Prof. Norman Maiwashe

General Manager / Programme Director, Agricultural Research Council / F'SAGRI

Dr. Elen Lemaître-Curri

Executive Secretary, the international "4 per 1000" Initiative

Dr. Elen Lemaître-Curri is an agronomist, specialized in agricultural development and environmental policies, with a diploma from AgroParisTech, France, and a doctorate in public policy, from the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University, Canada. Her doctoral research focused on agri-environmental incentive program design and farmers’ motivations to participate.

Over almost 30 years of experience, she aimed at bridging science, practice and policy, through multi-actor dialogue. She worked for the Investment Center of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), cooperating with international donors in the development of investment programs. For the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she supported land tenures policies in Burkina Faso. At the French General Commissariat for Sustainable Development, from 2009 to 2014, she was head of office for Global Public Goods, working on climate, biodiversity and forest policies in inter-departmental and multi-actor settings. From 2017 to 2020, she led the Blue Plan (‘Plan Bleu’) for the environment and development in the Mediterranean, a non-profit organization supporting science-based decision-making and foresight. From 2020 to 2025, she was Deputy director of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier (CIHEAM Montpellier), with a focus on project management through quality-certified processes, and agroecology. Since January 2026, she is seconded by the French Ministry of Agriculture, as Executive Secretary of the International “4 per 1000 Initiative: Soils for Food Security and Climate”.

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Department of Science, Technology and Innovation

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Agricultural Research Council

Ms. Yvette van der Merwe

President, the OIV International Organisation of Vine and Wine

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AUDA-NEPAD

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SADC

Prof. Rachel Brezner Kerr (tbc)

Director, Institute for African Development, Cornell University. Lead Author, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change AR7

Dr. Frank Kayula

Chairperson, Farmers Union in Zambia

Dr. Lester Botoman

Soil Scientist, ICRISAT- Chitedze Research Station

Dr. Jacob Emanuel Joseph

Agrometeorologist, International Livestock Research Institute in Tanzania

Dr. Franck Tchuwa

Deputy Head and Senior Lecturer, LUANAR, RAENS network leader for the Community of practice on soil health

Prof. Botle Esther Mapeshoane

Assoc. Prof., National University of Lesotho

Dr. Siphiwe Gloria Lusiba

Senior Lecturer, University of Venda

Mr. Motlalepula Rasekoele

Catchment Manager, ReNOKA Integrated Catchment Management Unit, Lesotho

Dr. Queen Mogale

Research Scientist, University of Limpopo

Ms. Precious Phiri

Africa Coordinator, Regeneration International

Prof. Tlou Julius Tjelele

Professor, University of South Africa

Dr. Andiswa Finca

Researcher, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa

Mr. Ramakgwale Mampholo

LandCare programme Manager, Department of Agriculture, South Africa

Prof. Regis Chikowo

Agroecology Professor, University of Zimbabwe

Dr. Hendrik Smith

Conservation Agriculture facilitator, The Maize Trust, South Africa

Mr. Andries Mouton

Principal, Martin Oosthuizen High School

Ms. Mmakwena Moesi 

Viva Organica, Botswana 

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Representative Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre, Zambia

Mr. Alan Rosenberg

South African Organic Sector Organisation

Ms. Ntsoaki Alice Mahabane 

Founder Prime Organics (Biochar), Lesotho

Dr. Bartholemew Chataika

Senior Manager, CCARDESA

Dr. Danie Jordaan

Lecturer in Agricultural Economics, University of Pretoria

Dr. Joshua Gill

World Bank, Senior Economist in the Global Engagement unit of the Agriculture and Food Practice

Dr. Rémi Cardinael

Soil scientist & agronomist, CIRAD

Dr. Cathy Clermont-Dauphin

Senior Researcher, IRD

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Representative Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC)

Mr. Peter Motosane

Position, Organization

Dr. Kwanele Phinzi

Lecturer, University of Zululand

Dr. Frederick Mokibelo Mashao

Lecturer, University of Limpopo

Mr. Richard Kombat

AUSO Project Officer, FARA

Mr. Simon Julien

Programme Officer, Knowledge & Learning, Food and Agricultural Systems Team, IUCN

Dr. Suzanne Reynders

Head of Soil Carbon Futures, INRAE

Dr. Ackim Mwape

Africa Program Manager, Global Research Alliance