Trustee
APPOINTED TO THE BOARD ON 13 JUNE 2024
Michael Kwame Nkonu is the Head of Portfolio for Agricultural Livelihoods for the IKEA Foundation, where he leads the foundation’s work on building global food systems that are fair, resilient, and equitable. His work involves designing and funding research and prototypes, and scaling up planet-positive agricultural systems and practices that restore biodiversity, rebuild soil fertility, and minimise waste.
Michael career over the past 20 years has focused on sustainability including ecosystems management, trade and climate justice, and the application of mobile technology to drive sustainable practices. Michael was the founding Executive Director of Fairtrade Africa, an organization championing trade and environmental justice for African farmers and workers, and currently working across over 30 African countries.
Prior to Joining the Ikea Foundation, Michael led the Food Systems work for the Open Society Foundation (OSF) and helped established the Climate Justice Program for the OSF.
Michael holds Master of Science Degrees in Sustainability Leadership (Cambridge University) and Agricultural Science and Natural Resources Management (University of Hohenheim, Germany).