Family and smallholder farming

I began my professional journey in Sri Lanka’s flourishing floriculture industry, focusing on European and Far Eastern markets. Over five years, I led research and development initiatives, pioneering non-conventional breeding methods that significantly advanced the sector. This foundation facilitated my transition into project and program management, where I have had the privilege of collaborating with governmental bodies and international funding organizations. A highlight of my career was playing a key role in the success of the National Agriculture Development Program (2003-2014), contributing to strategic planning, coordination, and execution, while bringing over two decades of diverse experience within Sri Lanka’s agricultural development sector. My professional journey has been shaped by multidisciplinary training, equipping me with expertise in project and program management, monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning in MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning), sustainable rural development, climate-smart agriculture, food and nutrition security, Agric value chain & SME developments,Results-Based Management (RBM), gender mainstreaming, and knowledge management, among other areas of competence. Since October 2015, I have had the privilege of coordinating multifaceted projects and programs for the EU Delegation in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, with a focus on integrated rural development. These initiatives span critical sectors such as agriculture ( agri- green), food and nutrition, local governance, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), SCP (Sustainable Consumption and Production), and Nature based tourism, all aimed at fostering positive, sustainable development. As I continue my professional path, I remain committed to leveraging my diverse expertise to drive impactful transformations across Sri Lanka’s evolving sectors, contributing meaningfully to sustainable development goals.

Working on Scaling up Village Input Fairs, Agriculture, Innovation, DEI, and more.

Attaché de Coopération, Chargé de programmes, Section infrastructures et développement durable

About me
Manuel Martín-Andrés MSc. Project Manager & Agricultural Engineer
English, Spanish, French & Russian
Culture, Travel, Community, swimming and languages

Experienced Project Manager with over 6 years of successfully leading cross-functional international teams to deliver projects on time and within the budget. Able to manage projects from agriculture to IT. Enthusiastic, hard-worker and team player able to achieve measurable results and to foster collaborative relationships with stakeholders.
Open minded Spaniard, living an incredible experience in odd times. I moved in 2021 to Russia to live, study and do project consultancy, Nonetheless, I am receptive to new challenges.

Saint Serenus Agronomia OU Manager
Present
As project consultant, I provide expertise in planning, resource management, and decision-making, ensuring project success through effective communication, risk mitigation, and quality maintenance.

Head of EMEA Technical Dev. Dept. Gowan Crop Protection. UK
Sep. 22/Apr. 21
Project manager for plant protection projects. Leader of an international team for the evaluation of projects and their development in EUMEA. Successfully managed 2.4 M€ for critical projects and reorganization of the whole team. High involvement in Technical, Regulatory and Marketing decisions as well as new projects evaluation. Planning, Budgeting, Risk Management, Scope Definition.

Regional Project Manager for EUMEA Gowan Crop Protection. UK
Mar. 19/Mar. 21
As a key contributor to the European development team, I managed and cultivated new product development projects across Citrus, Olives, Rice, Cereals, and nuts. Additionally, I spearheaded the project management for these endeavors across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, ensuring their success.

Project Manager. Tech. and Marketing Dept. Gowan Española Fitosanitarios. Spain
Mar. 16/Mar. 19
Product development can be defined as the conversion of a market opportunity into a saleable product. Within this developmental process, my role encompassed pre-commercial tasks such as business case analysis, addressing technical and regulatory aspects of plant protection products specifically for Spain and Portugal.

Efficacy Department Director TrialCamp. Spain
Nov. 13/Feb. 16
As a Department Manager and EU Project Coordinator, I steered the ship of efficiency, orchestrating team organization, engaging with sponsoring managers, crafting project protocols, and overseeing the conclusive data. My familiarity with EU and Spanish regulations governing product registration and development enriched my role during this tenure.

Education & Continual Learning
MSc. ECONOMICAL ANALYSIS Universtitat Oberta De Catalunya. Spain
Present
Combining a Master's in Economic Analysis with project management expertise, I possess advanced skills in analyzing economic trends and data, enhancing informed decision-making. This blend equips me for roles where economic insights drive effective project planning, risk assessment, and strategic choices.

MSc. HORTICULTURE SPbGAU. Russia
Present
Farming exemplifies advanced project management, characterized by numerous constraints throughout the project lifecycle. This master's program also strengthens my proficiency in the Russian language.
Master Scholarship from the Russian Ministry of Education.

MSc. INNOVATION AND DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY Cranfield University. UK
Oct. 09/Sep. 10
My Master's in Innovation and Design encompasses Project Management, Environmental Regulation in Practice, Communication and Evaluation, as well as Applied Innovation.
Pursued studies through the Euromovex Program Scholarship.
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING MSc. Universitat Politècnica de València. Spain
2001/2008

I hold a bachelor's degree in Agribusiness and a Master's Degree in Applied Geography and Spatial Development. 

Sector: 

Agrofood (Feed and Food)

Areas of expertise 

• Accreditation, Certification and Scheme Development
• Feed safety 
• Food safety 
• Governance
• Strategy
• Stakeholder Engagement - Capacity Building .

I have been directing the Israel Italy Chamber of Commerce for the past 13 years, the Chamber is an NGO recognized both by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and Israeli Ministry of Economy. I have been very active i incrementing exchange between Israel and Italy covering the science, diplomacy, economic, investments and innovations. The Chamber is part of a net of Italian Chambers all over the world. My speciality is to match critical problems to innovation, whether medical, agricultural, scientific, and fronteer innovation. I have been scouting for innovation for the major international multinationals.
In 2021 I was bestowed the title of Knight of the Italian Republic, by the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella.

Professor of Development Anthropology and Co-Leader of the Centre for Society, Environment and Development at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich. Experienced research and consultant in a) social, institutional and policy aspects of livestock development and b) impacts of climate change on the rural poor and their opportunities for adaptation. Recent work through Agrinatura on value chains (VCA4D programme) and evaluation of the PRUNSAR agricultural research programme. Other recent work for the EU on the Livestock State of Play document, and technical assistance to the PLACE programme on pastoralism in East Africa

I am founder and Executive Director of Bantani, previously youth-worker, VET teacher and policy maker with Welsh government/European Commission and an international expert in entrepreneurship education and development. Bantani Education is a non-profit based in Belgium and working globally with a mission to transform learning. At the heart is the commitment is equipping young people and adults with transversal skills and mindset needed to be more entrepreneurial in life and work, leading to more learner engagement, active citizenship, employability and self-employment. Our skills work connects across entrepreneurial, digital, sustainability and finance skills development - integrating these in a coherent way across all sectors from pre-school to adult learning. Bantani achieves our vision by bringing extensive policy and practical experience to actions with partners from public, education, civil society and private sector, to research, test and embed high-quality learning practice and policy.