Implementation Team

The purpose of the implementation team is to bring together international experts and their local counterparts to ensure the viability of the workplans developed for the realisation of the Plant for Peace strategy. The initial implementation team has produced a detailed framework for the initiative in Afghanistan. As soon as the initial funding requirements have been met, the existing team will engage some additional members and become actively involved in the establishment of a Project Management Unit (PMU) in Afghanistan. Based on the existing strategy, the following fields of expertise will be represented in that team:

Horticulture
Agriculture
Community development
Cooperatives (organisation)
Cooperatives (financial)
Rural financial services Legal issues (land titles)

Food security
Agroecological system design
Value chain development
Post production processing
Information management
Communication & education

Dr Julia Wright

Cooperatives & food security

Dr Julia Wright

Cooperatives & food security

Dr. Julia Wright has worked for 25 years in international agricultural development with a focus on organic agriculture and food security, the regeneration of the natural resource base, and capacity building for resilience to natural and man-made disasters. She has worked all over the world, including in Afghanistan, for the United Nations (FAO, IFAD), the Department for International Development, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, as well as Non-Government Organisations, research institutes and the private sector. Julia undertook her doctorate research on post-petroleum farming and food systems in Cuba at the end of the 1990s. She is a trustee of the Bioregional Development Group, on the steering committees of Canalside Community Foods CSA and Transition Town Leamington, and on the advisory committee of the Permaculture LAND project.

Julia Wright is a research and development professional for sustainable agriculture and food systems, specialising in food security, regeneration of the natural resource base, and building capacity and resilience of vulnerable groups including to natural and man-made disasters. Skilled in project formulation, implementation, participatory approaches, monitoring and evaluation, and fundraising. Agricultural experience covers production and postharvest, agroforestry, food supply and distribution systems, urban agriculture and nutrition, organic and fair trade, bioregional development, research, extension and knowledge systems, and farmer livelihood strategies.

Institutional experience of the UN – FAO, IFAD, WB; CGIAR – CIP, ICRAF; DFID; and the private and non-governmental sectors. Specific country experience in Europe – UK, Netherlands and Spain; Central and South America – Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil; Asia – Afghanistan, China, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia; Africa – Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria.

Rhamis Kent

Agroecology & system design

Rhamis Kent is a consultant with formal training in mechanical engineering (University of Delaware, B.S.M.E. '95) and permaculture-based regenerative whole systems design serving as a registered certified Permaculture Design instructor with PRI Australia.

Horticulture & food security

During 2006 – 2007, he worked in Afghanistan. The contract involved the identification of potential organic export crops and their subsequent certification and marketing. This has progressed to an advisory role in developing a group of raisin producers in S. Afghanistan to export fair-trade and organically certified raisins to the EU.

Alan Chubb

Horticulture & food security

His formal education consists of a BSc Agricultural Sciences (1971) at Nottingham University, followed by a MSc in Tropical Agricultural Development. (Crops) (1982) at Reading University, and a Certificate Organic Agriculture (1997) at the Lackham Agricultural College. He is an active member of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), Forum of Consultants (IFC), and The Soil Association (SA). His skills include tropical tree crops agronomy specialising in citrus and horticultural production. Seminar or workshop development and presentation, local food economies, direct marketing, practical organic management / Adept at Microsoft Word and Excel programmes.

He has extensive experience as horticultural advisor in developing countries to both subsistence and commercial farming enterprises. He has been successful in working with farmers in many countries and in adapting local farming experience and expertise with commercial farming practices. He has advised both on a local farmer scale and at national policy levels on horticultural issues with emphasis on fruit tree development especially citrus. His recent work in Georgia for the World Bank involved reviewing their citrus industry and recommending key production and marketing development. During his work in Central America he has developed a wide hands-on experience of small-scale and commercial citrus agronomy including estate and nursery management. He has advocated and implemented a more sustainable approach to both large scale agricultural enterprises and small-scale organic horticultural production. As a registered grower of an organic vineyard he has practical experience in organic certification processes. Through this work and membership of the International Federation of Organic Consultants (IFC) he has close ties with advisors covering a wide range of international organic and sustainable agricultural management. He is also a director of the UK food development consultancy F3. The work that this group undertakes is to advise and implement strategies to develop local food marketing for UK agencies and farmer groups. The ideas and experience developed in this field in the UK is increasingly relevant in developing economies throughout the world.

During 2006 – 2007, he worked in Afghanistan. The contract involved the identification of potential organic export crops and their subsequent certification and marketing. This has progressed to an advisory role in developing a group of raisin producers in S. Afghanistan to export fair-trade and organically certified raisins to the EU. Training workshops for farmers in Afghanistan and visits for farmers to dried fruit enterprises in N. Pakistan and Turkey have been organised as part of this programme. A national programme to rehabilitate existing vineyards including the development of commercial nurseries was proposed and is awaiting improvements in the security situation. As a result of this work a contract between a UK fruit importer and Afghani raisin producers under a fair-trade licence has recently been signed.

Adam Brett

Post production & marketing

Adam Brett founded the UK Fairtrade food business Tropical Wholefoods in 1991, after setting up the Ugandan partner business Fruits of the Nile in 1990. He has also worked extensively as a consultant for food businesses, NGOs and Government departments such as DFID in Africa & Asia.

Adam Brett

Post production & marketing

Adam Brett founded the UK Fairtrade food business Tropical Wholefoods in 1991, after setting up the Ugandan partner business Fruits of the Nile in 1990. Since then he has worked on fair trade food businesses producing products for the European market in Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Guyana, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Afghanistan & South Africa, partnering with local people to create products for export. He has also worked extensively as a consultant for food businesses, NGOs and Government departments such as DFID in Africa & Asia.

In 2001 Tropical Wholefoods merged with UK food manufacturer FM Foods to form Fullwell Mill. Adam is director of Fullwell Mill, which continues to import Fairtrade food ingredients and sell them under the Tropical Wholefoods brand, while also producing other snack & health food products for a variety of UK and European food businesses. Adam is a shareholder and director of Mountain Fruits and Fruits of the Nile in Pakistan and Uganda respectively.

In 2002 Adam set up Step Systems with long-time food systems expert Derek Cox, a business which creates information systems for food businesses & NGOs to manage informational flows & auditing. This business can consult & train such businesses, building information systems to manage the complex traceability requirements of modern food supply chains. This business allows Adam to leverage his extensive knowledge of computer programming, application development, database design, web and internet systems developed for Tropical Wholefoods and its partners for a wider customer-base.

As well as working on his own businesses Adam also works as a Judge & Trustee for the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy an awards scheme giving prizes to businesses & NGOs working with sustainable energy and as a Trustee for the Kilimo Trust, an East African trust supporting innovation in agriculture & business.

Past work has seen him on the board of a small supermarket chain, and working with organisations like Natural Resources International, Research Into Use & other agricultural NGOs & GOs in the UK & consulting for UK government, the Aga Khan Foundation, Commonwealth Secretariat & others. Adam is married with 3 children, lives in London & loves to scuba dive, rock climb, ski & ice skate with his kids when not working.

Ghulam Hazrat Halimi MSc

Cooperatives

In 2011 he obtained his Master of Science (MSc) degree at Purdue University, School of Agricultural Economics, West Lafayette, IN, USA, concentrating on International Trade (Purdue/USAID Afghan Merit Scholar Fellowship).

Ghulam Hazrat Halimi MSc

Cooperatives

After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics at Kabul University, Afghanistan in 2005, he completed an English language course at the American University of Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan, to be followed by a non-degree programme at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, in English Language and Cultural Exchange Training. In 2011 he obtained his Master of Science (MSc) degree at Purdue University, School of Agricultural Economics, West Lafayette, IN, USA, concentrating on International Trade (Purdue/USAID Afghan Merit Scholar Fellowship).

He started his professional career in 2002, in the commercial private sector. He worked as accountant for Yousufi Rahim Limited in Kabul, Afghanistan, were he prepared profit and loss statements and monthly closing and cost accounting reports. He compiled and analyzed financial information to prepare entries to accounts, such as general ledger accounts, and document business transactions. He explained billing invoices and accounting policies to staff, vendors and clients, and developed and maintained financial data bases, computer software systems and manual filing systems.

This was followed by a position as Finance Manager for Afghan Management and Marketing Consultant (AMMC) in Kabul, Afghanistan. He designed computerized and manual financial systems, prepared and interpreting financial reports, managed financial accounting, monitoring and reporting systems, as well as supervise staff.

After graduation, he changed his career to Kabul University, Afghanistan, as Assistant Professor Agricultural Economics to teach courses on Agricultural Statistics and Agricultural Economics, and do research on Market Integration across Rural and Urban Areas in Afghanistan.

Since April 2011, he is employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), department of cooperatives development as Project Director in the Horticulture Cooperatives Development Project (HCDP).

He is an active member of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He has excellent communication and language skills, as well as advanced knowledge of computer applications and systems.