Sylvia Banda is known for her expertise in strategic leadership, resource mobilization, and government relations. Mrs. Banda has served as the Chair of the Zambia Chapter of the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP). With a remarkable 28-year career focused on developing innovative solutions to pressing challenges, Sylvia has built a diverse professional portfolio encompassing entrepreneurship, development, agriculture, and education. She has successfully established four businesses, including a university, emphasizing an inclusive approach that has earned her recognition from corporate organizations, NGOs, and governments.

Her entrepreneurial ventures include Sylva Catering Services and Sylva Food Solutions. The latter serves as a nationwide establishment that trains smallholder farmers to become entrepreneurs, integrating them into the food processing supply chain. Over 20,800 rural farmers, primarily women, have benefited from training in pre- and post-harvest handling.

Sylvia is also a groundbreaking innovator, having more than 67 local and international awards. She made history by being the first person to can free-range village chicken and goat meat, and developing a world-first soup formula featuring moringa and assorted vegetables. Passionate about promoting local food cultivation and consumption, she has contributed to the nutritional landscape of Zambia. Additionally, she has developed formulas for highly nutritious moringa and orange maize cereal porridge for Zambia’s school feeding program, which is in international demand.

Sylvia is a proud Ashoka Fellow, part of a global network of innovators dedicated to social change. Her inspiring journey has been featured in various publications, including the BBC’s “African Dream,” where she shared her passion for Zambian cuisine and discussed the importance of training rural farmers to boost the agricultural economy and improve national nutrition. Among her accolades is the Top 6 Excellent African Women Entrepreneurship Award from Enterprise Africa received in January 2001. And the Woman of the Year award from the American Biographical Association in January 2000.

Dr. Florence Wambugu has been the Founder, Director, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International since 2002. She is a plant pathologist with a specialization in virology and genetic engineering. She has an honorary Ph.D. Doctorate of Science from the University of Bath, UK, and she has conducted postdoctoral research at the Monsanto Life Sciences Center, United States of America (USA). For over 30 years, she has dedicated her life to agricultural research, where she has made significant contributions to the improvement of sorghum, maize, pyrethrum, banana, and sweet potato.

Previously, she worked as the Africa Regional Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri Biotech Applications (ISAAA) in Nairobi; Research Scientist at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research in Kenya (KALRO) and Senior Research Officer (Pathologist) and Coordinator of Plant Biotechnology Research at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI).

She has published over 100 articles and co-authored various papers, and is the author and publisher of Modifying Africa and Biotechnology in Africa: Emergence, Initiatives, and Future. In 2005, she spearheaded an international consortium that received a USD 21 million global competitive grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

She has garnered numerous awards and honors, notably the Norwegian YARA Prize in 2008, Woman of the Year by Eve Magazine in 2000, Farmers Support Award, Pyrethrum Marketing Board of Kenya in 1990, Monsanto Company Outstanding Performance Award in 1992 and 1993, First Place Medal Winner, Global Development Network Awards, in 2000, among many others.

Chiwala James Mutungu serves as the Co-founder and Director of CNC360 Consulting Limited, situated in Lusaka, Zambia. CNC360 Consulting has been collaborating with the Ministry of Small and Medium Entreprise Development in partnership with the chain stores namely Shoprite, Pick N Pay and Choppies to provide capacity building and market linkage opportunities to Cooperatives and SMEs in Zambia and export markets.

Chiwala is a distinguished member of the Zambia Institute of Marketing (ZIM), having previously held the position of Vice President on its council. Chiwala brings a wealth of professional expertise in resource mobilization and marketing alongside a steadfast commitment to fostering innovation and job creation, particularly for women and youths. His leadership will contribute significantly to enhancing the board’s diversity and advancing Africa Harvest’s mission for sustainable growth in Zambia.

With over 25 years of substantial industry experience in the public and private sectors, Chiwala has amassed more than a decade of strategic leadership and management expertise in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector.

Chiwala has a Marketing and Business Development professional with proven track record in working on donor successful donor funded entreprise development projects. His professional background includes a pivotal role within the Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project/Market Connect Programme, a government-initiated project funded by the World Bank. The project supported growth-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within agribusiness value chains by fostering increased sales revenue and employment generation. He has also worked with other donor-funded projects such as USAID Entreprise Development and Growth Enhanced Activity (USAID EDGE), WorldFish/CGIAR, Graca Machel Trust-Women Creating Wealth Programme and a Scottish government funded Climate Just Communities (CJC) project.

Chiwala holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Business Administration and Management from Cavendish University and a degree in Marketing from Copperbelt University. Chiwala holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Business Administration and Management from Cavendish University and a Degree in Marketing from Copperbelt University.

Chipokota Mayamba Cindy Mwanawasa is the Policy Advisor to the President of Zambia, His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, and also serves as the Deputy Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit.

Before this, she was the Legal Officer and Executive Assistant to the Vice-President of Human Capital at one of Africa’s largest integrated copper mines. In addition to her corporate and political career, she is also an agri-entrepreneur and trade retailer, she set up an innovative livestock crowd-farming venture, which she has grown into a meat retail SME.

She also holds an LLM in Commercial Law from the University of Cape Town and an LLB in English and French law from the University of Kent and the University of Bordeaux IV. In 2019, she was awarded a Chevening Scholarship, enabling her to pursue a Master of Science in public policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Ms. Mwanawasa was awarded the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Zambia Bureau of Standards in 2018. Furthermore, she co-authored the discussion paper Elections in Africa: Preparing a Democratic Playbook with the South African think-tank The Brenthurst Foundation and is involved in charity work and advocacy for the underprivileged.

Daniel Saisha Mwape is a Program Manager with Partners in Food Solutions (PFS). Committed to enhancing food security and sustainable practices in Zambia, he plays a critical role in driving innovation in climate change mitigation and youth job creation.

Daniel actively participates in sub-committees and represents Africa Harvest among various stakeholders, including development agencies and potential donors. His responsibilities include managing a pipeline of potential projects, conducting technical assessments, and facilitating knowledge transfer to ensure effective project development and management.

With extensive experience as a quality assurance manager in milling operations and as a senior laboratory technician, Daniel possesses deep expertise in food safety management, quality control, and production management. He is the primary liaison between clients on the ground and the PFS volunteer pool, delivering high-quality food manufacturing expertise while ensuring alignment with PFS’s corporate partners.

Daniel holds a Master’s degree in International Agribusiness Management from the International School of Agribusiness Management, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Cavendish University in Zambia.

What he enjoys most about his role at PFS is the opportunity to contribute to producing high-nutritional value foods while improving production practices within his country. He values the chance to learn from experienced professionals in the food industry and share that knowledge with Zambia’s growing food sector.

In addition to his professional pursuits, Daniel has a passion for football/soccer, both playing and watching, and enjoys traveling during his free time.

Nathan Chiyezhi is a Business Development professional with over eight years of experience helping local enterprises grow through services such as market linkages, business formalization, financial support, and product development. He also provides coaching and mentorship to entrepreneurs, empowering them to navigate business challenges. Nathan excels in teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and management, delivering impactful results for local businesses.

Currently serving as a Business Development Officer at the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), Nathan leads value chain analyses, develops strategies for enhancing efficiency and competitiveness, and collaborates with stakeholders to improve business outcomes. He designs capacity-building programs, facilitates access to finance and markets, and coordinates joint ventures and partnerships.

Previously, as an Enterprise Development Officer at Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), Nathan supported local enterprises by developing growth strategies, increasing market access, and promoting linkages with key resources. He also worked on product development and research initiatives to ensure continuous innovation among local businesses.

Nathan is skilled in commercial development, business analysis, project planning, contract management, and proposal writing, hence supporting business growth and economic development in Zambia.

Flora Kantu Mooya is a seasoned legal and governance professional with over 17 years of senior management experience. She has built a distinguished career in the public and private sectors, offering a blend of legal expertise, corporate advisory skills, and administrative leadership. Most recently, she served as Director – Legal at the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA), providing strategic legal oversight and ensuring regulatory compliance across organizational operations.

Ms. Mooya holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Zambia and is an Advocate of the High Court for Zambia. In addition to her formal education, she has completed several professional development programs in legal practice and corporate administration. Her extensive legal background includes civil litigation, legal drafting, and the provision of legal opinions. She has also been responsible for ensuring that the institutions she served operated within the bounds of the law, acting as the drafter, approver, and custodian of legal documents and organizational seals.

Throughout her career, Flora has held several key roles, including Board Secretary and Legal Counsel at major statutory and parastatal organizations such as the Zambia National Tender Board, the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund, and the National Housing Authority. In her role as Board Secretary, she provided critical support to Boards of Directors by maintaining confidentiality, recording accurate minutes of board meetings, communicating board decisions to relevant departments, and ensuring the timely implementation of those decisions.

Beyond her legal and secretarial responsibilities, Flora has also managed Human Resources and Administration departments, overseeing all aspects of personnel and administrative matters. Her leadership in these areas included negotiating labor matters, chairing employer-union discussions, conducting job interviews, and managing staff affairs. She has chaired numerous committees, including audit, finance, and legal committees, and has handled various legal issues related to land and property.

Flora Kantu Mooya also served as Treasurer and Board Member of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), contributing to its governance and financial oversight. In addition, she has worked as a consultant for multiple organizations, providing legal and corporate advisory services. Her broad experience across sectors and disciplines positions her as a trusted expert in legal affairs, board governance, and administrative leadership.

Edwin Zulu is the Managing Director of Global Entrepreneurship Network Zambia (GEN Zambia) and is recognized as a leading social entrepreneur in Zambia and Africa. With extensive experience in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), agriculture, and business development support services, he has dedicated himself to promoting women’s and youth entrepreneurship. His vision is to establish a premier African provider of business development support services (BDS), business incubation, and trade facilitation, achieved through strategic collaborations with various stakeholders at local, national, regional, and global levels. Edwin has played a key role in numerous national development policy initiatives and programs throughout his career.

Edwin presented a paper at the 2nd National Convention that focused on revitalizing the Zambian economy, contributing to discussions on the National Agriculture Policy and small-scale farming. This led to an invitation to the Parliamentary Sub-committee on agriculture, lands, and cooperatives. Later, he was nominated as a finalist in the World Bank Group Development Marketplace Innovations Competition in Washington, DC. He has also received the Manchester University Award, developed a handbook on agencies supporting women in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enterprises in India, and partnered with the World Bank Group to establish the Zambia-Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) SME Toolkit Project.

Edwin was invited by the World Bank Group to participate in the inception of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), enhancing his contributions to entrepreneurship promotion on a global scale. Currently, Edwin serves with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) at the Government Complex in Lusaka, Zambia, where he advances organizational goals and initiatives.

As an ambassador for Africa Harvest, he will represent the organization across various networks, including development agencies, sponsors, and policymakers. His leadership and collaborative approach are essential for steering the organization’s strategic initiatives and fundraising efforts.