Country Director, Nigeria
Heifer International
Rufus Idris has more than 2 decades of experience moving smallholder farmers out of poverty in Africa and the United States. He is the Nigeria Country Director for Heifer International, leading a mission to end hunger and poverty in Nigeria through innovative programs that are helping to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector, enabling food security and pathways to sustainable living incomes for millions of smallholder farmers.
Prior to joining Heifer International, Rufus’ experience span across leading innovative international development organizations and programs in agribusiness, agricultural innovations and new technologies, food security, access to innovative finance, youth and women empowerment, and policy reforms. During period which he served in capacities such as Executive Director, Chief/Deputy Chief of Party, Program Director, Program Portfolio Manager, and as Technical Advisor to a State Governor.
He was the Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity, a five-year program aimed at strengthening the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment in Nigeria. He was the Program Director for the UK Department for International Development funded program “Promoting Learning in Agribusiness using New Technologies (PLANT)” where he led TechnoServe's collaboration with DFID (now FCDO) and the British Council, to develop a more competitive agriculture sector in Nigeria by increasing innovation and uptake of technology within the sector. Also, he was the Portfolio Manager for a DFID – DAI Market Development Program in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, during which he facilitated economic opportunities in aspirational sectors such as agribusiness, ICT, renewable energy, and entertainment that led to dignified work and living incomes for young return migrants, potential victims of human trafficking and vulnerable households.
Rufus holds a Master of Science in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH), Executive Education in Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Non-profit Organizations from Harvard University (Cambridge, MA), a certificate in Innovation Ecosystem in Africa from the Lagos Business School (Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos-Nigeria), a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from La Roche University (Pittsburgh, PA), a Diploma in Fisheries Technology from Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (Lagos, Nigeria).