Ibikunle Olumide

Olumide was the Country Manager at DuPont, Nigeria (now Corteva Agriscience) from June 2010 to April 2023. He was also the head of the Seed business in West Africa for Pioneer Seeds (the Seed business of Corteva Agriscience in West Africa). Olumide graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria, for his B.Sc. and MPhil. in Plant Breeding. He is presently writing up his PhD thesis in Agronomy.

He has special skills in market research and financial Analysis, project development, networking and creating business alliances for investment and growth, excellent leadership and emotional intelligence, and loves breaking new and challenging business frontiers.

Olumide has strong ability to drive strategic plans for business entry into different countries; build and lead short, medium and long-term strategic and financial plans for business growth. He has vast national, regional and international experiences in research & development; seed and crop production; value-chain development for various crops and farmer development.

He has strong capacity to build lasting networks in the public and private sector in agricultural research, seed production, extension communication, commodity exchange and investment. He has developed strong input and output markets and investment opportunities for various food industries - Guinness PLC, Nestle, Flour Mills of Nigeria and Cadbury, and farmers across the West African region. Olumide co-wrote with Corteva global business development several business proposals for USAID sponsorship in some west African countries.

As an expert and acknowledged Seedsman, Olumide has vast industry experience on seed systems, agricultural innovations and enterprise development. He focuses on improving crop productivity through seed technologies, genetic resources conservation and augmentation, and the impact of climate change on food security.

Olumide has participated in several national and international agricultural policy discussions and regularly co-facilitates national stakeholders’ meetings on seed sector development, improving crop productivity and increasing farmers’ income.

Olumide worked with multiple stakeholders - national, political, regional and international, multi-racial and multi-cultural environments.

His hobbies are traveling, reading and sitting out with his wife and daughter.

Academic History

• •1983 – 1985: Obafemi Awolowo University, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training. Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. Ordinary National Diploma (OND) at Credit level.
• •1986 – 1988: Obafemi Awolowo University, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training. Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. Ordinary National Diploma (OND) at Distinction level.
• •1999: Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state, Nigeria. Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Extension and Rural Sociology.
• •2001 – 2003: Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. M. Tech in Crop Husbandry and Soil Management.
• •2003: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria. MPhil in Plant breeding.
• •2022 – 2024: Ekiti state University, AdoEkiti. Writing PhD Thesis in Agronomy.

Professional experience

• •1990 – 1996: Research Supervisor at the Maize Breeding unit at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.
• •1996 – 2005: Senior Research Supervisor at the Maize Breeding unit at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.
• •2005 -2006: Research and Development Manager, at Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria.
• •2007 – 2010: Senior Manager, Research and Production, at Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria.
• •2010: Crop Development Specialist at DuPont Nigeria Limited
• •2011 – 2013: Business Leader at DuPont PHI Nigeria Limited
• •2013 – 2023: Country Manager, Nigeria and Head, Seed business for west Africa, at Corteva Agriscience
• •2023 to-date: Chief Executive Officer of ProSoil Seeds Nigeria Limited (seeds of hybrid and open-pollinated maize, rice, cowpeas, yams, cassava and plantain) and Cole Greens Agricultural Company (producer of Pimus plantain flour and Pimus palm oil)

Research interests

• •Genetic resources improvement
• •Seed Production
• •Stress breeding – drought, striga, low soil fertility
• •Market survey and analysis
• •Market and value-chain development
• •Farmer education and Extension communication

Crop Releases and Registrations

• •2006: Breeding upgrade of Oba Super 1 (maize hybrid) for Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Zaria
• •2007: Re-registered Oba 98 (maize hybrid) as quality protein maize (QPM) with Nigeria National Committee on Crops and Animal release and registration, for Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Zaria
• •2009: Registration and release of Oba Super 3, Oba Super 4, Oba Super 5, Oba Super 6 and Oba Super 7 (maize hybrids), with the Nigeria National Committee on Crops and Animal release and registration, for Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Zaria.
• •2011: Registration of Metsulphuron methyl and Indoxacarb (insecticides) with the National Agency for food and drug administration and control (NAFDAC)
• •2011: Registration and release of P38W01 and P38W03 (sorghum striga hybrids), with the Nigeria National Committee on Crops and Animal release and registration, for DuPont Pioneer Seeds, Nigeria
• •2014: Registration and release of P30Y87 and P30F32 (maize hybrids), with the Nigeria National Committee on Crops and Animal release and registration, for DuPont Pioneer Seeds, Nigeria.
• •2014: Release of P3966W and P4226Y (maize hybrids) with the Ghana National Committee on Crops and Animal release and registration, for DuPont Pioneer Seeds.
• •2018: Registration and release of P3966W, P4063W and P4226Y (maize hybrids) with the Nigeria National Committee on Crops and Animal release and registration, for DuPont Pioneer Seeds, Nigeria.
• •2019: ECOWAS catalogue listing of all the registered Pioneer hybrids (P30Y87, P4226Y and P3966W)
• •2019: Release of P3966W and P4226Y (maize hybrids) with the Ghana National Committee on Crops and Animal release and registration, for DuPont Pioneer Seeds.

Presentations at conferences, workshops and Seminars

• •2019: Keynote speaker of Seed Science Society Conference
• •Biannual training of company marketers on product portfolio
• •Biannual training of agronomists on product portfolio
• •Biannual training of agro-dealers on product portfolio
• •Training of extension workers every year at the different local governments in west Africa
• •Biannual training of other companies’ marketers on product portfolio

Honours and awards

• •1988: Best student in the Graduating class (GPA 4.95)
• •2017: Distinguished Alumni award by Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Nigeria.
• •2021: Award of Excellence by the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC). Outstanding Support for the development of the Seed Industry in Nigeria
• •Appreciation award a keynote speaker at the 36th annual conference of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers.
• •2021: Special Recognition award for exemplary performance and development of the Seed Industry of Nigeria by NUAAE-NASC branch.

Languages

• •English: can speak fluently and can write
• •French: working knowledge
• •Hausa: working knowledge
• •Yoruba: can speak fluently and can write

Licenses

• •2023: Seed Producer and Marketer by the National Agricultural Seeds Council of Nigeria (NASC)
• •2023: Producer and marketer of plantain flour, plantain chips, bean flour, palm oil, cassava flour and yam flour by the National Agency for food and drug administration and control (NAFDAC)

Certifications

Green Belt in Six Sigma

Professional memberships or affiliations

• •Seed Entrepreneurs of Nigeria
• •Genetic Society of Nigeria
• •Seed Science Association of Nigeria
• •American Business Council
• •Nigeria Economic Summit
• •Nigeria Agribusiness Group
• •African Crop Science Society
• •Farm settlers Association of Oyo state, Nigeria