Olalekan Paul AKANDE – Aquaculture Expert/ Agribusiness Economist Mr. Akande, a seasoned expert with interdisciplinary competencies that traverse the entire spectrum of aquaculture value chain and agricultural business economics including gender issue and the effect of climate change. He has a professional experience spanning more than 12 years with organizations in Africa and Europe. He currently serves as the Deputy Training Coordinator at the Aquatic Hub Afrique Network, Nigeria and also Director of Agribusiness and Sustainability of the Institute of Export Operations & Management (IEOM), a Trade and Investment Support Institute in Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, a Master degree in Aquaculture/ Marine Resources Management and Agribusiness Economics from Wageningen University, the Netherlands and a Certificate: Value Chain Management Approach (Aquaculture Development) from the University of Queensland, Australia. He was on the research team to Vietnam in 2011 to investigate economic and environmental sustainability of Pangasius and Shrimp aquaculture production in Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Mr Akande has certifications and trainings in several professional fields including: A certified trainer on Nigeria Agricultural Enterprises Curriculum, Aquaculture Version (NAEC-Aqua), certified trainer on United Nations-International Trade Centre (ITC)’s Analysis Tools on market, international trade and different certifications for fish and other agricultural products, A United Nations certified trainer on Packaging for Export and Global G.A.P Farm Assurer He has consulted and set up aquaculture projects (ranging from breeding/hatchery, pond construction/ table-size production, feed production/ feed mill, fish processing/ packaging) for more than 20 individuals and organizations in Nigeria. He has participated in donor funded agribusiness development projects in the following developing and developed countries; Ghana, Nigeria, Vietnam and Australia, I am also experienced in the European Union Common Agricultural Policy (EU-CAP) with a couple of jobs done in Netherlands agricultural systems. He has spoken and presented papers at various conferences and business forums both within and outside Nigeria, including at Geneva, Switzerland. He’s a member of several professional bodies and a true professional with a passion for agribusiness development in Nigeria. He is a recipient of the Netherlands Fellow Programme (now the Orange Knowledge Programme) and an awardee of the Australia Awards Africa programme