Technical Consultant
Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development
Total years of experience :31 years, 10 Months
Our challenge was to implement a comprehensive plan that helped boost the farmers in all aspects. for that we split the project into three phases that each helping towards the overall development and accomplishment of the project aims. phase1 screening and training followed by phase 2 set up and operation and finally phase 3 marketing and supply chain
• Provided strategic organizational leadership, expertise and support to harness the emerging opportunities in agriculture technologies. developing the strategies and organizational priorities in this area, and engage with key Khalifa fund staff and partners to execute on these opportunities, including with investment funds, individual investors, and agribusiness companies, research organizations, I’ve work closely with technical innovation staff at the global, regional and operating unit level to identify opportunities where innovation can drive mission results, and to connect emerging technologies to our programmatic work. We play a key role in the investor identification and cultivation.
The Protected Agriculture Unit is to promote intensive, commercial, and market-driven greenhouse production, using soil-based and hydroponics systems. This aim is to be achieved through initiatives that work directly with farm owners and farm managers, as well by developing the capacity of the Extension Services Section in protected agriculture.
Technical officer, trainer and Bilingual Communication Officer -Arabic
Training the farmers to use effective disease and pest scouting/monitoring and integrated management strategies with growers, those range from traditional market garden, broad acre and high value intensive production.
Also I liaised with the greenhouses Growers Association in NSW as well as NSW DPI staff. Monitoring improved economic stability: Among the greenhouses and hydroponics vegetable and cut-flowers growers, some growers have implemented better hygiene and integrated pest management (IPM) practices,
Overall most of the growers have adopted improved farming/management practices, which have resulted in higher production, better product quality and less expenditure on crop protection.
Assist farmers to improve chemical management on farm, by:
Adopting better practices in pesticides, hydroponics management, pest and disease management (IPM) and greenhouse management.
•Implement and recruit farmers to join IPM program in greenhouse and open field in Sydney basin, working with district horticulturist and education officers in Sydney.
Better understanding to the plant variety resistance and environmental sustainability
•Improving pesticide record keeping
•Improving grower’s access to DPI, DEC and APVMA services & training.
•Providing daily hands-on operational management of the greenhouses at the Greenhouse, research institute in Narara (Agricultural Experiment Station)
•Managing a greenhouse space serving, several research departments, and Work closely with staff to coordinate plant care for research and extension projects.
•Interact frequently with greenhouse users to determine project needs and to communicate greenhouse policies and procedures.
•Provide assistance and advice to Departmental staff, graduate students and other researchers regarding plant maintenance procedures, including watering, fertilization, and integrated pest management programs.
Assist farmers to improve chemical management on farm, by:
Chemical Use Training.
Adopting better practices in pesticides, hydroponics management, pest and disease management and greenhouse management.
Implement and recruit farmers to join IPM program in greenhouse and open field in Sydney basin, working with district horticulturist and education officers in Sydney.
Better understanding to the plant variety resistance and environmental sustainability
Improving pesticide record keeping
Proper storage system.
Improving grower’s access to DPI, DEC and APVMA services (working with Chemwise team/Department of primary Industries, part of our activity to solve minor use problems for vegetable growers and to help them gain legal access to agrochemicals via permits and registrations) & training.
Build partnerships with the Arabic speaking community, in Sydney Basin
Job Search Training, conducted Job Search Training, coordinated the training activities, developed Job Search Training Program and other training resource, staff selection and training, developed policies and procedures, counseling job seekers and writing evaluation questionnaires and reports.
Managing and supporting clients to Job matching, negotiating with employers, referring clients to jobs.
Provide individualized support and assistance to Job seekers addressing/overcoming barriers to employment and ensuring that they gain suitable employment in an appropriate time frame.
Discussing business matters with representative of international multicultural companies includes overseas travelling.
Organizing, promoting and delivering training courses targeting NESB in Sydney Basin, Dealing with ChemCert and NSW agriculture (SMART train), for chemical application.
Provide services at all stages of projects from inception to completion include staff recruitment and training services.
I designed Introduction to Hydroponics (with Jeremy Badgery-Parker), and conducted training courses targeting the greenhouse as well as open field growers from the Non English Speaking Background (NESB) in Sydney Basin (teaching in both English and Arabic).
Facilitated two-way communication, and produced questionnaires to identify the growers’ needs in order to assist them with adopting the best management farm practices and mainstream practices.
Provided extension services on all aspects of greenhouse and hydroponics production in the Sydney Basin
Organize and promotes Training and farm visits.
Part of Waterwise team:
Achievements:
Improve growers access to NSW Agriculture services & training
Build partnerships with the Arabic speaking community, in Sydney Basin
Improve production & environmental performance of Arabic speaking growers in Sydney Basin through improved irrigation management practice
Build on grower’s knowledge & skills in irrigation & water use efficiency in hydroponics system.
Preparation Marketing plan and sales forecast (Samples, varieties demonstration plots, open field days and agro- technical support)
Selection and plot Management of testing location, collaboration with competent farmers.
Collaborate with researchers in Agriculture dept. King Fahed University.
Train Technical people and start up
Multiplication of high selected seeds
IMMIGRATED TO AUSTRALIA: Oct 2001
Responsibilities:
Budgeting -expense and sales
Contract negotiation
Expense control
Sales forecasting
Sales and Management training
Pricing strategy
Dealer recruiting and set up
Distribution network
Financial management
Customer relation
Marketing plan - competitors - Sales promotion and advertising…
Achievements
Seed production and re-production, under (Engagement agreement with Hi -Tech seed B.V. Holland).
Establish screening and Demonstration station sites.
Improving company by preformed high standard production and reproduction of quality seeds, cut flowers and hybrid vegetables.
Establishing key relationships and developing successful Sales and Management floral shops retail (FLOWER CLUB) and wholesaler (BORSA Jordan -flowers Auction), fresh flower, seeds, bulbs, seedlings, plants and accessories.
Export to Middle East markets and Import from Holland and India seeds and cut- flowers.
Participating in establishing a new company and preparing five years business plan for new Joint - Venture Company between HI-Tech and Suktian in Jordan.
Initiating sales staff training; developing and adapting marketing strategies and research in response to Fresh product market.
Effective Training and Management of follow agronomist and other employees engaged in my field of expertise.
Collaborate with Universities researchers and in response to overseas agreement e.g. Hi-tech seed B.V, Holland for F1 seed.
Export to Middle East markets and Import from Holland and India seeds and cut- flowers.
Marketing and sales of seeds and cut flowers. E.g. export of flowers to Holland Auction.
Introduce soilless culture (hydroponics) and fully computerized greenhouses to Jordan.
Organizing and managing market expansion into Gulf region, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and EU undertaking market evaluation, office and staff selection, sales training, and achieving profit in few months.
Supervisor cut flowers and vegetables production for export and local market.
Fully computerized greenhouse turnkey projects (Soilless culture).
Selection of suitable sites for open field and greenhouses production.
Use effective quality fertilizers.
Implementation of appropriate integrated pest management (IPM) and plant protection programs.
Collaborated with farmers in appropriate use of technologically advanced structure and equipment.
Judicious use of water.
Train technical people and start up.
Project Management –
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment Certificate IV in Training and Assessment Upgrade from Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training BSZ40198 - Murrumbidgee College Of agriculture – ongoing 2010
Certificate – Community language allowance scheme examination in the Arabic language. Community relations commission – NSW government – 2009
Chemical Application Risk Management – Chemical application (AQF3)
Bachelors of Science – Degree in Agriculture science – Soil and irrigation The University of Jordan– 1987 (My qualification has been assessed as comparable to an Australian Bachelor Degree (Assessment issued on 27.11.2002).