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Meet the inspiring voices shaping our conference! Our speakers include industry leaders, innovators, and experts who will share valuable insights, spark meaningful discussions, and inspire action. Explore the lineup and get ready to learn from the best.
Director, Agriculture Research Organization - Volcani Institute
Dr. Benny Chefetz is a Professor of Environmental Chemistry. His main research scope is to enhance knowledge and understanding of the fate and interactions of contaminants of emerging concern in the water-soil-plant-human continuum. He joined the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as a faculty member in 2001. Chefetz served as the Head of the Department of Soil and Water Sciences, was the Vice Dean for Research, and was the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment (2017-2022). He was also the Director of the Hebrew University Center for Sustainable Food Systems.
Prof. Chefetz has published over 150 articles in refereed scientific journals and has supervised more than 60 students and postdoctoral researchers.
Since May 2024, he is serving as the Director of the Volcani Institute, the research arm of the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Chief Executive Officer - Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA)
Dr. Jacqueline David Mkindi is an internationally recognized agribusiness leader, policy advocate, and transformational change agent in the agribusiness sector mainly the horticulture industry. With over 19 years of leadership experience, she has spearheaded groundbreaking agribusiness management, advocacy, and investment facilitation initiatives, unlocking economic opportunities across Tanzania and beyond.
Currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the TAHA, Dr. Mkindi also chairs TAHA subsidiaries, TAHAFresh Handling Ltd and GreenCert Ltd, both of which have become leaders in logistics and certification for the East African agricultural sector. Her work has directly contributed to unlocking close to $1 billion in horticulture market opportunities, propelling Tanzania’s horticulture sector onto the global stage.
Dr. Mkindi sits as the Chairperson of the Horticulture Council for Eastern Africa, as well as serving on two high-level platforms advising the President of United Republic of Tanzania on food and agriculture as well as gender issues: Presidential Food and Agriculture Development Council and Gender Equality Forum (GEF)
Associate Professor - University of Maryland
Dr. Turner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health at the University of Maryland. His teaching and research involve understanding chemical exposures in acute and chronic disease. His research focuses on supporting populations predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa, to understand and mitigate adverse early life exposures from naturally occurring dietary toxins. He is the UMD co-lead for the Tanzania arm of the Global FEWture Alliance.
Senior Researcher - Volcani Institute
Dr. Eddie Cytryn is a Senior Researcher and Director of the Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences at the Volcani Institute in Israel. His research centers on agricultural dimensions of antimicrobial resistance, focusing on impacts of treated wastewater irrigation, animal husbandry and aquaculture. He was coordinator of the EU-PRIMA consortium “Decision support-based approach for sustainable water reuse application in agricultural production (DSWAP)”, and has served on numerous committees, panels and working groups that assessed risks of AMR associated with wastewater reuse and antibiotic use in animal husbandry. Dr. Cytryn has published 80 manuscripts in leading peer-reviewed journals, with over 10,000 citations, an H index of 45, and an I10 Index of 73.
Vice President for Research and Community Engagement - Mekelle University
Dr. Eyasu Yazew Hagos, born 1971 in Alamata, Ethiopia, obtained MSc degree in Soil and Water Engineering from Silsoe College, Cranfield University in the United Kingdom in 1996 and PhD in Land and Water Development from UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (The Netherlands) in 2005. He has been serving Mekelle University as a senior lecturer and researcher and is engaged in various land and water development related joint research, capacity building and community service projects funded by different international development partners such as NUFFIC, NWO, DUPC, European Union, GIZ, IGAD, IFAD, CGIAR, etc. In addition, he is actively involved in the provision of advisory, consultancy and community services related to water resources development and management to various partners including government, NGOs and the farming community. Currently, he is Associate Professor in Land and Water Development and Vice President for Research and Community Engagement of Mekelle University.
Senior Lecturer - Mbeya University of Science and Technology
Dr. John P. John is an experienced Energy Engineer, specialized in evaluation of energy use in energy intensive industries using exergy-based methods, modelling and simulation. He is a Senior Lecturer in the department of Electrical and Power Engineering.
Dr. John P. John graduated Bachelor of Engineering (BEng.) in Electrical Engineering at Dar es salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) in 2008. He was enrolled in a Master of Science in Renewable Energy, University of Dar es salaam from June 2008 to November 2010. He joined PhD. studies in Energy engineering at Technical University Berlin-German in 2013 to November 2016.
Researcher (PI) - Agriculture Research Organization
Dr. Alon Sela is a data scientist and complex networks researcher holding a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Tel Aviv University. He completed his postdoctoral work in physics and network science at Bar-Ilan University. Alon has published 12 peer-reviewed papers, including two in Nature Human Behavior, accumulating 470 citations. He has led major research projects funded by Horizon Europe and Israeli Climate Hub initiative. His work spans from medicine, human behavior, physics, agriculture and climate. After serving as a senior lecturer at Ariel University (Israel), Alon joined the Agricultural Research Organization, Israel’s leading agricultural research institute.
Professor - Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Prof. Yael Mishael received her BSc in Chemistry (1996) and completed her PhD in Soil and Water both from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2003). Upon completing her postdoc in environmental chemistry at the University of Indian-Purdue, she joined the department of Soil and Water Sci., at Hebrew University (2005).
Her scientific interests are within the field of soil chemistry centers on colloid and interface phenomena. Her approach has been to conduct basic science studies which serve as a basis for environmental application-oriented research. She harnesses classical colloid and interface scientific knowledge to advance the design of composite materials, for environmental applications.
She designs composite materials, focuses on characterizing these composites with an array of classical and advanced tools to better understand the nano- and micron composite structures and link between composite structure and performance.
Material performance is optimized, as a function of its application, including; pollutant adsorption from water, slow-release pesticide formulations, toxin removal from agricultural produce, disruption of parasite-plant interactions and more.
Senior Research Scientist -Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization
Eng. Fabian Kaburu is an agricultural engineer cum senior research scientist with over 30 years of expertise in irrigation, water management, and environmental impact assessments. He holds a Master’s in Land and Water Management and a BSc in Agricultural Engineering. As a Research Scientist at KALRO, he leads a team of 20 scientists and technical staff on the development and dissemination of climate-smart agriculture, sustainable irrigation, and water resource management technologies and innovations. He has authored several technical guidelines on irrigation and water harvesting. I have collaboratively worked with organizations like the World Bank, JICA, and IMWI, on water-energy-food solutions in the area of capacity buil
Director - Center for Transboundary Water Management
Clive Lipchin is a renowned environmental scientist and water resource management expert. With a deep-rooted passion for sustainable development, Clive has dedicated his career to addressing water-related challenges in arid regions, particularly in the Middle East. He founded and currently directs the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies’ Center for Transboundary Water Management, an institution recognized for its innovative work in cross-border water management and cooperation. Throughout his career, Lipchin has actively promoted regional collaboration on water-related issues, seeking to foster peace and sustainability through shared water resources. His work has earned him international acclaim and has made a significant impact on the field of environmental science and peacebuilding.
Chief Agricultural Research Scientist - Department of Agricultural Research Services, Ministry of Agriculture
Austin Tenthani Phiri PhD, Laureate is Chief Agricultural Research Scientist responsible for soil fertility research in the Department of Agricultural Research Services, Ministry of Agriculture in Malawi where he has served for 22 years (2003-2025). Austin was Principal Investigator (PI) of a project on Sustainable scaling of climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices in east west and southern Africa: The case of Kenya Nigeria and Malawi, funded by the African Economic Research Consortium (2021-2022); and is co-PI of a project on Building Capacity for Innovation and Advancement of Climate Smart Agriculture in East and Southern Africa funded by Norwegian Government (2022-2026).
Country Manager - Innovation Africa
Kelvin G. Madundo is a dedicated development professional with a strong background in community development and a master’s degree in project management. With over eight years of experience working with local communities across Tanzania, Kelvin is passionate about empowering marginalized populations through sustainable, impactful projects. His work combines grassroots engagement with strategic oversight, ensuring that community voices shape development outcomes.
Currently serving as the Country Manager at Innovation Africa Tanzania, Kelvin oversees the implementation of clean water and solar energy projects, bridging the gap between technology and community needs. He brings a wealth of expertise in stakeholder coordination, project planning, team leadership, and monitoring and evaluation.
Kelvin’s academic foundation in community development has fueled his commitment to inclusive growth, while his advanced studies in project management have sharpened his skills in planning, execution, and results-based management. He is known for his collaborative approach, ethical leadership, and unwavering dedication to improving lives through innovation and integrity.
Director/Chief Executive Officer - Kenya Water Institute (KEWI)
Dr. Solomon Leiro Letangule EBS, was born in 1985. He is the Director/Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Water Institute (KEWI). He joined the Institute in February 2023 from the Kenya School of Government (KSG) where he provided distinctive leadership as the Director of KSG Baringo Campus. He is an accomplished Business Strategy and Change Management Professional with experience in both the public and private sectors. Before joining KSG, he worked with public institutions such as the Judiciary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the then Ministry of Home Affairs. He has been instrumental in setting up effective business strategies and management systems. Dr. Letangule has published in internationally recognized journals
He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration (Strategic Management), Master’s Degree in Management and Leadership, an MBA (Strategic Management) and a BA.
Researcher - Volcani Institute
Dr. Uri Nachshon is a researcher at the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Volcani Research Center, in Israel, focusing on water and solute dynamics in arid and semi-arid soils. He holds a PhD from Ben-Gurion University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Saskatchewan. His research investigates salt precipitation, evaporation processes, and the influence of soil properties on hydrological behavior, aiming to develop sustainable agricultural practices. Employing field studies, lab experiments, and numerical modeling, Dr. Nachshon contributes to improved water management and soil health in water-scarce regions.
Chief Executive Officer - the Avocado Society of Kenya
Muthomi Ernest is the CEO of the Avocado Society of Kenya, an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable and profitable avocado agribusiness in Kenya. He holds professional qualifications from institutions such as the University of Nairobi and the University of Pretoria, among others.
Under his leadership, the Avocado Society of Kenya has played a significant role in boosting Kenya’s avocado industry. Some of his contributions include:
Supporting Farmers: The society provides guidance to farmers on increasing production and tapping into global markets.
Economic Growth: His efforts have contributed to Kenya’s avocado exports reaching billions of shillings annually, with plans to double the export value in the next five years
Promoting Quality Standards: He advocates for the export of mature and high-quality avocados to maintain Kenya’s reputation in international markets.
Expanding Global Markets: He has been instrumental in opening new export markets for Kenyan avocados, including China, Malaysia, and India.
Kenya is now the seventh-largest producer of avocados globally, and the fruit is a key contributor to foreign earnings in the horticulture sector. Muthomi’s leadership has been pivotal in this growth. What are your thoughts on the avocado industry’s impact on Kenya’s economy?
Researcher - Volcani Institute
After getting education in Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, since 1997 my research is focused on subsurface hydrology (MSc. thesis). In my PhD (Hebrew University) and PostDoc (University of Texas) I concentrated mostly in water flow and solute transport in fractured carbonate rocks. Since 2008, I am a researcher at the Volcani Institute, Israel, dealing with interaction between agriculture and water resources (e.g. nitrate contamination of aquifers under agricultural land, irrigation with water of various qualities), soil-aquifer phenomena under Vertisols. In the last decade, I am into Managed Aquifer Recharge with water of various quality for domestic and irrigation proposes.
Senior Researcher - Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Institute
Dr. Alon Ben-Gal‘s interest focus is self-described as: “X-treme agriculture: managing water in the arid zones”. His research and expertise include: irrigation of crops; agricultural utilization of non-conventional water sources; optimization of water under irrigation in arid regions; plant response to environmental stress conditions; variable rate irrigation, and flow and transport of water and solutes in the vadose zone. Alon is the author of over 170 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He enjoys multi-disciplinary and multi-national collaboration on topics including consideration of irrigation with low-quality water and the promotion of agricultural water productivity.
More speakers to be announced and uploaded soon!