Joseph Asiwe

I am currently a Plant breeder and an Integrated Pest Management Specialist at the Department of Plant Production, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Limpopo, South Africa. I have several years (30) of experience with successful track record in different aspects of Agricultural Research and Development in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA): with significant impacts on Varietal Development of legumes, root and tuber crops, Cereals (wheat), intercropping systems in cross-setting professional areas (Plant breeding, Entomology and pest management, biotechnology, Agronomy, Horticulture, seed production and distribution, germplasm exchange and management as well as technology dissemination). I also possess strong management and leadership skills in the following areas: Mentorship, Skill Development, Community Development, food security and nutrition, Advocacy of rural poverty alleviation, strategic planning and implementation for distinctive competitive advantage, result-oriented challenges and project management. Other areas of core competence include training of farmers, capacity building and empowerment of rural communities, execution and monitoring of performance-based projects. Furthermore, I possess traceable wealth of experience in networking and collaborative research with International CGIAR institutes, Universities, National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in SSA. I am happily married and a citizen of South Africa.