Home / Vote for the Agrofood Broker of the Year 2017!

Vote for the Agrofood Broker of the Year 2017!

This poll has been closed on Thursday November 23, 2017, 12:00.
November 3, 2017 By: F&BKP Office Image: F&BKP Office
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This year the Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP) will for the first time award the Agrofood Broker of the Year Award. The prize will be awarded to a professional in the field of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS), who has undertaken significant brokering activities in 2016/2017. The jury, consisting of members of the F&BKP network, has selected three final candidates from the 17 nominees.1 Starting today, you can vote for your favourite knowledge broker through an online poll.

The poll has been closed on Thursday 23 November at 12:00. Thank you all for voting for the #Agrofoodbroker of the Year 2017! We received over 2000 votes and will announce the winner of this award during the Research & Policy Conference on December 1, 2017 in The Hague.

The winner will be announced during the conference Research & Policy: two peas in a pod? A dialogue for food security impact on December 1, 2017 in The Hague. Apart from winning the award and being honored for his/her work, the winner will receive a small financial contribution to conduct a knowledge activity with the F&BKP. The following three candidates were selected for their significant knowledge brokering skills in often challenging circumstances:

Addis Teshome

“Addis has been extremely instrumental in building the 2SCALE portfolio of agribusiness PPPs in Ethiopia, by bringing key actors together to discuss how to move the development of critical value chains forward. Under difficult circumstances, Addis has forged partnerships through inventive collaborative agreements.”

Addis Teshome joined IFDC in 2013 as the National Cluster Advisor for the 2SCALE project in Ethiopia. The portfolio of public-private partnerships in Ethiopia was developed under his leadership. He employed innovative ways to encourage the participation of women in farmer groups, clusters, and SMEs.

He feels that knowledge brokering “helps in securing continuity of development progress by reducing the occurrences for reinvention the wheel and duplicated efforts”. He believes in empowering people and helping them make positive and recognizable contributions in their work. According to him, the starting point to ensure more people attain knowledge brokering skills, is to ensure “people understand and believe in the importance of knowledge sharing not merely as an end by itself, but as a catalyst for change and development. It is important to help people see the effect of knowledge brokering in developing new programs, projects and advancing towards desired results.”

Momo Kochen

“Momo developed a Tuna Think Tank, which brought together private, government and NGOs sectors to co-create and pitch innovative ideas for fisheries sustainability. This was ground breaking in terms of brokering linkages and creativity between groups of people that are not always willing or able to collaborate.”

Momo Kochen set up the NGO MDPI and is the Director of Programs and Science. She has been central to the development of private sector engagement in tuna sustainability, both related to on the ground implementation of these initiatives as well as to shaping national and provincial policy on tuna sustainability.

According to her, knowledge brokering is the approach which allows the story of the small scale fisher to reach the international market while also allowing them to understand how the market works and how to use it for their advantage. “The ability to connect these two worlds allows us to incentivize change in sustainable fisheries. Knowledge brokering makes my job possible!”. She feels that connecting personally with people is really important. She believes knowledge brokering comes with experience and with a network. “People need to be confident in their knowledge and in what they are brokering; creating links and possibilities for this to happen can support knowledge brokering.”

Norbert van der Straaten

“Norbert contributes to linking Dutch horticultural input suppliers to East-African farmers through Holland Greentech,. By being an extremely enthusiastic and optimistic personality he convinces both suppliers and farmers to work on the next step of Horticulture in East-Africa.”

In 2012 Norbert van der Straaten founded VDS ACAMPO with a local office in Rwanda called Holland Greentech. He increased knowledge at distributor level and farmers level through development of local personnel and farmers via training in a commercial, sustainable, business model as an input and service distributor.

For him “creating jobs in East Africa is so motivating and of course challenging. By developing a diverse team and sharing knowledge we are managing our risks.” He takes time to meet and listen to other actors, understand how others want to contribute to development of horticulture in East Africa. “We stimulate our team members to go out, to meet farmers, policy makers, universities, NGOs, competitors, etc. Having one good meeting a day with related follow-up, is often more effective and motivating than sending more than 100 emails.” To ensure that more people attain knowledge brokering skills, he feels young experts have to experience that they can realize more by working together in diverse team.

Please vote for your favorite candidate here (1 vote per person):

Footnotes

  1. 1. To read more about the selection criteria of the jury, please click here.
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38 Contributions to “Vote for the Agrofood Broker of the Year 2017!”

  1. Amsale Ayele
    Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer
    Ethiopia
    I vote Addis Thsome for his playing role in food security especially to Ethiopia!

    I vote Addis Teshome for his playing role in food security, especially to Ethiopia!

    Reply
  2. Yusuf Abdu
    Project officer, Ethiopian Public Health Association
    Ethiopia
    recognition for marvelous contribution

    Food Security is a serious in Africa. The young skilled leaders like Addis Teshome should be encourage and be at front to manage the millions survival issues. When we
    vote Addis mean we remembered the millions voiceless

    Reply
  3. yilfashewa
    Consultant at WHO
    Ethiopia
    Addis (the coaher) should win this prizze

    I had been worked with Addis on 2Scale project before coupe of years in partnership with Guts-agro Industry. He is very friendly, cooperative, supportive, diligent, energetic, professional and knowledgeable. His marvelous strategic leadership, way of solving agribusiness problems, analysis of situations, team playing and coaching skill and knowledge application were among the skills Addis has that, I have observed and learned from him during my work tenure in Like Project.

    Reply
  4. Ayele Sileshi
    SPO I, ATA
    Ethiopia
    Innovation

    I have worked with Addis in the EATA, actually while he was exiting for a better engagement. But the innovative works he had co-led are being used by thousands of farmers. He was a lead in realizing, a toll free mobile based IVR Extension system, strengthening Farmers training Centers by linking them to a development partner, a market linkage for small holder horticulture producers, and so many others. Give him some time and you will reap something to benefit small holders. I definitely vote for him and believe he wins.

    Reply
  5. Lamunu Mary
    Adminitrative Assistant
    UGANDA
    Food insecurity

    If I think about millions not only going hungry but dying of hunger, thousands of children malnourished, we are talking about young energetic youth dying while attempting to cross to Europe in search of jobs, I have every right and reason to vote Nobert who is fighting all these problems.

    Reply
  6. Jote Wakjira
    Africa Project Manager
    Kenya

    I know Addis from our school days. He’s talented, ambitious and hardworking. He deserves this. The farmers he works with deserve this.

    Reply
  7. birhanu chanyalew
    sinior,good governance officer in minstiry of human resource
    ethiopia
    mr

    Addis is the one who has been working for Agri-business issues in Ethiopia from his bottom of the heart.
    So; wish him to win 2017 Agrifood broker.

    Reply
  8. Alemayehu
    Engineer
    USA
    Addis

    Addis deserves to win. Goodluch Addis and I hope this will not be your final goal. The country expects more from such talented youngsters as of you.
    Bravo

    Reply
  9. Tilahun
    MD @Bahir Dar University
    Ethiopia
    Food security is a serious issue in Africa

    Food Security is a serious in Africa. The young skilled leaders like Addis Teshome should be encourage and be at front to manage the millions survival issues. When w
    e vote Addis mean we remembered the millions voiceless

    Reply
  10. Selam zena
    Medical professional
    Coordinator

    Addis have done a lot, he should win; Addis deserves this award, he is way beyond

    Reply
  11. Bethelehem Worku
    Data incoder
    Ethiopia
    Food security

    Addis is the one who has been working for Agri-business issues in Ethiopia from his bottom of the heart.
    So; wish him to win 2017 Agrifood broker.

    Reply
  12. sultan George
    Country Program Assistant
    Ethiopia
    Vita/RTI

    Agro food is one of the critical issues in Ethiopia. Agricultural commodity market and value chain still under developed, but the effort of Addis is the break through for most of young development practitioner particular working on Agricultural commodities. issues of PPPs is the missed link in the agricultural marketing, but Addis try to demonstrate some efforts that we can capitalize for our project or program development to address the bottle neck of our small holder farmers.

    Reply
  13. Fanaye Gebremariam
    Executive
    Ethiopia
    Executive

    I vote Addis , He is a young talented man and walking extra miles in this subject.

    Reply
    • Andualemdebebe
      Manger
      Ethiopa
      Addis teshome nomination

      I support this young ethiopan contributions for our country

      Reply
  14. Gehad Tadesse
    Banker
    Food security must be ethiopias first goal

    I appreciate people’s that working in adversity to over come severe problems that our country suffers in different government regimes because of lack of adequate policy strategies that really solve the poor majority peasants lives!! So people’s like Addis is admirable in two ways: one in penetrating bureaucracy of dictators and two working sound works that changes millions of people

    Reply
  15. Mesfin Kebede
    Consortium Coordinator
    Ethiopia
    Goid to see Addis Teshome as finalist

    He has also received recognition from the Ethiopian Government on his contribution to private-public development in the country. So; F&BKP decision to select Addis as one of final candidates is worthy.

    Reply
  16. Hewan mebratu
    Sivel servants
    Addis

    Addis has been extremely instrumental in building the 2SCALE portfolio of agribusiness PPPs in Ethiopia, by bringing key actors together to discuss how to move the development of critical value chains forward, under difficult circumstances.

    Reply
  17. Sintayehu Tilahun Kebede
    Claim Manager
    Ethiopia
    Health Insurance

    Establishing a new system of health insurance for the informal sector of the country.

    Reply
  18. YEMANE
    Plant Controller
    CANADA

    Food Security is a serious in Africa. The young skilled leaders like Addis Teshome should be encourage and be at front to manage the millions survival issues. When we vote Addis mean we remembered the millions voiceless people who are in need of food security leaders.

    Reply
  19. Asegedech Tulu
    Programe support officer
    Addis Ababa
    Addis Teshome

    I am proud of you. keep in touch!

    Reply
  20. Wondwossen Gizaw
    Refugee vital team leader
    Addis Ababa
    Addis Teshome

    Food security is one of the serious concern not only for Ethiopia, but for east Africa in general.

    Reply
  21. Assefa Degefu
    Partinership manager
    Ethiopia
    Mr.

    Addis is the one who has been working for Agri-business issues in Ethiopia from his bottom of the heart.
    So; wish him to win 2017 Agrifood broker.

    Reply
  22. Janny Faulkner
    Member of development team
    In Paraguay S. America
    Personal contacts

    I am so pleased that Norbert emphasises giving time
    to listening to the people he is helping.
    In my experience, what we learn bij listening gave the most clear direction to our project in South America,
    Working with the indigenous people.

    Reply
  23. Josphat Rono
    self employed
    Kenya
    financing the young agripreneurs

    Thank you so much for such a platform. As young generation embrace the science and art of agribusiness, they face the major challenge of raising capital. Therefore, someone or some organization needs to come in their aid to finance them! Regards

    Reply
  24. Nebiyu Solomon
    Program Manager
    Ethiopia
    Knowledge sharing

    He is a young talented man and walking extra miles in this subject. A heavy weight intellectual champion:)

    Reply
  25. Jean Pierre Hakiza
    Logistics
    Rwanda
    Appreciation

    Food security is one of the serious concern not only for Rwanda but for east Africa in general.
    The increase of the refugees, the unfetilized soil and the climate changes are some of the serous challenges for the region. So every opportunity to produce in terms of food, I support it 100%. Cheers to Mr Norbert

    Reply
  26. joakim grader
    Director
    Netherlands

    Norbert is making a difference on the development of stevia

    Reply
  27. Joseph Male
    Avail Group
    Uganda
    CEO

    Nobert deserves this AWARD.. I am blessed that I have met this noble man, with his extra-ordinary passion to improve the horticultural sector around the East African Region which is far away from his country. For the 8 years I have been doing farming, he has inspired my efforts to believe in the potentialof our mother nature..Uganda the Pearl of Africa.

    Reply
  28. Dilnesaw Zerfu
    Ethiopian Public Health Institute
    Ethiopia
    Researcher

    Addis diserves even better than this award. Wish him all the best in his carrier

    Reply
  29. NCOGOZA Hadelin
    Crop production and value chain manager in NYAMIGOGO scheme.
    Rwanda
    Voting for Robert

    Encouraging holland greentech to reach its objectif

    Reply
  30. Mariana Ruae
    Quality Assurance, PT. Blue Ocean Grace International
    Indonesia
    Concern of my country as a fish producer

    PT. Blue Ocean Grace International receive fish from my city Nort Maluku..
    We need a special concern to develop the system of fishery management and the society welfare in North Maluku (related district that have many potential of fish)
    thank you.

    Reply
  31. Hakizimana Frédéric
    Programme Officer W4GR
    Rwanda
    Food security

    Food security is always a challenge for undeveloped countries. When there is any proposal to overcome the food insecurity I don’t hesitate to support the idea. The horticulture is the one of measures that could contribute to food security because the high value of horticulture product. The income from horticulture could be used to enhance the power of poor people to get food on markets and overcome the food insecurity. Thank you!

    Reply

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