Moussa Sylla is a highly experienced Agricultural Engineer and Senior Agribusiness Consultant with more than 35 years of professional experience in agricultural development, agribusiness, agricultural input supply chains, plant nutrition, fertiliser markets, value chain development, agro-industry, and private sector development across West Africa. Throughout his career, he has successfully combined strong technical expertise with strategic business development, institutional strengthening, and public-private partnership (PPP+P) initiatives.
His professional background covers the complete agricultural value chain, from production systems and crop nutrition to market development, agro-industrial investment, commercial strategy, institutional partnerships, and project financing support. He has extensive experience working with governments, international development agencies, donor-funded projects, financial institutions, multinational companies, producer organisations, and private investors.
Mr Sylla has developed a strong reputation for designing and implementing agricultural development programs that improve productivity, strengthen input distribution systems, enhance fertiliser use efficiency, and promote sustainable agricultural growth. His work has contributed significantly to improving agricultural competitiveness and food security throughout West Africa.
He possesses broad expertise in feasibility studies, market assessments, agribusiness investment analysis, agricultural policy support, fertiliser market development, commercial expansion, institutional capacity building, and value chain analysis. His experience also includes the development of regional databases, decision-support systems, financing mechanisms for agricultural inputs, and strategies for strengthening agricultural supply chains.
Professional Experience
Since November 2023, Mr Sylla has been working as an Independent Senior Consultant, providing advisory services to governments, private companies, development organisations, and financial institutions. His assignments focus on agricultural value chain development, strategic planning, agribusiness investments, market development, enterprise restructuring, and partnership mobilisation. He also serves as a Board Member and shareholder in several agribusiness companies operating in Mali and Burkina Faso.
Between 2017 and 2023, he served as Commercial Director and later Key Accounts Commercial Director for the Elephant Vert Group in Mali, where he successfully expanded institutional and commercial markets, increased market share, introduced new organic fertilisers and biostimulants, strengthened national distribution networks, secured product registrations, and established strategic relationships with cotton companies, NGOs, donor-funded projects, and government agencies.
From 2013 to 2017, he worked as an International Consultant for major organisations including IFDC, USAID, WAFP, FDP-MD, SQM Europe, Plantacote, and Carrefour Business. His consulting assignments focused on fertiliser value chains, agricultural markets, economic studies, public-private partnerships, and private sector development.
Earlier in his career, Mr Sylla held executive management positions as Managing Director and Board Member of several private companies, including SOMAFERT, Global Millennium, FBM International, and Faso Développement. He also provided business advisory services to companies operating in Mali, Angola, and Senegal, while serving as Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Mali from 2002 to 2012.
His earlier professional positions included Research & Development Coordinator with Yara (Hydrochem International/AGRIDIS), Technical and Commercial Manager for SIMAGA, Head of the Agricultural Department, and General Manager of Ségou-Lait.
Technical Expertise
Mr Sylla’s areas of specialisation include:
* Agribusiness development and investment promotion
* Agricultural feasibility studies and market assessments
* Fertiliser value chains and crop nutrition
* Agroecology and bio-inputs
* Agricultural input marketing and distribution
* Agro-industrial development
* Public-Private Partnerships (PPP+P)
* Commercial strategy and business development
* Institutional strengthening and capacity building
* Agricultural value chain analysis
* Strategic planning and project management
* International tender preparation and management
* Large institutional account management
His consulting assignments have covered Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, The Gambia, Angola, and Ukraine, providing him with an excellent understanding of regional agricultural systems and markets.
Education and Professional Qualifications
Mr Sylla graduated as an Agricultural Engineer from the Rural Polytechnic Institute of Katibougou (Mali) and later pursued advanced specialisation in Ukraine in agricultural economics, marketing, commercial management, logistics, fertilisation, soil science, agrochemistry, microbiology, and plant protection. He has also received professional training in ISO quality management systems, agribusiness management, and enterprise development.
International Collaboration
Throughout his career, Mr. Sylla has worked closely with numerous international organisations and development partners, including USAID, IFDC, GIZ, KfW, IFAD, Elephant Vert, SQM Europe, Plantacote, Yara, CIREF, SOLVERT, MBSA, and several regional agricultural development initiatives.
Value for Project Development
Mr. Sylla brings a unique combination of technical agricultural expertise, commercial leadership, strategic planning, and international consulting experience. His extensive knowledge of fertiliser markets, agribusiness development, agricultural investment, and public-private partnerships enables him to contribute effectively to large-scale agricultural and agro-industrial projects.
His proven ability to bridge the public and private sectors, mobilise strategic partnerships, strengthen agricultural value chains, and support sustainable agribusiness investments makes him a valuable expert for feasibility studies, investment projects, institutional development programs, and integrated agricultural development initiatives throughout Africa.
