Jo Cadilhon is Senior Agricultural Economist, at the Policy, Trade and Value Chains Program, in the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Hisresearch interests focus on value chain and agro-industries development, linking smallholder farmers to dynamics markets, impact assessment of innovation platforms, and processes to support policy evaluation and capacity building of market stakeholders.
Last month, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel of Young Leaders to provide my perspective on developing talent for efficient and inclusive African agrifood systems at the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association World Forum, from 16 to 19 June 2014 in Cape Town. Everything was going fine presenting my work as a senior agricultural economist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) when, out of the blue, the moderator Mary Shelman, from Harvard Business School, enthusiastically asked us: “So, tell us why you’ve gone into agriculture and agribusiness!”
