Leadership and institutional direction at Kilimo Corps Africa
Leadership Team

Leadership committed to building for the long term

Kilimo Corps Africa is being shaped by leadership grounded in purpose, practical execution, institutional clarity, and a long-term commitment to stronger agricultural systems across Africa.

Leadership Overview

Building an institution, not just managing activities

Kilimo Corps Africa is being built with the intention to become a credible pan-African institution. That means leadership must do more than oversee programs—it must shape vision, strengthen systems, build partnerships, support learning, and guide long-term institutional growth.

Our leadership approach is grounded in service, clarity, accountability, and the belief that strong institutions matter for agricultural transformation across Africa.

Institutional leadership and strategic direction
Tom Okech - Founder of Kilimo Corps Africa
Message from the Founder

How Kilimo Corps Africa came to be

Kilimo Corps Africa came from a deep belief that Africa’s agricultural future will be shaped not only by ideas or projects, but by people and institutions strong enough to carry transformation forward.

The vision began with seeing both the promise of emerging professionals and the gaps that often stand in their way. Many are capable, motivated, and ready to contribute, yet they often lack structured pathways that connect agriculture, implementation, innovation, and practical opportunity.

Kilimo Corps Africa was created to respond to that gap. It is being built as more than a fellowship or a short-term initiative. It is being shaped as a platform that can identify, train, deploy, and connect people who will help strengthen agricultural systems across Africa.

The long-term ambition is to build a credible institution that develops practical capability, supports innovation, strengthens partnerships, and contributes meaningfully to Africa’s agricultural future. That is the journey Kilimo Corps Africa has begun.

Tom Okech
Founder & Executive Director
Current Leadership Team

Meet the people building Kilimo Corps Africa

Click on each profile to open the individual leadership page.

Tom Okech

Tom Okech

Founder & Executive Director

Provides strategic direction, institutional leadership, and long-term vision for Kilimo Corps Africa.

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Susan Kageni

Susan Kageni

Chief Operations Officer

Leads operational coordination, internal systems, and the structures that support effective institutional delivery.

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Kepha Rabon

Kepha Rabon

Programs Manager

Oversees program coordination, implementation pathways, and the practical delivery of institutional activities and field programs.

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Martin Okello

Martin Okelo

Partnership Director

Builds and manages partnerships that integrate agronomic expertise, innovation, and market systems to drive scalable agricultural solutions.

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caren chebichii

Caren Chebichii

Finance Manager

Leads financial coordination and supports structured growth through accountability, resource management, and strong organizational systems.

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derrick memusi

Derrick Memusi

Fellowships Director

Designs and leads fellowship systems that equip young people with practical skills, field exposure, and leadership capacity to drive agricultural transformation.

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Advisory and strategic leadership support
Advisory Strength

Building with guidance, mentorship, and strategic support

Over time, Kilimo Corps Africa will continue to strengthen its leadership ecosystem through mentors, advisors, and strategic collaborators who bring experience, perspective, and sector credibility.

Advisory strength matters because strong institutions are rarely built in isolation. They grow through relationships, learning, accountability, and the ability to listen well while building boldly.

Leadership Principles

How we think about leadership at Kilimo Corps Africa

Purpose

Leadership must be rooted in contribution, integrity, and commitment to something bigger than individual visibility.

Execution

Ideas matter, but leadership must also show up in discipline, follow-through, and practical delivery.

Institution-Building

We believe strong institutions are essential for durable impact across agricultural systems.

Collaboration

Leadership grows stronger when it listens, learns, partners, and creates space for collective contribution.

Leadership Culture

A culture of humility, clarity, and long-term commitment

The kind of leadership culture we are building is one that values thoughtful action over noise, clarity over confusion, collaboration over ego, and long-term contribution over short-term recognition.

This matters because the future of Kilimo Corps Africa will depend not only on what the institution does, but also on the character of how it is built.

Leadership culture and collaborative institution-building
Next Step

Explore the work this leadership is helping to build

Learn more about the model, programs, partnerships, and long-term institutional direction of Kilimo Corps Africa.