Heifer International has appointed Rufus Idris as its new country director for its Nigeria operations.
Idris, who has assumed duties since June 2021 has already begun to operationalize Heifer International’s global mission and strategy in Africa’s biggest economy.
Idris is a Nigerian and a seasoned development specialist with cross-cultural experience spanning over 17 years, during which he developed and led innovative economic development programs in Nigeria and the United States.
“Rufus’s proven capacity as an administrator, mobiliser, and excellent team player will serve him well in his new role as country director for Heifer Nigeria,” said Adesuwa Ifedi, senior vice president for Africa Programs at Heifer International.
“His appointment will deepen Heifer’s interventions and support for Nigeria’s food systems resilience and sustainability agenda,” Ifedi, said.
“I trust that he will provide the much-needed operational acumen required for Heifer International’s transformational journey in the years ahead,” she added.
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As country director for Heifer Nigeria, he will provide the leadership and the strategic focus required to develop and leverage public-private partnerships, implementing market-driven programs that address the systemic constraints, and stimulating lasting market systems improvements for farmers to attain sustainable living incomes.
Commenting on his recent appointment, Idris noted that he is excited to join the Heifer International team and lead its innovative and inclusive in-country program directed at eradicating hunger and poverty.
Idris holds an M.Sc in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University, executive education in Performance Measurement for Effective Management of non-profit Organizations from Harvard University, B.Sc in Biology from La Roche University, and a Diploma in Fisheries Technology from Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos.
Before joining Heifer International, Idris served as deputy chief of party for the USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity, a five-year program aimed at strengthening the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment in five key value chains (rice, cowpea, soya, maize, and aquaculture) and seven focal Nigerian states (Benue, Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, Delta, Ebonyi, and Cross River).
He was the Program Director for the UK Department for International Development (DFID) funded program “Promoting Learning in Agribusiness using New Technologies (PLANT)” where he led TechnoServe’s collaboration with DFID and the British Council to develop a more competitive agriculture sector in Nigeria by increasing innovation and uptake of technology within the sector.
He was also the Portfolio Manager for a DFID-funded – Market Development (MADE) Program in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria implemented by Development Alternatives Inc.
