Name: Chef Kone Abdoulaye
Organization: International Agro-Alliance, Inc. (IAA)
Title: President and Founder
Age: 45
What makes him an effective leader:
Looking back on the environment of his upbringing inspired Chef Abdoulaye, a native of Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), to found his organization in 2008. Chef Abdoulaye’s mission has been to address issues of hunger and malnutrition by promoting rural social and rural economic development through sustainable agriculture. Prior to IAA, he trained and employed several local citizens to create a source of food security for local villages by operating and managing 92 acres of farmland in Yamoussoukro (government capital of Cote D’Ivoire).
My advice for President Obama:
“[Obama] has also done great focusing on democracy in Africa by putting African leaders on notice. However, the US development strategies in Africa should be focused on agricultural development to strengthen food security. People really do not care much about democracy or education as long they are hungry. Because they are hungry, their learning capacities are considerably reduced and their contributions to the society are insignificant. But people can change the governing process if they can overcome that fundamental basic necessity. From a leadership perspective, I know compromise is the key for moving the country forward. But compromise cannot happen with those determined to make him fail. So he needs to come closer to base, take advantage of the majority we will give him and accomplish something.â€