Dr Bruno Linyiru, Director‑General of the Agriculture & Food Authority (AFA), has been shortlisted for the “African Agricultural Development Leader of the Year” at the ALM Persons of the Year (POTY) 2025 awards
ALM’s nomination process — combining editorial vetting and continent‑wide public vote — is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most credible measures of leadership, impact, and influence. The final awards ceremony is slated for 27–28 February 2026 in Accra, Ghana under the theme “Leadership for a New Africa: Forging Our Peace, Owning Our Narrative.”
For Kenya’s agricultural and horticultural sectors, this nomination is more than symbolic. It reflects supra‑national recognition of AFA’s emerging role under Linyiru’s leadership — and signals to investors, donors, agribusinesses and farmers that Kenya aims to lead in regulatory governance, value‑chain development, and agricultural transformation.
In the 2025 African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year awards, Dr. Bruno Linyiru is not alone in the running for the prestigious “African Agricultural Development Leader of the Year” accolade. He faces stiff competition from five other prominent figures shaping agriculture across the continent. From Zimbabwe, Tinotenda Mhiko, CEO of the Zimbabwe Agricultural & Rural Development Authority, brings a track record of institutional leadership in agricultural policy and rural development. Guinea‑Bissau is represented by Queta Baldé, the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, whose efforts focus on strengthening national food systems. Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amente, is also among the nominees, recognized for his role in promoting sustainable farming and policy reforms. Egypt’s Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture & Land Reclamation, contributes expertise in modernizing agricultural infrastructure and enhancing crop productivity. Finally, Mauritius’s Arvin Boolell, Minister of Agro‑Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy & Fisheries, rounds out the shortlist with his oversight of strategic agricultural and food security initiatives on the island nation. Together, these nominees reflect a continent-wide commitment to innovation, governance, and transformation in agriculture, setting a high benchmark for leadership in the sector.
This six‑person shortlist brings together regulators, ministers, and agency heads — showing ALM values both policy leadership and institutional governance when defining “agricultural development leadership.”
Notably, AFA recently established a National Horticultural Standing Committee, bringing together stakeholders from government and private sector to revamp horticultural practice, improve value chains, ensure quality standards, and boost export competitiveness under shifting global market dynamics.
Given the challenges facing African agriculture — climate change, market access, regulatory compliance, and sustainability — the inclusion of a Kenyan AGRA regulator in the ALM POTY shortlist sends a strong signal that local efforts are aligning with continental expectations for innovation and leadership.
The previous winner of the “African Agricultural Development Leader of the Year” award (2025) was Mandefro Nigussie, CEO of the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), Ethiopia. Under his leadership, ATA implemented wide-ranging policies, climate‑smart programs and extension systems that strengthened agricultural resilience and productivity.