Speakers

Ms. Sharon Cherobon is a dedicated farmer and community leader deeply rooted in the sugar industry. Although she does not work directly with any sugar mill, her passion for agriculture and commitment to sustainable solutions have positioned her as a proactive advocate for change. Holding a sugarcane production handbook for field staff, Sharon exemplifies her drive to bridge knowledge gaps and empower her community. With over two years of hands-on experience in sugarcane cultivation, Sharon has developed expertise in optimizing crop yields, implementing sustainable farming practices, and navigating the complexities of market dynamics. Her commitment to continuous learning has led her to adopt emerging technologies, such as precision agriculture and climate-resilient farming techniques, to combat the socio-economic and environmental challenges faced by her community, including land degradation and the impacts of climate change. In her role as a community leader, Sharon has initiated programs to empower youth in agriculture, foster knowledge exchange, and advocate for inclusive growth. Her efforts aim to inspire a new generation of agricultural innovators who can contribute to the resilience and sustainability of the sugar industry. Ms. Cherobon has been invited to make a special presentation at the Sugar Industry Innovation Symposium 2025 on the thematic area of Youth Advocacy for Policy Reforms in the Sugar Industry. Her practical insights and leadership experience will provide valuable perspectives to drive policy reforms and innovation in the sector.

Pauline Dumons is the Business Development Director of NetZero, a global leader in biochar-based carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. She works closely with agro-industrial players—including sugar mills and large estates—to integrate biochar as a cornerstone of sustainable soil management, productivity improvement, and circular use of residues. With more than 12 years of experience in environmental services, sustainable development, and industrial partnerships, Pauline helps companies transition towards resilient and climate-smart farming systems. She specializes in building collaborative approaches that bring together agronomy, industry needs, and circular-economy principles. Before joining NetZero, she held senior roles at Veolia, where she contributed to strategic programmes on water resilience, resource efficiency, and innovative circular-economy solutions across the Middle East and Africa. Pauline holds an MSc from EM Lyon Business School, complemented by executive training in leadership, circular economy and impact measurement. Since 2022, she has been leading NetZero’s efforts to scale biochar solutions in the tropics, with a strong focus on supporting sugarcane regions—from Brazil to Kenya—to enhance soil health, valorize agricultural residues locally, and accelerate the transition towards low-carbon, regenerative value chains.

Mr. Gamaliel Anamanjia is a distinguished Agricultural Engineer with an exceptional 48 years of experience in Kenya’s sugar industry. A graduate of Egerton University (Class of 1976), he has devoted his career to strengthening outgrower institutions, advancing agricultural systems, and improving farmer livelihoods across the sector. Mr. Anamanjia began his professional journey at the Ministry of Agriculture in 1977, before joining Mumias Sugar Company Ltd later that year, where he served until 1981. He subsequently moved to the East African Sugar Industry – Muhoroni, serving as Agricultural Services Manager from 1981 to 1984, providing leadership in extension services, field operations, and farmer support programmes. In 1985, he joined Mumias Outgrowers Company, where he deepened his engagement with grower institutions before returning to Mumias Sugar Company Ltd (1986–2009). During this period, he played a pivotal role in the development and strengthening of the Agricultural Management Systems (AMS), contributing significantly to improved operational efficiency, farmer support structures, and sustainable cane development systems. Upon retiring from Mumias Sugar Company in 2009, Mr. Anamanjia took up leadership at Mumias Outgrowers Company (1998) Ltd, where he has served as Chief Executive Officer to date. In this role, he has applied decades of institutional knowledge to address the challenges facing farmers and outgrower organisations, advocating strongly for reforms, efficiency, and improved service delivery to the farming community. He also holds professional training in Transport Management, earned from Esame Arusha in 1991, complementing his broad technical and managerial expertise. With nearly five decades of unwavering service, Mr. Anamanjia is widely respected as a mentor, industry elder, and champion for farmer welfare, organisational strengthening, and sustainable sector development.

Mr. Gamaliel Anamanjia is a distinguished Agricultural Engineer with an exceptional 48 years of experience in Kenya’s sugar industry. A graduate of Egerton University (Class of 1976), he has devoted his career to strengthening outgrower institutions, advancing agricultural systems, and improving farmer livelihoods across the sector. Mr. Anamanjia began his professional journey at the Ministry of Agriculture in 1977, before joining Mumias Sugar Company Ltd later that year, where he served until 1981. He subsequently moved to the East African Sugar Industry – Muhoroni, serving as Agricultural Services Manager from 1981 to 1984, providing leadership in extension services, field operations, and farmer support programmes. In 1985, he joined Mumias Outgrowers Company, where he deepened his engagement with grower institutions before returning to Mumias Sugar Company Ltd (1986–2009). During this period, he played a pivotal role in the development and strengthening of the Agricultural Management Systems (AMS), contributing significantly to improved operational efficiency, farmer support structures, and sustainable cane development systems. Upon retiring from Mumias Sugar Company in 2009, Mr. Anamanjia took up leadership at Mumias Outgrowers Company (1998) Ltd, where he has served as Chief Executive Officer to date. In this role, he has applied decades of institutional knowledge to address the challenges facing farmers and outgrower organisations, advocating strongly for reforms, efficiency, and improved service delivery to the farming community. He also holds professional training in Transport Management, earned from Esame Arusha in 1991, complementing his broad technical and managerial expertise. With nearly five decades of unwavering service, Mr. Anamanjia is widely respected as a mentor, industry elder, and champion for farmer welfare, organisational strengthening, and sustainable sector development.

Mr. Edwin Shikanda is the Head of the Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division at the Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute (KESRETI), where he leads national efforts to advance sugarcane improvement through cutting-edge breeding and genetic technologies. With an accomplished career spanning more than 28 years, Mr. Shikanda is widely recognised as one of Kenya’s foremost sugarcane breeders. His work centres on integrating conventional hybridisation with modern biotechnological approaches to accelerate the breeding cycle, enhance genetic gain, and deliver high-performing, locally adapted sugarcane varieties. Over the course of his career, he has been instrumental in the development of 27 improved sugarcane varieties tailored to Kenya’s diverse agro-climatic zones—varieties noted for their earliness, high yield potential, and strong resilience against major diseases. Beyond varietal development, Mr. Shikanda has contributed significantly to innovations that strengthen seedcane production systems in Kenya. His research on the single eye bud chip technology has provided a practical, scalable solution for producing clean, high-quality planting material, and is now being actively promoted across the sugar industry. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, advancing knowledge on sugarcane improvement and supporting evidence-based decision-making in the sector. Mr. Shikanda holds an MSc in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology from the University of Eldoret and a BSc in Agriculture from Egerton University. His research interests include the development of high-sucrose and high-biomass cultivars; breeding for resistance to smut, RSD, and other major diseases; introgression of traits from wild Saccharum species; application of high-throughput marker-assisted selection; and improving the ratooning ability of elite sugarcane varieties. At the Sugar Industry Innovation Symposium 2025, Mr. Shikanda brings deep scientific expertise and decades of field experience, offering critical insights into the future of sugarcane genetics, productivity, and resilience.

Kenn Nyangwara is a seasoned Marketing and Business Development Executive with more than 15 years of progressive leadership driving commercial strategy, revenue growth, brand competitiveness, and customer excellence within Kenya’s sugar industry. Renowned for his disciplined, data-driven, and transformational leadership style, Kenn has consistently delivered measurable results across every role he has held. He currently serves as the Head of Marketing and Business Development at SonySugar Company Ltd, where he has led one of the most remarkable commercial turnarounds in the sector. Under his stewardship, the company’s revenue grew from KSh 400 million in 2020 to KSh 5.32 billion in 2023, complemented by earlier milestones including achieving KSh 5.8 billion in 2017, the highest sales performance in the company’s history. In 2025, his strategic interventions restored customer confidence in the SonySugar brand, reclaiming key markets and accelerating revenue to KSh 1.927 billion within just five and a half months. Kenn has also demonstrated exceptional ability in operational recovery and business continuity. He successfully mobilised KSh 65 million (2022) and KSh 43 million (2021) from key traders to restore factory operations, raising efficiency levels from 40% to 90%. His expertise spans strategic marketing, pricing optimisation, distribution and logistics, route-to-market development, SAP Sales & Distribution implementation, and key account management. He has also led two consecutive Customer Focus Strategic Plans (2014–2019 and 2019–2024), improving the organisation’s customer satisfaction index from 71.1 to 74.8. Throughout his career, Kenn has consistently delivered top-tier performance—from his early years as a Regional Sales Representative, where he generated over KSh 3.7 billion in sales and achieved national recognition for four consecutive years, to his tenure as Sales Operations Manager, where he delivered KSh 7.3 billion in annual revenues. His teams have repeatedly won top national awards at agricultural and trade exhibitions in 2012, 2015, and 2017. Kenn’s academic and professional foundation includes a Chartered Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing (CIM), an MBA in Strategic Management, and a BBA in Marketing, supplemented by extensive training in business management, accounting, leadership, and information technology. He is also actively involved in leadership roles beyond the corporate space, including serving as Team Leader for MWANGAZA Project, OPI Champions Team Leader, Director at Seven Haulers Ltd, and as a Community Health Worker, reflecting his commitment to both industry and community transformation. With a clean 22-year professional record and a reputation for integrity, innovation, and execution excellence, Kenn continues to shape commercial strategy within Kenya’s sugar sector—driving competitiveness, sustainability, and long-term growth.

Mukami Gitau is the Head of Business Development – Africa at AgroCares, where she leads the company’s growth strategy across East Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, and other emerging markets. With a career spanning more than 25 years in business development and marketing—primarily in the IT and innovation sectors—Mukami brings a distinctive blend of technological insight, market intelligence, and agricultural impact to her role. At AgroCares, she spearheads smallholder-centred projects and commercial initiatives that leverage nutrient intelligence solutions to improve soil health and boost farm productivity. She excels in building and nurturing strategic partnerships, working closely with regional distributors, agribusinesses, and development partners to expand access to affordable, real-time soil diagnostics. Mukami’s work is grounded in a deep belief that technology can transform agriculture, especially for the millions of farmers who depend on healthy soils for their livelihoods. Her passion for youth and women’s inclusion in agriculture drives her advocacy for practical, technology-enabled tools that enhance decision-making, support economic empowerment, and strengthen food security. With her extensive experience and strong commitment to innovation, Mukami continues to shape Africa’s agricultural landscape by championing solutions that bridge the gap between data, sustainability, and inclusive growth. At the Sugar Industry Innovation Symposium 2025, Mukami will contribute to the thematic area of Harnessing Digital Solutions for Youth-Led Advancements, sharing insights on how nutrient intelligence, soil health technology, and strategic partnerships can unlock new opportunities for young people in agriculture.

Dr. Paul Orengoh, PhD, PE, PMP, is a development strategist and a policy analyst with over 19 years of experience leading large-scale programs across Africa’s water and sanitation, agricultural, agro-industrial, and climate resilience sectors. He has extensive expertise in value chain optimization, market systems development, and supply-chain efficiency, with a focus on enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and profitability across complex agro-industrial systems. Dr. Orengoh has advised national and regional programs on agricultural logistics, private-sector participation, financing models, and policy reforms, including interventions within Kenya’s sugar sector. His work spans operational analysis, data-driven investment strategies, and institutional strengthening aimed at improving mill performance and farmer livelihoods. He has delivered technical solutions for transport, harvest scheduling, and digital logistics integration, drawing on comparative lessons from leading sugar-producing economies such as Brazil, Mauritius, and India. At the 4th Sugar Industry Innovation Symposium & Expo (TUSONGE Edition), Dr. Orengoh will speak on “Reinventing Sugarcane Transport in Kenya: Cost-Efficiency, Digitization, and Modern Logistics Models for a Competitive Sugar Industry.” His presentation will highlight practical approaches to reduce transport costs, improve fleet management, enable clustered harvesting, and integrate climate-smart logistics, with actionable recommendations for millers, farmers, county governments, and investors. Dr. Orengoh holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer and Project Management Professional (PMP). His interdisciplinary expertise bridges policy, investment, and technical solutions, positioning him as a thought leader in driving efficient, sustainable, and profitable agricultural systems across Kenya and the wider region.

Benjamin is an Environmentalist with 35 years’ experience in matters Environment and climate change. He has a wide experience having worked in public sector for 26 years and 9 years in private sector. Mr. Langwen has professional experience on matters Environment locally, regionally and globally. Benjamin has a Master’s of Science degree in Environmental Pollution Control from Leeds University (UK) -1994 and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Nairobi – 1990. Mr. Langwen is proud of being a twice recipient of Commonwealth Scholarship on matters Environment in the United Kingdom (UK). Benjamin has done specialized courses on Environmental Impact Assessments, Hazardous waste management, Water pollution management among many other courses Mr. Langwen worked in the then Nairobi City Council as a Chief Chemist for 14 years, at National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for 12 years as a Director of Compliance & Enforcement and currently working as an Environmental Advisor in the Sugar Industry( Kibos, Mumias and Chemilili ) .He recently worked with FAO – Kenya as an Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) Specialist on a project of “ Transforming Livelihoods through Climate -Resilient , low – carbon Agricultural Value Chains in the Lake Region Economic Block . A project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Benjamin is also currently working as a Commissioner in the Nairobi Rivers Commission having been appointed by H.E the President in 2024. Mr. Langwen is a lead EIA Expert of registration No. 1736 with NEMA, Vice – Chairman of Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK), a member of Environment of Environment & Planning working group of Environment and Lands Court in Kenya and is the Chairman of Environment Society of Kenya (ESOK)