Our Leadership
With locally-led operations in Zambia supervised by a global board, we directly tackle the challenges of African subsistence farming.
Ackson Mwanza, Chief Executive Officer
Meet our Co-Founder Ackson, a highly skilled CEO who has made significant contributions to the agricultural landscape through his expertise in delivering agricultural extension services with a climate-smart approach. He holds a Master's in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University and a Bachelor's in Agronomy from the University of Zambia, which has provided him with the foundational knowledge necessary to excel in his current role.
Learn more about him on LinkedIn.
Michelle Kurian, Chief Strategy Officer
As CSO and Co-Founder of The Harvest Fund, Michelle oversees all administrative, operational, and strategic functions of the organization. Michelle's extensive background in the field has given her a deep understanding of smallholder technology, policy, and agricultural extension. With a Bachelor's from Duke University and a Master's in Business Administration from Columbia University, Michelle is dedicated to excellence and possesses an ability to think outside the box.
Our Board of Directors
Our board of directors have experience in all regions of Africa and boast expertise across the social enterprise, NGO, and corporate worlds. Our directors bring invaluable perspectives and experiences to the table, with a particular focus on agricultural development, policy, and technology for smallscale farmers.
Trevor Maisiri
Trevor has 20+ years of international development experience and currently serves as the Vice President for Strategy, Planning, and Global Governance at Food for the Hungry. He was previously the advisor to the President and CEO of PACT, a non-profit working in 40 countries on solutions for human development. A native of Harare, he holds a Bachelor's from Zimbabwe's National University of Science and Technology and a Master's from University of Zimbabwe.
Tatiana Mata
Tatiana Mata is a prominent Mozambican agricultural economist and founder of the ELIM Group of companies. She has held executive roles in the Mozambican Confederation of Technical Associations (CTA) and the Mozambican Fruit Growers’ Association (FRUTISUL). Through ELIM Serviços and Mutiana Investimentos, she supports farmers by advising on best practices, advocating for better agricultural policies, and improving access to quality inputs and markets. Tatiana holds a Master's in Agricultural Economics from the University of Pretoria.
Jim Robbins
Jim is an expert in technology commercialization, business incubation, and entrepreneurial innovation. Since 1993, he has helped over 80 organizations with accelerators and regional innovation clusters. Jim has mentored over 250 companies, including social entrepreneurship projects in China, Uganda, Nigeria, Myanmar and Senegal.
Ogo Ibok
Ogo Ibok is the group CEO of SENCE Limited, an HR consulting firm; SENCE Agric, an agriculture consultancy firm; and Sophie & Grace, an agriculture distributor. Prior to SENCE, she was Pfizer's Regional Director for HR and Administration for East, Central, and Anglophone West Africa, overseeing 22 countries. She holds a Master's degree in Human Resource Management from the Middlesex University, UK.
William Chilufya
William Chilufya is Southern Africa Regional Africa Manager for Hivos, a Dutch NGO. As an authority on nutrition in Zambia, he is the former Country Coordinator of the Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition alliance, a global movement across 61 countries working together to end malnutrition. William has a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of Free States in South Africa.
Fannie Gondwe
Fannie Gondwe is the Founder and Executive Director of Perisha Agro and Packaging Enterprise, a Malawian business that processes various agricultural products, including sweet potato and cassava flour. They work with smallholder farmers as well as on their own 120-hectare farm, providing employment and supporting families. Since 2015, they have benefitted 24,000 households and worked with organizations such as GIZ, the UN FAO, and USAID. Fannie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and MBA and has won
several awards in agribusiness.
