Agricultural Advisory Services
PAFDI’s Agricultural Advisory Services drive the transformation of African agriculture by integrating research, policy advice, and technical assistance to foster sustainable financing and inclusive growth. Our team of experts includes:
Fazlur brings extensive expertise in agricultural business development, financial advisory, and applied research to his role at PAFDI. His work combines policy insight with field-level implementation, drawing on experience leading agricultural initiatives across South Africa and the continent. He is committed to strengthening evidence-based decision-making, advancing innovative financing models, and building resilient agrifood systems that align with the Addis Ababa Agenda for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Prof. Neissan Besharati is an associate professor (Sustainability, ESG & Impact) at the Gordon Institute of Business School (GIBS) of the University of Pretoria. He is also the co-founder of the socio-ecological cooperative Sustainable Organic Urban Lifestyle (SOUL). He holds a PhD (Public Policy & Development Management) from University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) and a Masters (International Social Development) from the University of New South Wales (Australia). He is a senior research associate at several prominent development think-tanks and visiting professor at a number of international universities. Dr Besharati has extensive experience as an international consultant working with multinational corporations and serving as a senior technical advisor to governments, philanthropies, DFIs, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors and regional organisations. He currently sits on various United Nations, World Bank, African Union and OECD expert groups and advisory committees. He is a globally respected thought leader in the areas of international development cooperation, monitoring and evaluation, impact management, development finance, illicit financial flows, public-private partnerships, sustainability and ESG, education policy, emerging economies and South-South cooperation.
Ms Ndiitah Nghipondoka-Robiati is the Deputy Executive Director at the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, serving the trade and commerce department as its head. She received her BSc and MA from the University of Namibia and the University of Sydney respectively. After her graduate studies she lectured at the University of Namibia’s Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and then went to the Agricultural Trade Forum after three years, where she was the Trade Advisor to the agricultural private sector. After seven years of working on agricultural trade policy matters, she established the secretariat of the Namibia Trade Forum as its CEO where she worked for seven years.
She is passionate about the growth at home concept that Namibia is pursuing towards her economic sustainable objectives as well as advocate for the importance of buying local to create sustainable livelihoods and wealth for communities.