School in 2010 with an MBA in Finance

A fundraising and partnerships specialist with over 15 years’ experience in developing community-driven projects in Nigeria. As a fundraiser for a Lagos-based non-profits, her accomplishments include the innovative financing of an international film festival that became the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) and a program aiming to foster entrepreneurial spirit in young Africans, which received funding by Ethical Fashion Initiative, a joint UN and the WTO agency, to replicate in other African countries.

He is a senior agricultural economist with expertise in value chain development, resilience and private sector development. He holds masters degree in agricultural economics from Obafemi Awolowo University and certificates in public policy and political economics of institutions and development from University of Virginia, USA and Leiden University, the Netherlands respectively. Fakunle has over 10 years work experience in development works across and in partnership with John. A. Kufuor Foundation, the German International Development Cooperation, Technoserve, Technoserve, USAID, AGRA, African Union Development Agency, ECOWAS Commissions, European Centre for Development Policy Management and Regulatory Agencies in Sub Saharan Africa.

Yunusa Ibrahim Gafai is a senior agribusiness finance specialist with expertise in agribusiness modeling and value chain finance, SME, inclusive business in finance and markets for the development of the Nigerian informal sector. He holds an MBA from Ahmadu Bello University and has over 28 years consulting experience working with development organisations including the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization, UK Development for International Development, International Fund for Agricultural Development and other Multilateral Agricultural Development Projects across Africa. Yunusa is the founder of Propoor Group, which recently spearhead the promotion of the first agricultural bond in the Nigerian capital markets leading to the establishment of the Adamawa State Agribusiness Credit Guarantee Fund. The fund is to provide financial support for the implementation of the Adamawa State Agribusiness Support Programme. He also spearheads the promotion of the National Agribusiness Community Alliance in Nigeria.

Michael Okunoye is an agribusiness professional with over 12 years’ experience in the Rice Value Chain (Rice Mill Administration, Production management, paddy procurement, outgrower management etc). He is a Managing Partner with A5 Agro services, an Agribusiness firm with focus on commodity trading, Farming and Consultancy services. In 2020 he joined Coscharis Farms Limited as the Paddy Procurement and Outgrower Manager and within a year he expanded the company’s suppliers database from 5 to 50 across various supply sources and for the first time the company had 3 months paddy stock entering into 2021.