NEW YORK, NEW YORK, US — African Agriculture Holdings Inc., a supplier of sustainable animal feeds and agricultural products in Africa, has hired Michael Rhodes as chief executive officer. He succeeds Alan Kessler, who will remain chairman of the board and continue in his operations role as chief strategy officer.

Rhodes has decades of operating experience in large-scale agriculture across Africa, including hands-on management of more than 16,000 hectares of productive farmland across more than eight East and West African nations, the New York, New York, US-based company said in its Feb. 6 announcement.

Rhodes has been involved in commercial-scale farming of alfalfa and other forage crops for animal feed for over 40 years, beginning on his family’s alfalfa farm in Utah. He brings experience implementing international best-practice standards for the growing of alfalfa and other animal feeds to farmers and ranchers across West Africa. Rhodes also has been principally involved in raising over $1.5 billion in financing for development projects globally from public and private sector sources.

“I am honored and enthusiastic about this great opportunity,” Rhodes said. “I intend to bring international agricultural best practices to African Agriculture. I believe in the people of Africa and, through the company’s continuing collaboration with local communities, we can create a legacy of positive transformation. As the African proverb says: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’”

African Agriculture engages in vegetation-based protein commercial farming for dairy and beef cattle animal feed. Operating in Senegal, the company began to produce alfalfa for cattle feed and nutrition in 2021.