GFAR graduate addressing food insecurity in Africa
"I currently work in the agricultural sector as a Chief Operating Officer, providing farm management and micro-insurance services for smallholder farmers in Nigeria. I couldn’t have been better prepared for the job as the Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business (GFAB) degree prepared me to work in the industry with a multisector approach, solving serious problems while turning a profit."
Richard Agetu started studying a Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business in 2019 after he found his skill gaps around agribusiness development and agriculture policy-making became increasingly obvious. He had previously worked with the government and in private sectors, mainstreaming agriculture in youth and gender and providing value chain development services in the fisheries value chain.
"My aspirations to be a thought leader in development agriculture inspired me to choose a Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business at the Centre for Global Food and Agricultural Resources (GFAR) at The University of Adelaide. The program was structured to fill the skill and knowledge gaps I had in the industry at the time."
Adelaide was naturally on the top of Richard's list when he chose his study pathway. He first enrolled in an online course through EdX, delivered by GFAR, and found the teachers displayed a high level of knowledge and finesse and he found that the quality of the course itself was excellent, so when the opportunity arose to study in Australia, apart from already already building trust in the quality of the course, the beautiful city of Adelaide was an easy choice.
"I love Adelaide as a city. The people, culture, festivals, standards, and cost of living, and scenery attracted me as well," he said.
"I enjoyed that the degree took a multidisciplinary approach and prepared us to work in a multisectoral system. As a result, I have interfaced with stakeholders and contribute significantly in other sectors, especially the international trade and Agri finance sectors."
My time at the University of Adelaide was the best time of my life, yet to be topped. I made friends, was tutored by some of the best in the sector, traveled across Australia, got world-class experience working for a consulting firm in Adelaide, attended world-class conferences, and graduated with a great degree that has drastically increased my employability. The Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business degree is the boost my career needed and I will forever be thankful I took the bold step of moving to Australia for this.Richard said
During his studies, Richard found himself a part time position with a boutique consulting firm, where he worked as a research associate on the development of agriculture projects. He looks to his future career which took a shift in direction.
"Originally, I hoped to work in development agriculture, but that has changed to agribusiness due to the current demand-supply dynamics," he said.
After graduating in 2020 Richard moved into a role at an Agritech startup firm "I currently work as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of an Agritech startup called Izanu Africa. We provide farm management and microinsurance services for smallholder farmers. The microinsurance service utilizes vital skills and knowledge components from the agribusiness, and development agriculture sectors, so it is a great balance for me."
Richard reflected on what he most enjoyed during his studies.
"I enjoyed the Trends and Issues in Agriculture course, which Dr. Daniel Gregg took. That course was one of the highlights of my degree. It kept me on my toes, with the weekly assessments and presentations. It enabled me to hone my problem-solving skills by thinking on my toes to address trends and issues in the sector. It allowed me to address agribusiness issues from other perspectives and kept me abreast of the trends and issues in agriculture," he said.
The Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business provides students with the necessary conceptual and practical skills to solve global challenges and start a rich career in food and agriculture-related industries.
Whether you are interested in the public or private sector, the program opens up a wide number of possible career paths, including government departments, research centres, international funding agencies, food retailers, financial agencies, agricultural consultancy services, and non-government organisations.
Find out more about studying the Master of Global Food and Agricultural Business: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/degree-finder/mgfab_mglobfab.html