Dr. Zaheer Ahmad

Dr. Zaheer Ahmad is a distinguished agricultural sustainability and supply chain expert with over 34 years of experience in agronomy, food safety, and responsible agricultural development across Pakistan and Central Asia. As the Director and CEO of AgNovate Consulting (Pvt.) Ltd., he leads major initiatives that promote climate-smart agriculture, human rights integration, and sustainable production systems for large agro-industrial networks.

He has pioneered the implementation of international sustainability standards in Pakistan’s sugar sector, guiding multiple mills through training, monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder engagement, gap assessments, second-party audits, and certification readiness. His leadership has strengthened supply chains, trained thousands of farmers and workers, and advanced the adoption of regenerative and climate-resilient practices across tens of thousands of acres.

Previously, Dr. Ahmad served as Agribusiness and Food Safety Specialist at the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), where he worked on crop supply chains, livestock and dairy development, corporate and contract farming, and food safety initiatives across Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Earlier roles at Engro Fertilizers and Engro Foods saw him lead GMPs, HACCP systems, international certifications (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, IFS, BRC, Halal), and farmer advisory programs that improved productivity and profitability for smallholders.

With a Ph.D. in Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition and a career rooted in field implementation, research, and strategic leadership, Dr. Zaheer Ahmad is recognized for advancing resilient, inclusive, and environmentally responsible agricultural systems.