Professional Experience:
Principal Agriculture Officer-Jan 2015 to date
•Technical review, evaluation and assessment of pesticides registration application dossiers.
•Implementation of international instruments related to sustainable chemicals management, notably the Rotterdam Convention, Stockholm Convention and Basel Convention. Development and implementation of pesticides risk management programmes.
•Initiating and conducting research projects independently and in cooperation with the Research Services Department for sustainable crop production.
•Inspection of pesticides manufacturing, importers and retailers for conformance to laws regulating product usage, quality and labelling.
•Facilitating training and skills development to farmers on sustainable agricultural production to ensure food security and livelihood options.
•Play an important role in realisation of organisational project outputs and outcomes through timely implementation of activities in a well-planned, organised and coordinated manner.
•Training agricultural, agriculture-related institutions and farmer organisations on sustainable pesticide usage and legislation to ensure food security.
•Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual reports to management.
•Develop and disseminate research findings to scientists, industry and extension personnel through presentations and written material.
•Providing specialist knowledge and representation of the Ministry at provincial, national and international level.
•Writing quality narrative and financial reports and new proposals to development partners.
Agriculture Officer-Jan 2010 to date
•Conducting analysis of surface, ground water and soils for the presence of pesticide residues and other toxin contaminations for remedial action recommendation and research purposes.
•Analysis of samples using various analytical techniques such as Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Ultraviolet/ HPLC/UV-VIS) following standard operating procedures for each technique.
•Qualitative and quantitative determinations of percentage active ingredient in crop protection products for registration recommendation, routine quality control and research purposes.
•Analysing agriculture product and bi-products to ensure conformance with national and international food safety standards.
•Provide technical support to subordinates regarding laboratory operations which include quality control procedures, instrument maintenance and sample collection strategies.
•Contributing to the body of knowledge through supervising and personally planning and successfully executing research projects on sustainable agriculture production.