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.

Nehemiah Mburu Mugutha (Taylor) holds a Master of Business Administration in Management of Innovation and Technology from Portland State University and an undergraduate degree in Commerce (Accounting). Taylor is an experienced Market systems development professional who has worked at Africa Harvest for 14 years. He has been supporting program/project development and implementation. He has worked with rural communities in Eastern and Southern Africa to enhance access to improved technologies, improve production and productivity, enhance market linkages, commercialize value chains, create employment, and improve livelihoods through sustainable market-led systems.

ANTONINE RIANY MBA, CPA-K

Antonine Riany is a highly accomplished Strategic Finance and Grants Expert with over 15 years of experience in driving impactful social and business innovations. She has a proven track record in managing complex international grants and cultivating strong partnerships with global stakeholders, particularly in the agriculture sector. Antonine excels in overseeing the full project lifecycle, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining sustainable business practices.

Antonine holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with an Accounting Option from Maseno University, and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPAK), accredited by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya. She also possesses various complementary certifications, further enhancing her expertise in finance and grants management.

Throughout her career, Antonine has managed diverse grant portfolios and successfully steered projects for esteemed international organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, DAI Global, DANIDA, Diakonia, EU, FCDO, Ford Foundation, Global Affairs Canada, Mastercard Foundation, NORAD, Oxfam, SIDA, UNDP, UN Women, and USAID, among others. Her work has consistently demonstrated her ability to foster strategic relationships, deliver impactful presentations, and ensure financial integrity within civil society globally.

Antonine has held key roles with renowned institutions, including the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Uraia Trust, American Institutes for Research (FVR Project), Constitution and Reform Education Consortium, and most recently, served as Finance Manager at Stanbic Bank Foundation.

Passionate about building a strong financial foundation for sustainable long-term growth, Antonine is committed to creating lasting impact through financial strategies that align with and support livelihoods.

Kennedy Oyugi is an Agricultural Economist with MSc. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Nairobi. A versatile social scientist, Kennedy has high-level expertise in technology transfer, community mobilization, policy advocacy, and strategic communication acquired through experience, academic training as well as short courses pursued in institutions such as Cornell University and Kenya Polytechnic (now the Technical University of Kenya). Kennedy joined Africa Harvest in 2022, bringing with him a wealth of experience spanning 18 years in Government, Non-Governmental, and Private sector(for-profit) organizations. Before joining Africa Harvest, Kennedy had served as the Programs Officer with the Africa Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum; Marketing Information Point Manager with Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange Ltd under the USAID-funded Kenya Maize Development Program (KMDP); Project Marketing Officer with Community Mobilization Against Desertification and as Cooperatives Officer with the Government of Kenya. In addition, Kennedy has led consultancy assignments with the Nile Basin Initiative, Science Africa, African Seed Access Index, USAID-COMPETE, Lutheran World Relief, and the Cereal Growers Association.

Jessica Onyony is a seasoned professional banker with a decade of expertise in bank operations. She has made significant contributions at Equity Bank, Diamond Trust Bank (as Operations Manager), and KCB under the Young Africa Works initiative. Jessica holds valuable training in Agri enterprise management from the Latia Agri-preneurship Institute. With a passion for safeguarding, she is deeply committed to empowering women, youth, and children. When not working, Jessica indulges in her hobbies of reading, cooking, and enjoying music. Her ultimate aspiration is to foster a compassionate society that prioritizes the well-being of children and the most vulnerable.

Leah has over 10 years of experience in project accounting, cash flow management, budgeting, asset management, credit management, financial reporting, payroll accounting, audit and risk management. She previously worked as an Accountant at Parklands Baptist Church, Internal Auditor and Campus Accountant at The Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

She has a Master of Arts degree in Project Planning and Management from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa and a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting from Kenya College of Accountancy University. In addition to that, Leah is a member of Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Kenya (ICPAK) and Association of Women Accountants in Kenya (AWAK). She enjoys listening to music, singing and cooking.

Yvonne E. Mwende is a Development Communication Specialist with 12 years of experience designing and implementing communications and advocacy strategies and storytelling with a nose for impact stories. She has extensive experience with multi-stakeholder communication initiatives, supporting non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and the private sector in Kenya and internationally. A thought leader, she has authored publications on women’s rights, social justice, human rights, and inequality, among other social development issues.

She has actively engaged in influencing women’s socio-political gains in Kenya by profiling women political aspirants, aggravating policy implementation around the two-thirds gender principle, and advocating for women’s economic empowerment programs. She is an alumna of the African Women’s Leadership and Mentoring Initiative (AWLMI) by Urgent Action Fund-Africa in collaboration with Coady International Institute and holds a B.A. in Journalism and Media Studies, Development Communication option at the University of Nairobi.

Her mission is to create enabling environments that sustain transformative leadership and equitable development. She serves as a Board Director with Siasa Place, an NGO which promotes the people’s participation in democratic processes through research, training, civic education, networking, and strategic partnerships.

She dreams of having a chestnut brown Norwich Terrier called Tamu.

Eric Bulogosi Mulama is a compassionate and driven Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist with 10 years of career experience working with impoverished populations. Highly adept at working within systems and the ability to think outside of them. Proven leader and team builder with exceptional communication and analytical thinking skills. He is currently the MERLs Lead of a 5-year project – Drought Tolerant Crops (DTCs) for Youth Jobs Creation at Africa Harvest. His expertise lies in project management, and monitoring & evaluation.

Particularly, Eric has held key roles in various projects, including Lead Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact Manager for the USAID -Kenya National Training; Funzo Kenya Project (Funzo) Project under the Kenya School of Government; Monitoring & Evaluation Assistant for the Feed the Children project; Program Officer-Monitoring; and Evaluation for the lifesaving chemotherapies for Cancer project for Clinton Health Access Initiative.

Eric holds a BA in Sociology from Moi University and MBA in Project Management from Daystar University. His hobbies involve evangelism, research, traveling, and sports.

Damaris Kagwiria is an accomplished Project Manager with an impressive career spanning over 17 years in fast-paced and dynamic environments. She is currently the project coordinator of a 5-year project – Drought Tolerant Crops (DTCs) for Youth Jobs Creation at Africa Harvest. Her expertise lies in staff management, project management, and monitoring & evaluation, with a particular focus on empowering farmer groups in rural areas and fostering collaborations along agricultural value chains.

Notably, Damaris has held key roles in various projects, including; Project Manager for the SAWA project in Meru County; Project Manager for GIZ E4D/SOGA/KEVIAN, overseeing projects in Lamu, Kwale, Kajiado, Murang’a, Embu, and Tharaka Nithi counties; Project Coordinator for USAID-KAVES/VEGPRO, managing projects in Trans-Nzoia, Meru, Taita Taveta, and Loitoktok Out-growers’ Schemes; District Coordinator and Project Manager for the USAID-Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project (KHCP) under Kenya National Farmers’ Federation (KENAFF/USAID KHCP); Project Manager for the Crop Diversification Project for Marega Community Based Organization; and Manager for the School Feeding Programme at Ruuju Primary School under Farmers Helping Farmers Canada.

Damaris holds a BSc in Horticulture from Egerton University and is passionate about agribusiness and community development. At a personal level, she enjoys listening to music, traveling, and gardening.

Victoria is a social scientist and a development practitioner with over 15 years of experience facilitating communities all over Kenya to build resilience and find sustainable solutions to development challenges. She is a versatile individual with experience in Research, Design, Implementing, and monitoring programs aimed at bringing women and other socially excluded groups on board and to the frontline of development by increasing their participation in, contribution to, and benefit from the various Development and Livelihood interventions.

She has built her career working with various development organizations establishing programs with both a local and international scope.

She holds a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Gender and Development from the University of Nairobi and is currently pursuing an MSc. in Agricultural Economics at Kenyatta University.

Victoria, a mother of two enjoys both local and international travel, meeting new people and experiencing diverse cultures and cuisines.

Mr. Antony Aseta holds a BSc. Botany and an MSc. in Botany (Microbiology) both from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, as well as an ongoing MSc. degree in Environmental Science from Kenyatta University. He also holds a certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation from Kenyatta University. Mr. Aseta has over twelve years of experience working as a project manager in; Food & Nutritional security programs, technology development and deployment, as well as in research projects where he has been directly involved in project planning and implementation, Biosafety and regulatory affairs as well as Project Monitoring and Evaluation in; Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Burundi among others. His skills at the organizational level cover; fundraising, project design, project implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation, and implementation plan with budgets.

He is a result-oriented M&E Specialist as well as a project manager. His key areas of interest include; Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Food and nutritional security, Biosafety, Natural Resource Management as well as Climate change and sustainable development.

Mutahi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry from Moi University, obtained in 2004. In 2008, he joined Africa Harvest to work on the Tree for Energy project, which was funded by the Ministry of Energy, Kenya. Following the successful completion of the project and gaining experience in community-based initiatives, he continued working in the same region on a project funded by the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). 

Additionally, he has been involved in various other projects, including an IFAD-funded initiative promoting an integrated farming system for sustainable livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties. They also participated in a World Vision project funded by Bandaptai in Bomet County, which focused on developing a market system for poultry, sweet potatoes, and dairy products. Another project they were involved in was the InnoFoodAfrica project, funded by the European Union, which aimed to promote climate-resilient crops in Busia and Tharaka Nithi counties. Currently, he is participating in the RESAf project on land restoration, livelihoods, and carbon credit, funded by Climate Asset Management. This initiative operates in Kwale, Narok, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Kilifi counties.

Glory N. Ndungu is a Human Resource practitioner anchored by a firm belief to be a better version HR professional. She especially aims at inculcating a positive work-life balance in an organization’s human capital. In her capacity, she can assist in matters about HR & Procurement functions and as an Administrator responsible for the efficient function of the front office. She holds a Bachelor’s in Business Management & Administration specializing in Human Resource Management at St. Paul’s University, Kenya, and a certificate in Floral Design. And if you do hand her flowers, be sure to get a unique Art piece

Mathews Omondi holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness Management from Great Lakes University of Kisumu (GLUK) and a Diploma in General Agriculture from Sang’alo Institute of Science and Technology. Having more than nine years of experience as an Agribusiness Management Professional, Mathews has actively collaborated with smallholder farmers to strengthen various value chains through practical training. His area of expertise encompasses offering guidance on efficient agricultural methods, promoting productive group dynamics, aiding in marketing strategies, nurturing enterprise growth, championing gender and social inclusion, and improving financial access.
Mr. Omondi’s primary objective is to help build sustainable businesses, ensure food security, and strengthen resilience within communities. He specializes in coaching Agri-preneurs and transforming farmer groups into successful enterprises, ultimately elevating food security, nutrition and income for smallholder farmers.He has successfully implemented a number of programs funded by the European Union, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Irish Aid, Walmart Foundation, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) and UK Aid,
among others.

Rose Kawira Nyaga, a holder of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and Media Technology with IT (Broadcast Option) from Maseno University, is a dedicated journalist with a passion for impactful storytelling. Her accomplishments include the successful publication of articles and documentaries on platforms such as Hope Channel Kenya, The Elephant TV, and Talk Africa among others. Her versatile skills in media and communications encompass content creation, editing, social media management, videography, photography, scriptwriting, and graphics and design. Her extroverted nature is coupled with a strong belief in the power of pursuing one’s passion to fulfill a greater purpose. Rose is a member of the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK). Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds enjoyment in watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, and attending social gatherings for both entertainment and networking opportunities.

Allan Chege serves as the Data Lead in the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Department. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, with a Minor in Business Studies, from Cornell University. His academic focus on plant biology and biotechnology was driven by a desire to explore how plant science can address global challenges like food insecurity. Through advanced coursework in Genetics and Plant Breeding, Allan gained a deep understanding of the scientific research underlying the development of resilient and high-yield crop varieties, which are critical for sustainable agriculture.

To further enhance his analytical capabilities, Allan pursued a Postgraduate Diploma in Data Science and Business Analytics from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. His data expertise is focused on leveraging technology to extract insights essential for strategic planning and decision-making. With experience across multiple organizations, including the Institute of Energy Studies & Research and the Geothermal Development Company, Allan brings a unique blend of biological knowledge and data-driven approaches to improving efficiency and innovation within agricultural value chains.

Outside his professional pursuits, Allan enjoys expressing his creativity through music and plays the guitar as a hobby. He often has his headphones on listening for the next riff to learn as a personal project. Additionally, his passion for chess, a game he once played competitively, remains strong and he is always eager for a good match against a patient challenger.

Moses Kahumbu holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Eldoret and is an accomplished expert in biotechnology and biosafety. He has over five years of experience in business development within the Climate Smart Agro-allied industry. His expertise spans Technical Agronomy, Project Management, and Value Chain Development. Moses is dedicated to leveraging technology and innovation to address challenges in Food Systems. His practical knowledge and leadership have been instrumental in sustainable agroforestry, soil fertility management, and promoting regenerative agriculture within farmer-based agro-enterprises. With a focus on results, Moses is committed to fostering resilient and diversified livelihoods, facilitating market linkages, and driving sustainable income generation.

Charity Chelimo is an accomplished Finance and Accounts professional with a track record spanning over 3 years. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, specializing in Finance, from the University of Nairobi. Charity is known for her ambitious nature and strong work ethic, equipped with extensive skills and expertise in the field of Finance and Accounting. She excels at efficiently managing multiple tasks and thrives in high-pressure environments.

Braian is a highly skilled and motivated professional with a strong foundation in economic principles. He brings a keen analytical mindset and a deep understanding of financial systems to his role as an Account Assistant.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Nairobi.

Braian thrives in a fast-paced and dynamic corporate environment, where he utilizes his analytical skills to identify opportunities for process improvement and optimization. He is known for his strong communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues across different departments.

With his dedication to continuous learning and professional development, Braian remains up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in accounting and finance.

Israel Ikuro Ndungu is a dedicated Field Officer with extensive experience in carrying out diverse field activities. His expertise encompasses training and mobilizing farmer groups, among other essential tasks. Israel has been an integral part of Africa Harvest since its inception in 2002, accumulating over 20 years of valuable experience. He holds certifications in Tissue Culture Banana Management, Business Group Formation & Management, and has also completed a Biosafety Short Course. In his personal life, Israel finds joy in being a father to three children. Outside of work, he cherishes moments spent preaching the word of God and engaging with farmers in their local dialects.

Jack Gathuna Mwaura, is a skilled office assistant and mechanic by profession. Jack plays a vital role in vehicle maintenance, ensuring that all vehicles are in optimal condition. Additionally, he provides valuable assistance across various office tasks, ensuring cleanliness and organization. Jack also lends a hand in fieldwork when needed. He has been an invaluable member of the Africa Harvest team since 2013. Outside of work, Jack finds great fulfillment in evangelism and spreading the word of God.

Mary Wandahi is a dedicated member of the Africa Harvest team, contributing her skills and expertise to the hospitality department for over 13 years. Before joining Africa Harvest, she gained valuable experience working with other notable companies such as Total Kenya. Alongside her professional pursuits, Mary has pursued her passion for hair-making through a short course. In her leisure time, she finds joy in cooking and singing. Mary firmly believes in making a meaningful impact in any organization she is a part of. Her guiding principle is to work diligently and depart with respect, leaving behind a lasting legacy.

Paul Mwangi is a proficient office assistant with a strong dedication to his work. He completed a mechanic and driving course through the National Youth Service (NYS), where he acquired his driving and mechanical expertise. Before his tenure at Africa Harvest, he worked with Pew Cab, Elys Chemical, and Premier Academy as a designated driver. In addition to his driving responsibilities, he contributes significantly to various office functions, ensuring an organized and tidy work environment. As a field assistant, Paul helps out in planning to ensure smooth field activities. Beyond his professional endeavors, Paul finds considerable fulfillment in evangelism and sharing the word of God.