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.
Ms Fudu- Cenenda is Director: Enterprise Development at Avocado vision where she focuses on development of rural entrepreneurs in the green business value chain and township property entrepreneurs. Her previous role as Enterprise development Manager at Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, an Incubation hub for tech and digital startups in Johannesburg owned by Wits university saw her focusing on the digital innovations, including Software, hardware and digital content. She also sat on Investment committees at Wits Commercial Enterprise, making decisions on funding needs for commercialising research and inventions from the university. Her own consultancy specialises in Business Development Services, and Monitoring and Evaluation, particularly for Entrepreneurial and Social Entrepreneurship ventures, as well as ESG. She has vast experience as an investment consultant to pension funds, an international human rights advocate and business development support services to entrepreneurs. Some career highlights include impact analysis done on a women’s entrepreneurship programme in Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia as well as coaching women entrepreneurs in South Africa on behalf of the Graça Machel Trust, as well as a digital transformation programme for women entrepreneurs in South Africa. She holds a B Econ (honours) from Rhodes University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Management Sciences with the Durban University of Technology, where she is undertaking research on “Gender Balancing strategies for the workplace”. She also holds an Impact Investing certificate from UCT Graduate School of Business and is also an accredited Practitioner-Led Learning Exchange (UK) facilitator in Impact evaluation with the Social Enterprise Academy.
Kenzo Pule is a sustainability researcher and strategist whose work explores the intersections of circular economies, livelihoods, and African-informed design. She holds an MSc in Fashion Management from IESEG School of Management in Paris, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from Wits Business School, and a BSc in Genetics from the University of the Free State. Her interdisciplinary background allows her to connect design, material culture, and policy to inform sustainable development approaches rooted in local contexts.
Kenzo has led and collaborated on projects spanning corporate, academic, and creative sectors across Africa and Europe. At Woolworths, she spearheaded sustainability campaigns highlighting the Better Cotton Initiative as a metric for responsible sourcing, and led a textile recycling pilot in partnership with The Clothing Bank (now Taking Care of Business) to promote circular practices within retail. She has coordinated cross-continental sourcing projects between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom to enhance transparency and waste reduction in value chains, and contributed to The Sunday Times Design Hub, where she documented shifts in African luxury, sustainability, and cultural production. Her research practice continues to build on these experiences, advancing inclusive, culturally grounded approaches to sustainability and systems change.