Voices Shaping Africa's Carbon Economy

Carl Jensen

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Good Nature Agro

Carl Jensen is Co-Founder & CEO of Good Nature Agro, an integrated legume seed and commodity company supporting over 25,000 smallholder, emergent and commercial farmers in Zambia, Malawi, and South Africa. Under his leadership, grower incomes have increased fivefold, and the company has raised significant investment to advance its mission of moving farmers into the middle class. He holds an M.Sc. in International Agricultural Development from UC Davis and has led research, curriculum design, and field programs across Africa, Asia, and the U.S., working across soil science, design thinking, and farmer-centred innovation.

Mr. Albert Halwampa

Director General

Zambia Development Agency

Mr. Albert Halwampa is the Director General for the Zambia Development Agency and a Chevening Scholar with vast experience in International Trade and Investment. He has led teams in promotion and facilitation, investment and trade in regional and international markets, and participated in Bilateral and Multilateral Trade Negotiations including SADC, COMESA, AfCFTA, AGOA and the EU. He sits on the Board of Zambia Export Development Fund, the Investment Committee of the ZCCM–IH Board, and the Market Transactions Committee of the Securities and Exchange Commission Board. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Zambia and an LLM in International Commercial and Business Law from Bangor University, United Kingdom.

Mr. Davison Mapiza

Director, Development Planning

Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia

Thirty years' experience in Public Service at both middle and senior management levels. Holder of a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Yonsei University, South Korea, a Bachelor's Degree in Science and Mathematics from the University of Zambia, and a Diploma in Mathematics from Copperbelt Secondary Teachers College. Currently Director in charge of Development Planning in the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Lusaka — overseeing and coordinating the formulation and implementation of national development policies, plans, strategies and programmes to guide Zambia's integrated spatial and socio-economic national development processes.

Daniel Ngaruiya

Lead, Business Development, Sustainable Technologies – Africa

South Pole

Dr Elliott Ronad Dossou-Yovo

Agriculture and Climate Change Scientist

African Rice Center

Tafadzwa Nyamande

Country Operations Manager

CarbonConnect GmbH

Tafadzwa Dutoit Nyamande is a Zimbabwean biochar project developer and climate justice advocate based in Harare. As Head of Operations at CarbonConnect GmbH and Founder of ZimbanjeX Pvt Ltd, he launched Zimbabwe's first biochar production operation in 2023, converting baobab husks into biochar across three locations, producing over 700 tonnes annually.

Kelvin Saili

Head of Compliance & Inspections

Agricultural Institute of Zambia

Catarina Santos

Representative

UpEnergy

Dr Chibamba

Permanent Secretary

Ministry of Green Economy

Afonso Sambo

Director General

National Federation of Agricultural Associations (FENAGRI)

Heather McEwan

Regional Representative, Africa and Middle East

Verra

Dr Wilfred Kadewa

Director General

Malawi Environmental Protection Authority