Chris Ibyisintabyo MBA

Experience

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  Mastermind Tobacco (U) LTD

  May 1996 - Dec 2000

  Assistant Area Leaf Manager

  I was responsible for supervising field Leaf technicians to ensure mobilization of tobacco farmers into production groups and registers them under contract farming arrangements. Ensure timely tobacco nursery bed establishment, land preparation and planting, field maintenance, harvesting and curing.I also coordinated issuing of inputs on credit, monitoring production activities, supervising tobacco curing, grading, and marketing activities, and reporting to Area leaf manager. While at Mastermind tobacco I spearheaded the mobilization of over 25 Cooperative societies in Rukungiri/ Kanungu, Masindi, Hoima and Kibaale districts to grow Flue cured and Fire cured tobacco and later ensured that the same tobacco is marketed to Mastermind Tobacco Company. During my stay at MTU, I achieved the set tobacco production targets and exceeded them by over 20 %. Show less

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  USAID/ACDI-VOCA-EPED PROJECT

  Dec 2000 - Dec 2002

  Agriculture Extension/ Marketing Specialist

  While in EPED I was responsible for assisting in resettling communities from Murchison falls national park in Masindi district to areas allocated by Government, I was responsible for engaging the resettled communities in income generating activities especially promoting improved agricultural methods, and technologies and facilitate the communities to access good markets for their products.While at EPED I mobilized and organized over 2000 farmers in Masindi district (who had been re- allocated from the Murchison falls national park to new areas given by government) into 15 production and marketing groups coordinated agricultural trainings for these farmers based on their needs. This included setting up crop demonstrations on improved varieties of maize, beans, and Soybean. (Introduced new technologies) helped the farmers’ organizations to become legal business entities. By the time the project ended I had organized over 15 farmers Associations who were marketing beans, maize, soya bean, millet, ground nuts at better prices compared to farmers who were selling as individuals, as a project we constructed three stores with drying facilities in the project area, which helped in selling high quality maize and beans. The project achieved its overall objective of improving household incomes and food security Show less

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  Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA)

  Nov 2003 - Sept 2008

  Project Manager/Coordinator –Farmer Empowerment through Agricultural Services (FETAS)

  As a project manager at UCA I was team lead under the FETAS project supervising a team of five regional coordinators and three headquarter staff. I was responsible for developing annual and monthly workplans and associated budgets. Assisted by a team of 3 head quarter staff, we coordinated project implementation, monitoring and evaluation. I reported to the General Secretary UCA and donors. I coordinated efforts to mobilize communities to form both primary and secondary level cooperatives that facilitated production, marketing, and value addition activities.Some of the notable achievements include mobilization and reviving of 260 farmers’ societies/ associations in ten districts of Uganda namely Mbarara, Bushenyi, Mukono, Kayunga, Luweero, Nakasongola, Jinja, Kamuli, Sironko and Mbale. I coordinated the formation of 55 Area marketing cooperative enterprises (ACEs), which have significantly helped smallholder farmers in bulk marketing of selected. Initiated various post-harvest, value addition and agro processing projects among the marketing cooperatives. Initiated market linkages between Input suppliers like FICA seeds, NASECO in order to encourage improved input use and bulk purchases. This helped cooperatives to acquire inputs at discounted prices and were able to get reliable inputs. For marketing purposes, the cooperatives were linked to big buyers like World Food Program (WFP) and the warehouse receipt system where some were able to market their products at higher prices compared to open markets. I spearheaded the organizational development process for the marketing cooperatives including business plan strengthening, leadership development (governance), and financial management. While at UCA I also participated in the resource mobilization activities through development of fundable project proposals. Show less

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  Uganda National Agro Input Dealers Association (UNADA)

  Jan 2009 - Mar 2012

  Programs Manager

  While at UNADA I was responsible for supervising a team of 5 regional program officers spread in five regions of Uganda and report to the Executive director-UNADA. As program manager, I was responsible for implementing a three-year AGRA funded agro dealer development program in Uganda I was responsible for developing an efficient and effective seed/other inputs distribution linkages system. I coordinated Agricultural Inputs promotion activities among Agro-Input dealers and farmers’ organization and coordinated capacity building programs for private agro input dealers in business management (development of business plans), credit management and marketing. Some of the notable achievements include Formulation of various models for financing agro input dealers (Linked agro input dealers to Centenary bank and other banks for credit) I also developed strong business linkages between input suppliers /Input stockists. In coordination with program officers, I facilitated agro- dealers to set up over 500 crop demonstrations on improved crop technologies and linked the farmers around the demos for purposes of adoption of the technologies, conducted agro-input promotional events in 9 coffee growing areas in the country in order to enhance coffee productivity in the country. I also coordinated the training of over 1000 agro input dealers and farmers organization agents in business management, product knowledge, safe use, and handling of agro chemicals. I successfully implemented an agro dealer development project supported by AGRA up to end of the project. Show less

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  Uganda Seed Trade Association (USTA)

  Jan 2012 - Mar 2014

  Executive Secretary

  While at Uganda Seed Trade association (USTA) I was the overall team leader and supervisor to a team of 3 seed quality controllers, an accountant, and a driver. My main roles were to coordinate activities of the member private sector seed companies, enhance advocacy and lobby for favorable policies of the private seed sector, networking and building partnerships between the private sector seed companies and other key stakeholders including, Government, farmers’ organizations, national and international agricultural NGOs. I was also responsible for building an efficient and effective seed information system, coordinate and develop linkages between seed companies and local/ international seed breeders and multipliers, strengthen seed quality management systems within seed companies, train seed company staff in both technical and management skills improvement, represent the private seed sector in various national and international fora and develop annual work plans and budgets and account to the association board of directors during the Annual General assembly. While at USTA I led the process of developing a seed data base with support from the Alliance for a Green revolution in Africa (AGRA) I also mobilized other players in the seed industry to form the national seed sector stakeholder’s forum. I and the team we organized trainings for staff of seed companies and seed growers on seed production and quality management. I adequately represented the seed companies on various local and international forums. I also implemented the tamperproof label system for seed packages in order to reduce counterfeit seed on the market. Show less

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  Global Communities

  Apr 2014 - Jun 2017

  Field Director

  As the country team lead for this program, I was responsible for managing program staff, work plans and deliverables, reporting and managing budgets in conjunction with a US based program manager/Chief of Party. As a field director, I was responsible for Community mobilization and sensitization for the formation of new agricultural cooperatives in Southwestern Uganda –greater Bushenyi districts and Mbarara district. I coordinate program implementation strategies with support from the program manager and technical officer based in the US. The focus of the program was to coordinate with the US based research team to farther research in Cooperative development in Uganda. During my stay in this program, I successfully mobilized the communities in Bushenyi, Mbarara, Sheema and Isingiro districts to form new agricultural cooperatives. Coordinated capacity building activities for the new cooperatives including Institutional development, trainings on governance, member empowerment, business planning, technical trainings, and market linkages for both inputs and outputs. I also led the process of formation of the national cooperative stakeholders’ fora to share experiences and discuss matters affecting the cooperative sector in Uganda. With my guidance and supervision, the program successfully coordinated 5 surveys with guidance from the program manager, technical officer, and the US based researcher to study factors that influence farmers’ willingness to cooperate. See links to the results of the studies https://www.globalcommunities.org/node/38578 and https://www.globalcommunities.org/publications/2017-Uganda-Cooperation-Social-Capital.pdf With my leadership I networked program activities and the new cooperatives to other organizations like Uganda Cooperative Alliance, CEDO (a community seed production organization), Harvest Plus, USAID feed the future commodity production and marketing activity (CPM) to mention but a few. Show less

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  Agriterra

  Aug 2017 - Mar 2019

  Business Advisor /Agribusiness consultant

  Provide advisory services to agricultural cooperatives that are clients to Agriterra. Offer technical advice on several areas including Finance, marketing, governance, inputs linkages, agricultural extension, and value addition. Strengthen value chains like coffee, diary, oil seeds, beans, and maize. Worked closely with SNV Uganda on the diary project (The Inclusive Diary project –TIDE) that involved at improving nutrition levels aimed at promoting milk consumption in local schools. Support development of policies and administrative procedures. Development of strategic and business plans. Conduct relevant sectoral studies and update existing documents. During my stay I facilitated the selection of potential cooperatives to participate in the Agriterra programs through scoping and assessments exercises in various parts of the country. Over five cooperatives were successfully selected, and their capacity enhanced to support member smallholder farmers Show less

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  Uganda National Agro-Input Dealers' Association (UNADA)

  Mar 2019 - Sept 2019

  Executive Director

  As the Executive Director I had the overall responsibility for all activities related to the overall capacity development of the UNADA network and public relations. I played a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth integration of project activities with the long-term development and sustainability of the input distribution sector in general. My primary responsibility as the Executive Director was to provide guidance and leadership to the Secretariat in implementing policies set by the Board and annual work plans set/approved by the AGM.I was responsible for strengthening UNADA regional and district structures, supervise staff, ensure prudent financial management systems, coordinate agro-dealer training activities, ensure quality control, promote the UNADA code of conduct, and liaise with relevant development partners and Government ministries and Authorities to promote the interest of UNADA members Show less

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  World Food Programme

  Sept 2019 - Dec 2023

  Programme Policy Consultant-Sustainable Food Systems -World Food Program, Ghana

  Responsible for supporting the design, management and coordination of programmes and interventions in the areas of sustainable food systems, food & nutrition security and smallholder farmers agricultural market support and the development of resilient agri-food supply chain management systems that are aligned with and contribute to the Ghana Government’s development efforts and priorities in achieving the Zero Hunger Agenda. My main areas of focus include Resource mobilization, technical guidance, and backstopping, enhance strategic and operational partnerships, and promote WFP leadership status in forums relating Sustainable Food Systems, Food Security and Nutrition, Smallholder farmers agriculture market support, resilience and sustainable livelihoods and represent WFP in relevant UN forums. Specifically take lead in designing and implementing projects and initiatives that cover post-harvest management initiatives (PHMI), Agricultural market development initiatives (AMDI), agri-food supply chains, Nutrition & Safety-Sensitive Agro-Food Value Chains and research initiatives with various partners and institutions Some of the notable achievements I have made in the last two years include coordination of the design of an e-commerce project that is envisaged to contributing to acceleration of rural development programs in Ghana through linking 1million smallholder farmers to technologies, markets, finance, and investment. I have led the process of designing a project proposal that will support in employing 100,000 youths in the agricultural sector in Ghana with expected funding from MasterCard Foundation (MCF) Show less

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  StratProjects and Agri-trust Uganda

  Jan 2024 - now

  Agribusiness Consultant & business advisor

  Agricultural value chain development , Project evaluation ,Project proposal development , Strategy development, Business advisory services, feasibility studies and needs assessments , investment analysis , organization analysis and capacity building for government and private sector agribusiness associations and networks .