Dr. Mustapha M. Ceesay, a Gambian national, has joined the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Gambia Country Office as Assistant FAO Representative in charge of programmes on 4 May 2020. He brings to FAO a wealth of experience in agriculture and rural development, agricultural systems management, policy management, farmer-centered research and extension.
Mr. Ceesay holds a Doctorate Degree in Crop and Soil Sciences from Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, USA. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Crop and Soil Science from the same university and a joint Bachelors/Master of Science Degree in Agronomy from Kuban Agricultural Academy in Russia.
Mr. Ceesay has held various positions in agricultural research and development over the course of his professional life. It will not be the first time Mr Ceesay has supported the FAO mandate with his expertise. Prior to his appointment as Assistant FAO Representative in charge of programmes, he was a consultant agronomist (2014–2018) supporting FAO projects and programmes in The Gambia. His role focused, in particular, on ensuring the smooth implementation of projects and Technical Cooperation Programmes, supporting the Assistant FAO Representative in charge of programmes and participating in United Nations Country Team (UNCT) and FAO implementing partners’ activities.
Before joining FAO, Mr. Ceesay worked with the Ministry of Agriculture in The Gambia as manager of the National Agricultural Research Institute’s research station, then as Director of Research and finally as Deputy Director General. He provided scientific and technical managerial leadership roles to the Ministry of Agriculture, participated in policy review and formulation, development priority setting and in administration. Most recently, he served as a consultant formulating and evaluating agricultural development projects with the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and the African Development.
