I am a rural researcher at Savills, focusing on agricultural, environmental, rural property, and land use issues across the UK. I lead a team of research analysts and a specialist rural data team, analysing the impact of policy changes on rural businesses and the land market. Alongside this, I run our family arable farm in east Lincolnshire and am busy investigating ways that we can evolve our combinable cropping system to make the business more sustainable.
I joined the programme as I was keen to benefit from an outside perspective on my development while also offering my experience back as a mentor. I really like the matching process and that there is training to help make sure you get the most out of the programme.
I am a passionate agriculturalist with a fierce thirst for learning. Farming is in my blood; I see agriculture as an industry that is often overlooked despite its global importance. As an Agri-Business Consultant I specialise in advising on business strategies, improving farm efficiency, and addressing the unique challenges of the agricultural sector, combining my deep-rooted understanding of practical farming with modern business practices.
Land management is vital for food production, environmental conservation, and energy generation. My aim is to help facilitate, empower UK farmers, showcasing them as world leaders in our industry.
I decided to join the cultivate success program in the hopes to engage and learn from experienced professionals who can offer different perspectives and further my own professional development.
I hope to gain invaluable personal insights, constructive criticisms, encouragement, and enhanced industry knowledge as well as new friends and connections.
Doctoral Researcher/PhD Candidate
Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, London, UK
I am a dedicated food systems researcher and final-year PhD candidate focused on the cascading effects of disruptive shocks on agri-food value chains (AFVCs). My research has equipped me with a strong background in systems thinking, qualitative research, and stakeholder engagement. I am passionate about building resilient food systems, with a focus on sustainable and equitable solutions for global food security.
I decided to join this program to connect with like-minded professionals and mentors who can help guide my career in food system resilience. The opportunity to engage with a diverse network is invaluable to my personal and professional growth.
Through this experience, I hope to gain insights into practical applications of resilience-building strategies, expand my network within the agriculture industry, and strengthen my skills to better contribute to the global challenge of food security.
Environmental Assistant
I was recently made redundant from 7 years in breeding Barley in the research and development sector, upon this crossroads I joined the Twocan Mentor programme to hopefully gain direction and open up vision to other career options within agriculture that are not sitting on a tractor all day long.
My mentor is expertly matched and first session in going swimmingly well. So far this programme has given me purpose and a road in which I feel I can progress.
I look forward to what the next few months holds!
Studying for her PhD at Harper Adams University
Originally from inner-city Birmingham, I was attracted to the broad range of subjects that agriculture encompasses so completed a degree in Agriculture at Harper Adams University. During this time, I developed an interest in poultry nutrition and am now pursuing a PhD in slow growing broiler nutrition and environmental impact assessments. In my spare time I enjoy French classical dressage, cooking, knitting and exploring fashion.
I decided to join the Twocan Mentor program to develop a good foundation for a career in agriculture once I finish my PhD. I am passionate about networking and building communities and believe these factors are essential for personal and professional growth.
I hope to have great conversations with people from the sector that will lead to lasting networks and communities. I hope that through the mentorship I will develop clearer goals for my future and gain confidence about heading out to work in the industry.
MSc at Bangor University
I am a dedicated agriculturalist with my first degree in Agricultural Economics and Farm Management from Nigeria. I am also a recipient of the Commonwealth Scholarship and OFC Scholarship. I am currently pursuing my MSc in Agroforestry and Food Security at Bangor University, Wales. I am driven by the desire to use my knowledge to address global challenges related to food security and sustainability.
I joined Twocan Mentor to expand my knowledge and experience while advancing my career in the agri-food and forestry sectors. Through Twocan Mentor, I aim to gain valuable experience, develop my career, and pursue my passion for farming.
I look forward to leveraging my education, experiences, and opportunities offered by Twocan Mentor, to make a meaningful contribution to UK agriculture and beyond.
Knowledge Exchange at AHDB
I was brought up on a mixed livestock farm in East Yorkshire. After studying Agriculture at Newcastle University, I moved down to Warwickshire for my first ‘proper job’ at AHDB in the beef & sheep genetics sector. I did that for 3 years before taking a secondment into the Knowledge Exchange team at AHDB, being the point of contact for beef & sheep producers between Lincolnshire and Herefordshire. A year secondment, turned into 2 and then I got invited to stay! I’ve now been in the role 5 years and enjoy the variety my role brings – no two days are the same.
I love my job and my team, but I was looking for a new challenge when I came across Helen and Twocan Mentor at an industry networking event. Being mentored sounded like a great idea and opportunity to push myself. Having been in the same organisation since I graduated and the same role for a while, you can sometimes become a little sheltered from how other organisations and job roles work. This seemed the perfect opportunity to get an alternative opinion on my career and development from people that have a very different experience to me and don’t really know me, so have no bias.
I would love to have some goals and something to aim for, I don’t know where I see myself in 5/10/15 years, so I’m hoping this scheme will help me bring some clarity to that and work out what I do and don’t want from my career. I’d also like some different opinions on how to deal with work challenges – especially when people have different ways of working. I’m a planner who likes a reasonable amount of detail, a fair amount of control and time to think things through, so working with people who don’t work in that way is inevitable, but can be frustrating
